The Lightness

Tasveer combines Valaya’s twin passions: photography and fashion. He’s been taking pictures for almost as long as he’s been designing and has photographed many of his own campaigns. His debut as a fine arts photographer in March,this year,was a high point in his career. “It’s almost like there are two personae in me: the photographer and the fashion designer. I intend to keep both alive,” he says. This commitment to his two passions led to the birth of Tasveer,which traces the evolution of photography from black and white to sepia to hand-stained,natural and digitised images. It’s a fascinating journey of colours and an amazing story,told through clothes.

Valaya has used his couture creations to tell stories that intrigue him. That’s perhaps part of the reason for his fascination with India’s royal history. He manages to combine the mystique of Indian royals with a pared-down modern sensibility. The storyteller in him also found expression in his highly-acclaimed 2010 collection,through which he narrated the story of a courtesan,Alika,who longs for love. The collection saw the birth of his signature Alika Jacket.

Above all,however,Valaya makes it clear that the romantic in him may revel in the glories of the past,but he has an eye on the future as well. “The idea of our label is to create a fashion lineage; one that combines India’s regal heritage and traditions,and brings them together in a manner that is contemporary and thus transcends time. It’s a quality that we want people to recognise in our clothes,just like people identify the horses on a Polo Ralph Lauren shirt,” he says.