JJ Valaya

Early life

Born Jagsharanjit Singh Ahluwalia, the name was shortened to J J Valaya to create the Valaya fashion label. He was born on 8 October 1967 in the state of Rajasthan in India but spent most of his childhood travelling to different parts of the country due to his father's various postings in the Indian Army. He studied commerce in college and planned to be a chartered accountant eventually. But his passion for beautiful things and fixation for the rich Indian art and culture took him to the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi (NIFT) where he graduated in fashion design in 1991.

Career

He trained under a pioneer in Indian fashion Rohit Khosla, before starting his own label. With his elder brother TJ (Tribhavan Jit) Singh, JJ Valaya founded The House of Valaya in 1992 with the launch of its couture label. Valaya's creative vision together with his brother's organizational abilities have been the key factors for the success of Valaya as a luxury brand. Around 2003, when he launched his pret line, he was already retailing fashion and lifestyle products under three brands: JJ Valaya, Studio Valaya and Valaya Home-Life, in which his first couture label, JJ Valaya, comprising his trousseau line, launched in 1993. The brand today encompasses Couture, Ready-to-wear, Home and a CSR prerogative, The Free Spirit Foundation (FSF).

In 2010, Valaya's collection of ALIKA showcased at several events in Dubai was highly acclaimed. In this collection, the storyteller in him found expression through which he narrated the story of the female musicians of India's royal courts and their romantic affairs with the princes of the land. Alika, his fall/winter range consisted of finely worked jalabiyas, kaftan saris and anarkali-churidars. Valaya has used his couture creations to tell stories that intrigue him. That's perhaps part of the reason for his fascination with India's royal history. This collection also saw the birth of his signature Alika Jacket.

In 2011, Valaya's Winter/Festive collection at Lakme Fashion Week titled TASVEER received positive reviews. The collection combined Valaya's twin passions: photography and fashion. The collection was inspired by the evolution of photography from black and white to sepia to hand-stained, natural and digitised images. It was an interesting journey of colours and an amazing story, told through clothes. Valaya, in one of his interviews said “It’s almost like there are two personae in me: the photographer and the fashion designer. I intend to keep both alive,” there was also about 10 menswear outfits that included sherwanis, bandhgalas, breeches and Nehru jackets.

In 2012, Wills India Fashion Week Valaya's collection AZRAK stayed true to its meaning – rare and common. The collection was inspired by West Asia and the Ottoman Empire of Turkey. His creations had juxtaposed elements of minimalism and grandeur, Western and Indian silhouettes, traditional motifs and modern drapes & feminine form. The range showcased saris, jackets, anarkalis, breeches, blouses and dresses. Showstopper Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut was dressed in a pristine white gown teamed with traditional Indian jewellery and a rich brocade Maharaja coat. The surprise elements on the ramp were faces such as Suneet Verma, Rohit Bal, Navtej Johar, Jamie Stewart, Sumant Jayakrishnan and Navin Ansal to name a few, who were among the twelve showstoppers that took to the runway for the designer.

The year 2012 also marks 20 years of JJ Valaya's work in the fashion industry. The designer took a series of initiatives – launched a limited edition financial year calendar in Delhi. Shot by noted fashion photographer Tarun Khiwal, the April 2012 to March 2013 calendar has Valaya's close friends and "wonderfully inspired individuals".

Valaya introduced the 'Diasun', a pattern comprising two inverted 'V' and the sun motif from the JJ Valaya crest, which now comes on every garment produced by the label in some way or the other to put a stop to plagiarism and imitations of the market.

JJ Valaya is a founder member of the Board of Governors of the Fashion Design Council of India.

The designer currently has around 250 embroidered workers and craftsmen working exclusively for him out of 40,000 sq ft headquarters in Delhi.

His clothes have been worn by various GCC royals and celebrities including Joseph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor.

He remains one of the biggest names in the bridal trousseau market in India, and was one of the first Indian labels to invest in sampling, research and development at their "House of Valaya" establishment at Manesar on the outskirts of Delhi.

Awards and recognitions

Founder board member of the Governing Council/ board of directors of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). (1998)