Valaya’s Turkish delight

Continuing with his Turkish inspired collection called ‘Azrak’, renowned fashion designer JJ Valaya presented a breathtaking grand finale show at the Ambey Valley India Bridal Week. Though the designs reminded the audiences of his previous two collections based on the same theme, the freshness of bridal wear created a lasting impression. The set was reminiscent of a crowded bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey with acrobats, belly dancers and a swirling dervish entertaining in between the segments.

The first segment showcased saris and anarkalis in white, black and grey with a hint of red. This was followed by the turquoise blue and green line of floor-length kurtas and embroidered saris, inspired by the tiles from Turkey. Valaya’s trademark grandeur was present in all his ensembles, but the black sequinned dress paired with a golden jacket, the white embroidered net sari with a lilac brocade coat and the silk empire line gown stood out the most.

The men’s line was interspersed with the women’s collection, with celebrities from different walks of life taking to the ramp. From restaurateur AD Singh in a grey sherwani, actor Rahul Dev in a black velvet jacket, DJ Aqeel Ali in a beige sherwani and shawl, music composer Salim Merchant in a black kurta teamed with a waistcoat, and designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed in a grey embroidered bandhgala walked for Valaya.

In the final segment of the show, bridal couture lehengas inspired by Turkey’s minarets were presented. Model-turned-actor Nargis Fakhri, was the showstopper of the evening. Clad in a wine-coloured full sleeve velvet kalidaar coat layered over a white kurta and churidar, she sashayed down the ramp.