Valliyan’s jewellery is not for the faint-hearted. Bold and statement-y, they speak of a certain depth of character that’s truly unafraid and unapologetic of being oneself. Much like its founder Nitya Arora, completely her own woman. An alumnus of Parsons School of Design, New York, Nitya has now come up with her speakeasy flagship in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, to celebrate 15 years of her iconic brand. Designed by interior architect Shashank Ahuja in collaboration with Nitya, it’s a sunshine space, radiantly charming, like Nitya herself. She explained the concept to t2.
What’s the concept at the Valliyan speakeasy? Sounds absolutely fabulous!
The concept of speakeasy bars has existed for a while and I’ve always loved going on a hunt to find these little hidden gems whenever I travel. But, I wanted to translate that concept to retail. Our new store is exactly that, a hidden gem in the bylanes of Kala Ghoda. Hence, we called it the Valliyan speakeasy.
How did you arrive at the idea?
The new shop is situated on the first floor of the iconic Rhythm House building. Once you come to the first floor you have to pass a lot of lawyers’ offices to finally find a red door that leads to the store. And once you enter the door you are transported into the world of Valliyan. So it’s a discovery process, characteristic of a speakeasy.
A glimpse of the store
What have these years been like?
It feels like a lifetime. When I started there was no social media or celebrity stylists or online shopping or any fashion jewellery brands. It was a different world. It’s been adventurous, exciting, creative, full of hustle and learning. I’ve felt loved, hated, betrayed, insecure, joyful, thrilled — so many emotions, but most of all I feel proud of myself for doing it all single-handedly and surviving all sorts of situations, from demonetisation to Covid and coming out victorious. For staying true to myself and my brand, its values and ethos.
Glimpses of Ahmedabad’s Aza Fashions Store that is spread over 10,000sq ft. Located in Ambli Bopal Road, the store houses a variety. Think menswear, womenswear, accessories and fashion jewellery. Amit Aggarwal, Jayanti Reddy, Sabyasachi, Anushree Reddy, Nupur Kanoi, Ridhi Mehra, Anamika Khanna, Varun Bahl, Ritika Mirchandani, and Rimple & Harpreet Narula are among the designers on showcase. “The Aza Ahmedabad store is a space where craftsmanship meets elegance, and fashion enthusiasts can immerse themselves in a world of timeless sophistication and cutting-edge style,” said Alka Nishar, founder & chairperson, Aza Fashions. “The new store is not just a retail space; a celebration of craftsmanship and creativity,” said Devangi Parekh, managing director, Azafashions.com.
You had told us how the name Valliyan came from baaliyan...
Yes, in Punjabi it’s called ‘Valliyan’ and my first logo was in the Gurmukhi script because I’m very proud of my roots, and being a Bombay girl I felt Valliyan and the Gurmukhi script connected me to Punjab, which is where my grandparents are from. It was the first piece of jewellery I ever owned, a pair of gold hoops gifted to me by my naani.
Alka Nishar (left) and Devangi Parekh
Your jewellery is full of drama and statement. How do you view the world we live in?
The world is a challenging place to live in and there’s always so much going on every day that we have to deal with. It can get exhausting. We also live in a world of fast everything — fast fashion, fast food, fast travel, fast Internet that really lacks soul. With Valliyan, I try to create a world of fantasy to add beauty, love and soul to the world because that’s what we put into the jewellery. Valliyan is beautiful jewellery with a soul.
What remains a favourite medium of expression?
Design is everything for me, whether it is designing my store or designing jewellery or designing clothes. I love expressing myself through art and design.
Who have been your muses over the years?
It all started with Sonam Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Rekhaji, Sridevi, Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian, Arjun Kapoor, Zeenat Aman....
How do you see the men’s jewellery space growing?
It’s growing very fast and I’m very excited because it’s high time men take a hint from all the glorious maharajas of India.
What else is on the cards?
I’m trying to enjoy the new space/store for now, maybe a comeback to fashion week and a few collaborations.
NITYA’S TOP PICKS:
1. Stones: Dalmatian Jasper, pyrite and clear quartz
2. Metals: Copper, brass, silver
3. Jewellery items for the day: Hoops and rings
4. Jewellery items for the night: Statement necklaces and handcuffs
5. Current faves: The Valliyan polki cross necklace and the skull choker