Having a celebrity walk down the ramp as a showstopper seems to have become a norm at fashion weeks. No doubt, a celebrity walking the ramp brings in a good audience and visibility to the collection. However, there are instances when designers go back to the good old days of ditching showstoppers and letting their work speak for itself. This is what happened at J.J. Valaya’s show at the Hyundai India Couture Week 2024 when the designer presented a set-up so mesmerising that it had a character of its own.
The theme of the show drew from Istanbul’s Ottoman intricacies and art deco lines, while Isfahan reinterpreted Persian carpets and miniature paintings with a contemporary twist. With this, the capital city celebrated Mughal inlays intertwined with flora and fauna motifs.
With musicians performing live, Valaya enchanted the audience with his presentation and designs. Without a showstopper, the designer walked on the ramp along with his models, once the show was over. This was not the first time this year at the India Couture Week that a designer dropped a showstopper. Designer Suneet Varma too refused to have a showstopper and instead danced his way on the stage once the showcase was over. Attempting to bring the spotlight back on designs and the designer, ditching the showstopper seems like a move more designers will make in the near future.
In collaboration with American Express, the House of Valaya presented its 2024-25 Couture, MURAQQA with a 60-piece collection (40 women’s, 20 men’s) that showcased a fusion of rich textiles, fine crafts, and exquisite detailing across three distinctive themes.
‘Muraqqa’ means an album in book form containing Islamic miniature paintings and specimens of Islamic calligraphy. The album was popular among collectors in the Islamic world.
The collection features custom woven silks, lush velvets, and an array of silhouettes including lehengas, saris, evening jackets, sherwanis, nehru jackets, and bandhgala jackets. Accessories such as stoles and shawls complemented the ensembles, adorned with unique embroidery techniques and prints.
Embellishments included aged metal, silk threads, beads, and crystals in seasonal colours, enhancing the grandeur of Indian couture.
J.J. Valaya, also a founding member of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) had established his brand back in 1992 and each season, his creative passion blends classic and modernity. Last year, his theme was ‘Baroda’, which delved into the history of Gujarat.
In association with Reliance brands and an Initiative by FDCI, Hyundai India Couture Week is being held at The Taj Palace, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.