Exclusive interview: JJ Valaya on JJV.Kapurthala's latest drop, Nomad

Essentially JJV.Kapurthala is a new line with 4 seasons so far. The edit called Nomad is loosely based on the travelogues of the erstwhile maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagatjit Singh, who was an avid wanderlust and went across the planet in his own times. He literally took his people to the world and brought the world to his people. Kapurthala is known as the Paris of Punjab replete with multicultural influences in its architecture -- the main palace is set on the palace of Versailles, there’s a Moorish mosque based on the grand mosque of Morocco, and such other places, and that’s the DNA of our brand as well.

The idea is to create beautiful accessible clothing which people can wear at any kind of occasion and take along with them when they travel since the weight is very less. The prime focus is on the beautiful prints which are accentuated in bits and pieces by signature embroidery.

Evolution is constant in fashion since nothing can be stagnant in any creative field be it art, architecture or cuisine. When I am talking about Indian inspired dressing, I have always strongly believed that even when one indulges in a bit of fusion, the core of India must never be lost. There’s still nothing more sensual than a beautiful sari, nothing grander than a lehenga, or something more elegant for a man than a well-cut sherwani. These things are always there, designers are continuously, gently and very intelligently evolving the mood and silhouette.

I would never say you should go crazy following trends when it comes to Indian clothes. Do try new cuts, play around flairs and try new fabrics, prints and embroideries, and silhouettes. But do all of that without losing the soul of India.

A whole set of beautiful saris. You can never go wrong with them. Start with simple ones, choose colours that work for you. For men, Nehru jackets or bundis, and well-cut bandhgalas.

Now, there is this small section of people who stitch-up saris. While it's convenient because a lot of people don’t know how to drape a sari, it’s not really the purest approach. But this also needs to be done just to be able to make people appreciate how elegant a sari can look. The most fun one can have in a sari look is what one does with blouses. We at JJV do everything -- from jersey to tulle to layered blouses.

Three core signature styles define our brand – grandeur of royalty, the spirit of a wandering and absorbing nomad, and the sophistication of the art deco period of the 20s which have a feel of glam and yet modern.

Not shifting, it’s an addition that is mandatory. With destination weddings and occasions happening, there’s a need for clothes which are light, can be carried easily and worn easily and yet look just about dressy enough to be worn at occasions, and may be at some of the smaller events and weddings. But couture continues to enjoy its crown.

I don’t believe in jarring transitions of sensibility and ethos and don’t like trying to do something just because it’s trendy. trends are important to keep the buzz alive in fashion but they are also transient. When you possess and procure from fashion you must be able to wear it several times without going out of fashion. We make clothes that you will keep and enjoy for several years. It’s a great thing for sustainability too, because fast fashion is really messing up things.

We just opened a standalone store and will be opening a total of 5 stores across India for JJV Kapurthala, and going forward, we are planning to launch 25 stores in the next 4 years.

Our autumn-winter edit, from JJV.Kapurthala called Char which encompasses the perennial spirit of travel dressing for occasions, which also defines the core of the brand ideology.