New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Noted couturier JJ Valaya says moving cities as an Army kid played an important role in shaping his personality which was further nurtured by his travels to culturally-rich regions like Europe and the Far East.

The designer's latest collection 'Rumeli' is simply an extension of his journey as a "royal nomad", he said.

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'Rumeli', which Valaya presented on Wednesday night at the second 'phygital' edition of the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week, draws its inspiration from the Ottoman Empire's conquests in what is presently known as the Balkans which was then known as Rumelia.

"I grew up as an Army kid in various cantonments. Meeting different people, changing cities every few years that really makes a difference on how you really perceive everything around. Travel is also a great contributor.

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"Whether it was Europe or the Far East or any place that is culturally empowered had a bearing on me. I have always believed that the past is replete with treasures that are lost. They need to be rediscovered and renewed to create a new language," the 53-year-old designer told PTI in an interview.

Valaya shared that it was the research work for their range 'Bursa' from last year that led them to the Ottoman Empire as it existed in Turkey then.

"I was fascinated by the way the two cultures from Asia and Europe clashed and came together to create a new language," he said.

The beautiful amalgamation of these two cultures is evident in the fabrics, motifs, details, techniques, prints and embroideries of the collection, he added.

The colour palette for this clothing range is divided into sub-palettes, Valaya said.

"We always have the neutral range which will be the beiges, greys, and ivories. The metallics will have the golds, silvers. We will have the jewelled tones of reds, blues, burgundies, and greens. Sometimes, we also include off-beat colours which reflect the subject of the collection."

In fabrics, Vallaya said he tends to gravitate towards those that stand for luxury such as silk, organza, velvets and tulle for its diaphanous quality.

The designer, who is returning to the Lakme Fashion Week after 10 years, said the gala has always been a "wonderful platform" for his brand House of Valaya.

"It was very nice to receive an invitation from the FDCI to showcase at the Lakme Fashion Week. I'm very excited to be doing it. We are showing a festive line because that's a season we are heading into. I'm keenly looking forward to next year when we introduce our Bridge to Luxury line, something which we would want to showcase at Lakme regularly," he said.

Valaya, one of the most popular Indian couturiers in the international fashion circuit known for maximalism, said he likes to create pieces that can be collected and treasured.

"We are maximalist, but we modernise and contemporarise our clothes... I hope some of our pieces make it to the finest museums of the planet some day and I think that will be an accomplishment. I respect minimalism. It's wonderful, controlled. A lot of people enjoy wearing it, but as a brand, we like to be part of people's celebrations and when people celebrate, they need to look and feel the part."

The ace couturier, who has been an important part of the Indian fashion story with his label in the last 30 years, also reflected upon the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the industry.

"Pandemic will affect fast fashion. I don't think people will be creating that many seasonal lines. The focus will be more towards timeless clothes which are beautiful and can be worn again and again.

"Our brand is a significant example of sustainability. Clothes we make are treasured and passed on to generations. As long as we are sustainable, feature quality and true to ourselves, we are absolute winners," he said.

Actor Mrunal Thakur, whose last release was the sports drama "Toofaan", turned showstopper for Valaya.

The fashion gala will run through Sunday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)