No more faking it

JJ Valaya

Fifteen years in the business of fashion later, JJ Valaya, the padshah of excess, blames the press for the poor perception of the industry.

At Life, his flagship store in Chhatarpur, currently under renovation, he's doing what designers do in their spare time: he's pontificating.

And no, it isn't a bad thing, because with 15 years of experience in design, he's part of the fraternity that's considered "senior". And nor is that a bad thing either, because it brings with it, in an industry notorious for its short memory, a hint of deference.

Upstarts may be storming the industry today, but the "seniors" know the measure of it all "" the hard work ("It's a tough life," Valaya says); the parties ("which is all the media is interested in" "" meow!); the financials ("the corporates still aren't interested...").

He's supportive of the India Fashion Week ("It's come of age," he insists), is still brand ambassador for Swarovski (for which he's done motif runs that other designers can use), thinks designer plagiarism is a part of the nature of the business ("but it's a small issue, it'll blow over").

Yet, it's the same rip-offs from lesser mortals on Fashion Street and Lajpat Nagar that he's gunning for. Make no mistake, this is Valaya's business (and with a 300-strong workforce at his factory in Manesar, he's serious).

Weeks after (and sometimes before) a Valaya couture or diffusion line makes it to Life, it's selling on the streets at a fraction of the cost. Valaya, therefore, has moved where no designer in India has before him: he's created a diasun for the house of Valaya.

In essence, this is a print that is registered as a Valaya original. Like the fashion houses of the West, he's created an original motif (think Louis Vuitton, for instance). Beginning from the fall/winter collection, that motif will appear on all Valaya apparel.

"It could be the principal motif of a garment," Valaya says (though this will have limitations); certainly, it will be used as the lining, or as piping, or as a tab. "That way, you can make out an authentic Valaya couture garment from a fake," he explains.

But what's to prevent plagiarisers from faking the motif/print too? "It's a registered design," explains Valaya, "we can sue them." Provided you can catch them, of course; but yes, it does make the case for faking more difficult.

You can fool around with a design and claim it's an original; with the diasun registered, if you copy the "element of authentication" you're in serious legal trouble.

For an industry plagued by it, it's amazing how little it costs to register a design "" "a couple of thousand rupees," Valaya says "" and how little work designers have undertaken to preserve their integrity of designs. Valaya's effort, others claim, could set off a trend (but also a me-too reaction that could be quite funny).

Meanwhile, Valaya's concentrating on expansion. Pret without massive corporate inputs looks currently a few years away ("but it's my dream to be in all the small towns"); till then, his trousseau line is finding takers across large parts of Asia and Africa. Oh, and he's got something more up his ample sleeve.

"It's really top of the top-of-the-line," says probably the most expensive couturist in India, "I'm still working on it."