The latest collection of JJV, the bridge-to-luxury line by couturier JJ Valaya launched last year, is cool, young and gorgeous. The Telegraph chatted with Valaya on the ethos and his dreams for the coming years.
The collection looks amazingly young...
This is the fun part about JJV. It’s so much more fun to put together because I don’t have to really focus only on weddings. More people can wear them and it’s more accessible. The debut collection that you saw at the summer edition of fashion week, by God’s grace, has been a great hit, which is why we are now extremely keen to take this forward in a big way. Hopefully, 2023 will start seeing our expansions, starting with JJV across the country, hopefully. Let’s see, Inshallah....
Tell us about the prints...
The entire base of the collection is on prints. That’s the DNA of the brand itself, that we focus a lot on our prints and then use the embroideries subtly and minimally to add interest to it. The focus here is not embellishments, unlike
JJ Valaya. It is a completely different focal point, yet the DNA of the brand runs through. So, you still see the same colours and ethos.
We love how you have incorporated the chevron...
Chevron makes an appearance everywhere. It’s either in a trim or a piping, edging... somewhere or the other it pops up, in some way or the other. It’s also become one of our most popular signatures. In today’s day, whoever shops with us, it is almost mandatory that they pick up at least one piece from the chevron collection besides of course the JJV collection. So, the chevron in itself is a stand-alone collection which we do every season... much like what the check became to Burberry.
It is an occasion-wear line...
My whole philosophy to this brand was of course to keep it (in terms of inspiration) loosely based on Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala’s travelogues because he was one maharajah who was constantly travelling and therefore it is a tribute to the land of my forefathers which was Kapurthala in Punjab. Also, I have always been baffled as to why when people travel and have to go to a formal occasion, we never carry clothes which are slightly dressy. Primarily because Indian clothes tend to get heavy. So many people were telling me that they love my DNA and can’t they have simpler clothing which they can also buy and not just wedding clothes? So, it came out of that. It was a need to have occasion-wear for travel and, of course, make it much more accessible. So, you don’t have to get married to wear a Valaya.
2022 was amazing for you...
(Laughs) It’s been a monumental year, but it is also the year which laid the foundation for JJ Valaya version 2.0, literally. This was the post-sabbatical era. As is the law of the universe as I always tell you, if you put your best into something, then the universe also starts rewarding you. Which is why when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever happened or we also got the PETA award (2022 Vegan fashion award), all these are acknowledgments that people appreciate what we do, that is humbling and gratifying. One must just go on. Keep your focus intact. No room for resting on one’s laurels as they say.
For the way forward, I am extremely, pleasantly and fortunately surprised with the response that JJV’s got. We are looking forward to more and more people wearing this.
What else are you manifesting for 2023?
You know me. I am a day-to-day guy. It’s always about the present moment. I’ll probably set a five-year threshold and I would say that my three babies, which are JJ Valaya Couture, JJV and Valaya Home... I hope all three accomplish what they set out to do and reach the heights and levels they are meant to. And, my entire focus will be purely on that.