jj valaya | the asian fashion journal

Aug 30 2013

My Fave Trends at PCJ Delhi Couture Week and India Bridal Fashion Week

30th August 2013

All these back to back fashion weeks are making my head spin! So, I’ve decided to in the words of John Legend- ‘to take it slooowwww’ that’s why I’m here posting a trend report on PCJ Couture Fashion Week and India Bridal Fashion Week when everyone else is already in the thick of blogging about Lakme Fashion Week. Ohhh Well! And yep I’ve put together both fashion weeks in the report because no matter how many times the organisers say there’s a huge difference between both I’ll disagree.

SEXY BACK
It was all about the sexy back at both Fashion Weeks. The prettiest examples were from Manish Malhotra with demure front necklines with open or low backs which just looked sooo yum.

WHITE & GOLD

White and Gold was trending all over the catwalks and I love these bold White and Gold looks. Who says you need colour to make a statement?

L-R Rohit Bal, Shantanu & Nikhil.

Anamika Khanna and Suneet Varma’s softer White and Gold looks

JERSEY SARI

Jersey Sari’s have been around for a while but these super hot incarnations needed to be shared. Seriously how super sexy is the master of drape- Guarav Gupta’s sari? I just can’t get enough of this trend and yep I’m still pining over the Sonaakshi Raaj sari Deepika Padukone wore recently!

JACKETS/CAPES

Layering in general was a big trend at both fashion weeks. There were cute bolero shapes at Rohit Bal and JJ Valaya and longer jackets over saris, pants and gowns at JJ Valaya, Raghavendra Rathore and Meera & Muzaffar ALi. Capes were also all over the place with the most directional at Anamika Khanna and pretty sheer capes at Masaba Gupta @ Satya Paul

L-R Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul, Anamika Khanna & Raghavendra Rathore.

THE ETHNIC MASH UP

I can’t think of a better name for this trend than- The Ethnic Mash Up. We’ve already become accustomed to the humble sari getting an injection of youth with pop art prints via the likes of Masaba Gupta and Aarti Vijay Gupta and then of course the jersey sari via the likes of Guarav Gupta and Sonaakshi Raaj. This reworking of the traditional continues with some exciting mash ups.

Anamika Khanna’s beauties- Is it a sari? is it a gown? is it a suit?

Masapa Gupta @ Satya Paul and Gaurav Gupta- Is it a gown? Is a Sari?

Images: PCJ Fashion Week Facebook, India Bridal Fashion Week Facebook and Barcode 91

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Tagged 2013, A/w, anamika khanna, Asian, Bride, capes, deepika padukone, Fashion, Guarav Gupta, India Bridal Fashion Week, indian, JAckets, jj valaya, Jyostna Tiwari, masaba gupta, Monisha Jaising, PCJ Delhi Couture Fashion Week, Raghavendra Rathore, rohit bal, satya paul, Sexy Back, Shantanu & Nikhil, sonam kapoor, Suneet Verma, Top 5 trends, trend, wedding

Aug 01 2013

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Bridal, Events, Fashion

India Bridal Fashion Week 2013: Part 2: Falguni & Shane Peacock, Raghavendra Rathore & Rohit Bahl

1st August

Day 3: Falguni & Shane Peacock and Raghavendra Rathore

Falguni & Shane Peacock

I’ve already been pretty vocal about my opinion on Falguni & Shane Peacock’s work here and their latest offering hasn’t made me change my mind. They are two of India’s greatest design talents and their talents lie in non-ethnic wear. Their ethnic wear is just soooo bland in comparison and so different to their mainline style! I’m grudgingly posting a few pics from the show!

Raghavendra Rathore

Overall, I have to say I wasn’t keen on Raghavendra Rathore’s collection. Although the antique gold embellishment was beautiful the fact that it was pretty much the only type of embroidery in the show made it become a little monotonous. I did like some of the more Middle-Eastern silhouettes- the Kaftans and Abayas not sure if they were really Bridal wear though. And the menswear- hmmm, I like the fact it was different but whether it was good different I’m not sure. What do you make of the collection?

Day 4: Rohit Bahl

Rohit Bal’s show was OMG, WOW, WOW, WOW! Now this is what you call a Bridal collection. Beautiful Victoriana influences met with regal Indian colours, embroideries and silhouettes that just screamed LUXURY. Enough of my babbling enjoy the pictures!

Love the sheer high neck detail on the blouse on the left and the dreamy tone on tone tie dye.

Rich Velvets and Ivory Muslin

Longer lines for Menswear

Image: Vogue India and India Bridal Fashion Week Facebook

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Tagged anil kapoor, Bridal, falguni & shane peacock, IBFW, India Bridal Fashion Week, jj valaya, lengha, mughal, neha dupia, Raghavendra Rathore, reception, rohit bal, royal, saree, sari, Shantanu & Nikhil, sonam kapoor, wedding

Jul 30 2013

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Bridal, Fashion

India Bridal Fashion Week: Part 1: JJ Valaya, Shantanu & Nikhil, Kotwara by Meera & Muzaffar Ali and Jyostna Tiwari

30th July 2013

Get ready for two weeks of all things WEDDING on The Asian Fashion Journal! I will be covering India Bridal Fashion Week in three parts and will be introducing a new regular on the blog tomorrow- Wedding Wednesday!

