Date with J J Valaya

J J Valaya,who can easily be called one of India's veteran couturiers is taking the completion of his 20 years in fashion quite seriously.

J J Valaya,who can easily be called one of India’s veteran couturiers is taking the completion of his 20 years in fashion quite seriously. As a part of a series of initiatives that he says will continue throughout 2012,he launched a limited edition financial year calendar in Delhi earlier this week.

Cheri,the sophisticated fine dine place at Mehrauli in Delhi was turned into his party venue and the Delhi fashion fraternity was all there,cheering for the happy Valaya. Shot by Tarun Khiwal,now a big name in fashion photography whose first ever project was with Valaya,this calendar features friends of Valaya. They are all seen in Valaya garments,styled by the couturier himself. White leghngas,midnight blue jeans with bandhgalas,brocade sherwanis,densely crafted jackets,high-necked embroidered cholis and a printed patiala salwar worn by Rohit Bal make up the calendar. As props there are old jamavar shawls,rich carpets and décor pieces from the House of Valaya.

Enlarged digital prints of the calendar in sepia and burnished tones were displayed at Cheri for the guests. An antique,slightly dusted,slightly old, finish (clearly the marvel of good post production work) bound all photographs in a common language. FDCI President Sunil Sethi,designers Suneet Varma,David Abraham & Rajesh Thakore,Rina Dhaka,Manish Arora,Ashish Soni and Bal are featured besides models like Rahul Dev,Sapna Kumar and Michelle Innes that Valaya has blocked time with.

I have to admit I could not distinguish the fashion and design sensibility of JJ Valaya from the photographic language of Tarun Khiwal. Otherwise as two artists in their right,they have a very distinct language,but in this calendar they seem to collide into another,serving up a pleasant rubble of sameness.

Is that a creative success or a loss? Needs some reflection. Will the calendar look good on your table? Oh absolutely yes. Is it extraordinary photography that starts telling a story of its own? No.

The surprise image is of photographer Tarun Khiwal himself,shot by JJ Valaya (whose evolving trysts with photography is now no longer a secret).