JJ Valaya opened Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 in typical Indian late lateef style .... the show scheduled for 8 pm started at 1030 pm .... the venue at The Grand, Vasant Kunj was way too small to accommodate "the invited" and the press .... "the invited" were seated much before the media and therefore we had a first time experience of watching a couture show seated on each others lap ... or standing on each others toes .... but then we are Indians .... and we are used to travelling on a single cycle with the entire family, and its a shame if you can't fit at least 15 family members into one Maruti 800 .... maybe that is why a lady from Valaya's seating team literally threw a fit because she didnot know where to throw the press people away .... all the poor mite did is shout and shake in her lovely beige Valaya outfit as she commanded us press types to climb onto each other and not cross the holy rope that separated "the invited" from "the barely tolerated", aka the media ..... if i were Valaya, i would have done off with her head of course .... because i am sure JJ, the genial, sweet Sardarji knows the worth of publicity from the same media types, which all his celeb guests put together cannot ensure .... as a true blue Punju he knows that at the end of the day after all the "shoshabaji" and "hello jis" are done, the impressed "invited" will still look at pictures that people like us put up and get their outfits done from Diwan Saheb (since this is couture, i will not mention the local darzis lol) .... the few that will come to his atelier will want bespoke and none of those clothes already worn by models on the ramp seen by every nukkad in the country (kya karen ? those good old days of exclusivity are over, now even "gaonwallas" with crores of "khandaani khet" are internet savvy) .... so the purpose of a couture showing is to showcase a design house's innovation, craftsmanship and creativity .... and the dissemination of a couture house's design aesthete can only be done through the media ..... and i am not foolish enough to presume team Valaya do not think it relevant that the media be seated for his show !! ..... Anyhow, the most striking experience of JJ's show was no doubt the set design of scenographer, designer and installation artist Sumant Jayakrishnan .... it was such a stunning masterpiece, with boats, royal arches, cupolas .... a veritable royal court fit for the collection theme called "The Maharaja of Madrid" .... I cannot comment much on the garments .... all looked nice and royal .... i could barely see them through the armpit arches of the fellow standing in front of me .... but looking through the photographs of my camera person .... few things stood out ..... For whatever it is worth, here is my opinion .... can we leave Spain alone ? .... is the Spanish government secretly trying to ensure all things spanish should show up in every fashion show across the world ? .... Suneet Varma already did Spanish this year .... Georgina Chapman did it with Marchesa too .... and Anita Delgado meets Kapurthala is a stale story really ..... and off with the Turbans too .... i know i know its a Maharaja story JJ was selling .... the only turban that looked good was on Kabir Bedi .... now that man is a bonafide Maharaja .... turban or no turban ..... we already "ooh aahed" enough when Manish Arora showed turbans on the ramp in Paris and Wills India Fashion Week, Delhi this year .... now only a bland "oh" of observation remains ..... and what is with the curtain tassels hanging around the men's neck ? .... looking at the pics, you would say what lovely clothes !! .... and the clothes are lovely no doubt .... but hey this is Valaya .... he is one of our most revered couturiers .... he can do jamawar paisleys, gota, brigade with both his eyes shut ..... Of course i appreciate his excellent craftmanship, but why is he forever dressing the Maharajas of Mandwa, Kapurthala, Timbuktu whatever ..... For all the pedal pushing of Maharaja themes in Indian couture, look at what our actual erstwhile royals are wearing !!! ..... Simple chiffons and elegant pearls .... Very Jaqueline Kennedy still .... And the contemporary business Maharajas are into contemporary bespoke .... As in yes we are Indian, and extremely proud of our heritage and culture, we will always wear, gota, zardozi, and an inordinate amount of jewellery ..... But we also want a global touch to go with our Indian couture ..... and this idea of a Spanish Maharaja is a Grandee with too many layers and embellishment with the stinking armpits of an Indian summer .... But then what do i know ? .... Many peeps must be wanting this only .... Here have a look .... And just for the record, because so many peeps thinks fash bloggers maynot be able to afford couture and therefore the opinions are suspect .... I can but i won't .... But if you are wearing Valaya couture, i will still clap for you, because i know how much these creations cost, and thereby how much you need a validation of your financial worth ... So i shall clap :)

JJ Valaya India Bridal Fashion Week 2013