Fashion
The couturier, known for his regal designs and bridal wear, illustrates the origin, inspiration and making of the decedent craft of embroidering with beads, buttons, gemstones and more
Travel, whether it's back in time, through cultures or across borders, has been one of the greatest sources of inspiration for creatives. For JJ Valaya, a designer who isn't afraid to take a creative sabbatical, Ottoman history is one such source of stimulation. In continuation from where he left off at couture 2020, he boldly explores the rich visual language of the 14th-century empire for spring/summer 2021 once again. “Embroidery is a medium which lends itself to anything that the mind can perceive,” the designer tells us. Dubbed himself as a ‘royal nomad’, Valaya is not behind in lending credit to those who bring his eclectic vision to life. “As Indian fashion houses, it is our responsibility to nurture hand crafts and the karigars,” he says, explaining the process of reviving age-old techniques like the craft of mixed metal embroidery. Embedded with sequins, glass beads, gemstones, buttons and more—the form of embroidery has been a highlight of the house since the early 1990s. Vogue spoke to JJ Valaya, about the craft's origins, technical intricacies and evolution in his own work.
“The use of metal in embroideries is an age old practice, dating back to the Byzantine period. In India, metallic embroidery materials like dabka, kora, mukaish can be traced to centuries ago and continue to be used elaborately in contemporary couture. It is most commonly used in forms like a coiled wire (dabka, kora), simple wire (taar), metallic thread (tilla/kasab) or as a flat strip (mukaish) but in modern times, the use of metal has also been initiated in sequins, beads and other newer forms.”
“Metallic embroidery, in its purest form, is done best by hand, which is what makes it even more precious. In India, the karigar who can work with such materials is known as a ‘zardoz’. However, in its thread avatar, and as sequins and beads, the material can also be applied by the aari katihar.
It's perhaps the only material which stands the test of time. Ot does not wear off and instead ages gracefully. In fact, in the earlier days, real silver (taar) and gold were often used to embroider and after the fabric had worn off, people used to burn the garment and extract the precious metal. Being a harder embellishment and one that has weight, it is best done on heavier silks and fabrics as a lighter fabric such as chiffon and georgette would not be able to handle the weight or the hard edges of the material.”
Bursa: Chapter Two, spring/summer 2021, JJ Valaya
“This is really centric to the fashion house. We have experimented greatly with the medium and yet have tried not to lose the purity of the technique. It is also a timeless medium and perhaps one of our best known examples of this from our stable is the ‘Emrooz’ border, which was first developed by us in the early ’90s and still regularly gets featured in our collections. The story behind this border—made of combining sequins and beads of various metals with gemstones and glass beads—is fascinating. It was developed as an all-new technique for a bespoke garment for a client in the back then, which then inspired an entire collection around it. It is now christened Emrooz (Persian for ‘today’) but for decades, it was referred to by the initials of the client.”
“There is a joy when a Valaya bride from the ’90s comes back to us with a grown up daughter who chanced upon her mother’s wedding clothes and wants them altered to her size. It's the true test of quality and integrity. So year after year, civilisation after civilisation, we delve into the forgotten past to pick jewels that we make modern and relevant to today…perhaps a process of preservation like none other?”
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