Day 1: JJ VALAYA & SHANTANU & NIKHIL

JJ VALAYA

JJ Valaya kicked off the week. His signature rich and opulent Mughal Maharanis & Maharajas were this season given an Iberian twist. Beautiful rose embroideries reminiscent of traditional flamenco scarves, a palette of blacks, whites, reds and blues as well as bolero-esque and off the shoulder shapes all hinted at his Spanish inspiration.

Whites & Golds @ JJ Valaya IBFW

I’m not sure about the long jacket over the Sari on the left, what do you think? but love the Trompe L’Oeil jewelry on the far right.

Iberian-esque Boleros and embroideries

Sheer Paneling and Off the Shoulder detailing at JJ Valaya IBFW

HOT TREND ALERT: Manish Malhotra’s last collection featured sheer paneling between borders on lenghas and anarkalis and JJ Valaya showed a few examples here too. If two of the biggest names in Indian fashion are championing sheer paneling you know its def a HOT, HOT, HOT Trend.

JJ Valaya styled some of the saris with sari purses on a sari belt. I really don’t like this- it reminds me of a bum bag (or fanny pack) !

Showstoppers Kabir Bedi & Kangana Ranaut

SHANTANU & NIKHIL

Shantanu & Nikhil collection was a little hit and miss for me. The menswear as usual was Ah-mazing but the womenswear was not as strong or cohesive. I loved the white and gold gowns that opened the show but the jacket silhouette that followed and was repeated through the collection was sooo unflattering and the simple grey and ochre outfits were just to simple for bridal wear.

Shantanu & Nikhil Whites & Golds IBFW 2013

Like I said I did love the white & gold gowns but I did think they were pretty similar to Marchesa’s gowns. Especially the middle one which looked similar to this gown that Naomi Watts wore last year. What do you think?

Styles I didn’t like from Shantanu & Nikhil’s IBFW 2013 collection

I didn’t like these styles the middle is the jacket silhouette I mentioned earlier and the outfits either side are just too plain for Bridal wear.

Shantanu & Nikhil, India Bridal Fashion week, 2013, IBFW, white, gold, sari, lenghas, bridal, bride, india, fashion, menswear, groom, sherwani,

Menswear at Shantanu & Nikhil IBFW 2013

The yummy menswear, LOVE it all.

Day 2: Kotwara by Meera & Muzaffar Ali & Jyostna Tiwari

MEERA & MUZAFFAR ALI

Meera & Muzaffar Ali’s collection is my fav so far. I love the delicate colour palette and the beautiful examples of chikankari work and delicate embellishment. It’s one of those collections that would have been great to see up close. I wasn’t too keen on the long jackets over saris that JJ Valaya showed but here they work well in sheer embellished fabrics that enhance the sari or lengha instead of just covering it.

White on White at Kotwara by Meera & Muzaffar Ali

Kotwara by Meera & Muzaffar Ali, fashion, bridal, India Bridal Fashion Week, 2013, IBFW, sari, saree, lengha, wedding, gold, pastels,

Sheer layering in Pastel and Ivory

Jyostna Tiwari

For the most part Jyostna Tiwari’s colour combinations were a little too loud and bling tastic for me but there were a couple of beautiful cocktail saris that I had to include! I think the blue sari would make a fab statement at a wedding reception.

Gorgeous Cocktail Saris @ Jyostna Tiwari 2013

Images: Vogue India

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India Bridal Fashion Week Part 2 & 3 are coming soon! so check back.

Tagged 2013, Bridal, cocktail, Fashion, groom, IBFW, india, India Bridal Fashion Week, jj valaya, Jyostna Tiwari, kotwara, lengha, Meera & Muzaffar Ali, menswear, reception, saree, sari, shan, shantanu and nikhil, sherwani, wedding

Apr 22 2012

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Bridal, Events, Fashion

JJ Valaya celebrates 20 yrs in the industry

22nd April 2012

Super talent JJ Valaya celebrates twenty years in the industry this year. He started designing in a time when people were only starting to get used to the idea of buying designer wear. At a time were there were limited retail outlets and fashion media and no fashion weeks at all. Fast forward twenty years the fashion landscape has changed dramatically and the JJ Valaya couture line has been successfully joined by JJ Valaya Muse, Valaya Base, Valaya Quantum and Valaya Home. My way of celebrating his anniversary in the industry is to share images from his stunning Decoded Paradox book. His talent extends through the visual arts and his photographic body of work is hauntingly beautiful. He is a true creative force.