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J. J. Valaya - Indian Designer
JJ Valaya is regarded as one of the fashion czars in the industry. Born October 8 in Jodhpur, India, JJ Valaya, one of India`s most celebrated designers, has come a long way from his days of auditing banks in India. Growing up in an Army family, JJ and his two older brothers were raised by their parents in various cities across India. He is known for his knack of combining clothes and his unique experimentation.
He actually did his Bachelors in Commerce at a Chandigarh College followed by an 18-month stint in Chartered Accountancy, and finally dropped out to pursue fashion. In 1989, he enrolled himself in the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) n Delhi. He graduated two years later after winning various awards which included The Prix de Incitation in Paris, The Thapar-Dupont Medal, The Elyxa award and the KLM-NIFT Trophy. Upon graduation from design school in 1991, he chose to follow his own dreams, a decision taken by the flip of a coin.
In 1992 he launched his Couture label-JJ Valaya, and introduced this label in upmarket stores in India and abroad. JJ Valaya `LIFE`, India`s largest single designer store opened in New Delhi in 1994. With this store he branched into Furnishing, Tapestries, Accessories and Art. In 1998 he launched his Prêt label, Studio Valaya, both in New Delhi and Mumbai and went online with www.studiovalaya.com. He also opened his JJ Valaya Couture Store in Mumbai at Crossroads in 1999.
Along with his older brother, TJ Singh, he then launched his first label- `JJ Valaya` in 1992 as couture line (perhaps because of the grandeur, style and intrigue that the brand is now associated with). Next came his home collection, `Valaya Home` followed by his line of Diffusion clothing- `Studio Valaya` in 1999. The JJ Valaya label is best known for its signature bridal trousseaus and exclusive eveningwear for discerning women and men. Whereas the JJ Valaya Couture collection continues to define the trends for the season, the Studio Valaya line evolves the same trends into a watered down, cleaner and more affordable younger look.
Valaya`s originality and his brother`s entrepreneurial abilities have made the House of Valaya a pioneer in the Indian fashion Industry. His style ignores gimmicks and chooses instead to innovate on a quality that defines elegance - timelessness; a quality that conveys permanence in a world infatuated with the temporary. His roots remain attached to the past yet he intriguingly infuses it with the madness of the new. His larger than life shows reflect this philosophy and have been instrumental in revolutionizing the scale of single designer shows in the country. He has several successful solo fashion shows in New York, London, Paris, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Johannesburg as well as in most major Indian cities to his credit. He also was the first designer to hold four solo shows in the same season.
He is a founder member on the Board of Governors of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and the Official Brand Ambassador for Swarovski, India.
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