Indian fashion is like water in a cup that is close to the edge and ready to spill over. In 5 years Indian fashion will dominate the global arena, says designer JJ Valaya.
Famous Indian designer JJ Valaya will present his autumn/winter 2006-07 couture collection at a fashion show to be held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel on November 11.
The collection is inspired by legendary warrior tribes but has all the glamour and grandeur one expects from Valaya.
Through innovative use of colours, fabrics, prints and embroidery, the designer pays tribute to the Amazons, the mythical women warriors who fought the Greeks, the formidable Maasai tribe from Africa and the fearless Samurai warriors who ruled Japan for over 600 years.
The grand finale of the show will feature evening gowns and lehengas. The collection is now available at JJ Valaya Life, the designer's flagship store in Jumeirah, Dubai.
The first in Dubai
"This show marks my 13th year in Dubai. I was the first Indian designer to showcase my collections here and also the first to open a flagship store here," said Valaya, during a recent trip to Dubai to announce the show and to launch this new collection at JJ Valaya Life.
"Over the years the city has changed dramatically. Not only has the skyline transformed, but I have also noticed that Arab women today have much more contemporary tastes in fashion. However, their undying passion for Indian fashion and sensibilities remains unchanged because our cultures are similar and they can relate to our embroidery, colours and weaves," he added.
The designer, who is a pioneer of Indian fashion and a founding member of the Fashion Design Council of India, spoke to Tabloid! about his future plans and the growing visibility of Indian fashion on international ramps.
Excerpts from a colourful interview:
Recently, several young Indian designers have participated in major international fashion weeks. Why have you never participated in these shows?
For the last 16 years, I have always believed in maintaining a consistent growth pattern for my label. I have recently launched Valaya Quantum and we had a licensing arrangement with a major company in place before the label was launched. To me that is true progression of a brand and a business.
Showing your collections around the world is a piece of cake, and gets you some attention but the difficult part is sustaining the label in those markets subsequently. I have consciously avoided doing shows abroad because I believe that one should do it only when one has the capital and infrastructure to sustain the brand for the few years that it takes to be accepted in a new market.
So when will we see you at New York Fashion Week?
We are in the process of relaunching Studio Valaya, my prêt line, and we plan to have a commercial tie up with a company that has the resources to support the brand in international markets.
Once that is in place I will participate in all the fashion weeks. Finding the right balance between commercial and creative sensibilities is difficult but very important.
I learnt this the hard way, when despite being a star student at NIFT I did not sell even a single piece from my first commercial collection.
Do you worry about competition from younger designers?
There is a lot of good work happening in India from young designers as well as the old order. But I believe that evolution in art lies in competing with yourself. Rather than looking at what others are doing, I focus on improving on my work from the last season. I always look critically at my own work and keep myself excited by doing new things and evolving constantly.
How do you see India's place in international fashion?
Indian fashion is like water in a cup that is close to the edge and ready to spill over.
Everybody is looking at India now and in five years Indian fashion will dominate the global arena.
What role has the Fashion Design Council of India played in the growth of Indian fashion?
With India Fashion Week, we created a platform where international buyers could see the best of Indian fashion.
We now have two seasonal events every year and soon plan to hold an exclusive couture week and an event dedicated to menswear.
What excites you most about fashion?
Couture is my first love and passion. A certain attitude is required to appreciate couture. You have to feel like a queen and be as rich as one to be able to afford couture. But I have seen people's temperament and attitude change when they wear these luxurious clothes. It feels wonderful to be able to touch somebody's life in this way with my work.
What are your future plans in this region?
I am looking for outlets in malls in Dubai and across the GCC to introduce my recently launched diffusion label, Valaya Quantum. I am also toying with the idea of bringing Valaya Fleur, my luxury flower boutique to Dubai.
The collection
The JJ Valaya autumn/winter 2006-07 collection is the designer's tribute to the bravest warriors and cultures of the past.
The first line is inspired by the Amazons, the mythical women warriors who lived on the fringes of the civilised world and were the arch enemies of the Greeks. Fluid fabrics, beaten metallic embroidery and simple silhouettes highlight the unusual lifestyle of these women warriors.
The second line, based on the history and traditions of the Maasai tribes, is marked by a vibrant palette of earthy browns, reds and yellows and African prints.
The third line is based on the legendary Samurai warriors of Japan and one can see a beautiful interplay of prints and metallic fabrics and cherry blossom and other floral motifs in the embroidery.
The collection includes saris with sexy cholis, festive lehengas, skirts, tunics, printed and embroidered abayas and jellabiyas and a range of festive menswear.
True to Valaya's signature style, the fabrics are opulent, the embellishments intricate and understated and the cuts classic, but with a bit of madness such as printed leggings under a beautifully embroidered lehenga.
The show
Valaya will showcase his latest couture collection at Jumeirah Beach Hotel on November 11. The show is by invitation only.
