Our minds often drift to Goa, Munnar or Pondicherry when seeking remnants of French architecture. However, there exists a lesser-known gem, in Punjab, known as the Paris of Punjab. It is Kapurthala — an erstwhile princely state of India and the seat of the Ahluwalia dynasty. “This city is the land of my forefathers. Maharaja Jagatjit
Singh was among its illustrious rulers. He was a well-travelled person with a cosmopolitan outlook; he gave a French-style facelift to Kapurthala, building many architectural wonders,” says luxury designer JJ Valaya, who has chosen to name his bridge-to-luxury line after this city.
The Kapurthala Palace was built on the lines of the Palace of Versailles. Other buildings such as the Jagatjit Club have the grace of Greek design while Shalimar Gardens and the Elysee Palace exemplify Indo-French style of architecture. Valaya’s clothing line, too, is deeply inspired by such cross-cultural influences.
While the 56-year-old designer was born in Jodhpur, he has travelled to Kapurthala several times. Valaya, who knows the scions of the former royal family, has been privy to old albums, photographs and diaries that detail Maharaja Jagatjit Singh’s travels. “Inspired by his travels, every creation carries a bohemian-meets-timeless charm in the Kapurthala line. The ensembles are tailored to suit the well-travelled Indian who wants lightweight, easy-to-pack, and timeless pieces. The look is contemporary but the soul is Indian,” he says.
Inside the store
The Kapurthala line started two years ago. Its first standalone store opened its doors at Dhan Mill recently. As we enter the plush store, which has a charcoal grey façade, its “shifting leaves”, as the designer calls it, with a chevron pattern, is a “celebration of the label’s favourite neutrals, black and white, i.e, classic luxury wear”.
As we step inside, three mannequins adorned with zebra-print skirt sets and saris from the Fauna series, invite us on a journey into the wild. “Though inspired by animal prints, it is a definitive statement that you need not kill animals to wear their skin. Their beauty is to be appreciated and respected. We will bring giraffe prints soon into the collection,” says Valaya. The banjara embroidery on Art Deco-style blouses pay homage to Indian traditional crafts while the chevron pattern skirts on the racks showcase the label’s signature.
Valaya has essentially been a couturier for three decades. What makes him bring a bridge-to-luxury line? “I felt that it was the right time to do it. Many people around me expressed their desire for versatile pieces that they can wear on multiple occasions and are available at a certain price point, unlike couture that is ostentatious and goes up to several lakhs. Additionally, today’s generation is aspirational and wants to own a piece of luxury. I anticipate that most of the luxury designers in India will enter this segment, which go by different names like bridge-to-luxury, diffusion, accessible luxury or prêt wear,” he says.
Traveller at heart
Move further inside, and the store turns into a gallery displaying travel photography of the designer, who says he is a “sucker” for places that have history and that bridge modern to olden times. On the walls are framed monochrome photographs from his recent tour of Istanbul. On another wall, is a sepia-toned portrait of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh and vignettes of life from pre-Independence Kapurthala. “Photographers try to freeze time. Each time I travel, it exposes me to newer worlds, ideas, cultures, art, architecture and people. I absorb everything, squeeze out what’s not necessary and hang onto the most beautiful aspects to create something. I plan to bring a photography book of my travels so that future generations can see the before and after pictures of some places,” says the designer, who has travelled to Morocco, Turkey, Bahrain and more.
While he doesn’t like to pick favourites as he feels art and inspiration lie everywhere, he is picky about which places to travel to. “I like cities that have a certain character because what is life without character, even in fashion! Somebody who is turned out in branded clothes from top to bottom, but lacks personal style would never be able to exude charisma. On the other hand, a person who mixes and matches…say, puts on a jacket and pairs it with high-street jeans, accessorises it with a non-branded but a chic belt, to create their own style, is where the magic happens.”
He feels designers should try to keep the glory of the past alive at a time when everything is “severely tech-driven”. “In that sense, the Kapurthala line is not just a bridge to luxury but also a bridge to its past,”he says.