A night dedicated to Spain

Luxurious fabrics and elegant details in timeless embroideries and prints highlighted couturier JJ Valaya’s collection on Day 3 at FDCI India Couture Week 2022, in association with Lotus Make-up. The style alliance partner of the couture week is HT City Showstoppers. Organised at JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, the collection was an unmissable blend of Indian and Spanish flavours served as one. Titled Alma, meaning ‘soul’ in Spanish, it also marked the celebration of 30 years of Valaya’s label in the industry.

“The history of this season’s inspiration goes back over a million years, and this is not the first time that I’ve been inspired by this magical country. But how can one fully and creatively explore something that has such a vibrant past in just one collection! Therefore, I presented Alma, my all-new collection for the couture seasons of 2022-23,” said Valaya, adding, “My three constant expressions (Royale~Nomade~ArtDeco) find their soulmates in three diverse yet well known facets of Spain, namely: The costumes of the Matadors (Matador de Toros), the motifs on the Manton shawl (Manton de Manila), and the patterns of the Hand Fan (Pericon).”

The models walked the ramp wearing lehengas, tassled arees, belted sherwanis, against the backdrop of melodious music, comprising piano, sitar, sarangi and hybrid percussion, presenting works of a Spanish composer orchestrated for Hindustani classicalinstruments. In the middle of the ramp, there was a small water fountain that danced along with the music playing in the background.

“Every year, for the past 30 years, my inspirational journeys start somewhere deep in my soul and are triggered by something visual that is arresting… It would be accurate to state that my intrigue for global cultures, especially the ones connected with the spice and silk routes, in one way or another, is my perennial love,” he said.