OTTOMaN EMPIRE- GATE NUMBER TWO

The highly anticipated off-site show by JJ Valaya on Wednesday evening started admittedly by the designer too with a strong sense of déjà vu.

The highly anticipated off-site show by JJ Valaya on Wednesday evening started admittedly by the designer too with a strong sense of déjà vu. As models sashayed down the set (it wasnt just a ramp) in his 2012 couture collection,few missed the conceptual similarity between the designers WIFW Autumn-Winter finale show held in Delhi in February,which was inspired by the Ottoman Empire. Valaya wasnt coy about the similarities.

Also titled Azrak like the former one,this range was indeed an extension of his former line. A grand set that resembled a Turkish Sultans room with glass chandeliers and jaali work nailed the mood. Opulent and aspirational is how he sees his own brand and thats exactly the way he positions it. Saris,lehengas,shararas,long coats with quilted and transparent skirts,churidars,sherwanis and of course,the trademark Alika jacket made an appearance.

Intricate semi-precious stone inlay work,zardozi and badla on the garments made it glitzy and fascinating in parts. Valaya used fabrics such as fine silk,dupion,jacquard and velvets. An orange lehenga,for instance,looked like a piece of art with immense detailing through embroidered minarets,even if some motifs like exotic birds and Turkish miniatures kept reappearing. Colours were intense deep red,oranges,gold,ivory and many shades of blue.

Nouveau,Nice

The couture is undoubtedly clubbed and dubbed with bridal wear but not all designers want to make wedding the only hub of their work. Varun Bahl is certainly among those who hint at a course correction in perception. Bahls show that opened the PCJ Delhi Couture Week on Wednesday made some welcome points. Though it was all Indian wear,the collection was thoughtfully balanced it could appeal to the edgy luxury or wedding market. Lehengas,saris,achkans,shararas,mughal farshis (a wider sharara) and long jackets comprised the line called India,Nouveau. Bahl introduced some exciting silhouettes: sheer net kurtas with bright red bustiers,fluid and flowy below the waist with embellished churidars. Some saris had a double pallu one attached to the bustier and other to the sari. Black mutated to another palette with coral blue,olive and red. His fabrics were silk net,chiffon and velvet. The subtle and sophisticated collection eluded anything garish. It was couture in the finest sense.

Wedded by Valaya

CJJ Valayas grand show on Wednesday also marked the launch of his latest business venture: JJ Valaya Luxury Weddings. A bespoke wedding brand,it promises to conceptualise,create and sell a wedding concept band,baaja and baraat,Valaya-style. Ask him how the venture is different from a high-end wedding planners and he shoots right back. How is a Valaya different than a Rohit Bal or a Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla? Every single thing that comes out from the Valaya umbrella will have my expertise and USP. And that is what my clients want, he said.

Front RowNot Fussed Up

The Capital got a dose of luxurious opulence on Wednesday evening,the first day of PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012. But this time,Varun Bahl and JJ Valaya – two couturiers otherwise known for star-studded front rows or celebrity showstoppers- seemed fine without Bollywood guests or usual celebrity suspects. The front row remained subdued while clothes became the glitteratti. At Bahls show were Sunanda Pushkar,Diors Kalyani Saha,musician Ayaan Ali Khan and Pooja Mishra of Bigg Boss fame. Whereas Valayas show had VJ Bani in the front row.

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