Veteran fashion designer JJ Valaya gave a luxurious spin to sustainable fashion for his latest collection from his bridge-to-luxury brand JJ Valaya Kapurthala at the Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI.

Valaya partnered with R|Elan for the show on the second day of the fashion week, which celebrates sustainability. The collection, which represented harmonious fusion of tradition and innovation, was made out of eco-friendly fabrics such as R|Elan Green Gold, made out of 100 per cent recycled PET bottles and innovative techniques such as Kooltex, promising style and sustainability.

Valaya’s collection christened “Char” meaning “four” was loosely inspired from the travelogues of Maharaja Jagjit Singh of Kapurthala. Valaya said that this collection is his homage to the “bygone era” of opulence and global influences.

Talking about his collection, the stalwart, who has been with the industry for over three decades, said: “It is more accessible, lighter, wearable and to get something out which a lot more people can wear, that’s the ethos.”

“It is always a privilege to be a part of a movement… Sustainability is the way to go. I was kind of surprised to see the kind of fabrics I saw because for something that lands up in all the wrong places and to make it into a yarn and spin it into a fabric is so versatile. Frankly, I was so surprised. I did not expect it to be so luxurious.”

On how long it took to make the collection, Valaya said the inspiration was well in place but implementation took place in the “last two months”.

“Getting the fabric, developing new ones, finding the right kind of work. But I am glad we could put it together timely,” he said about the occasion wear collection, featuring sarees, kurta-pyjamas, lehengas, gala bandhs, skirts, kaftaans, free flowing dresses and mesh cover ups with monokinis, all in the shades of beige, bronze, greys, blacks and ivory.

The show too saw a tad bit of star power. Actress Rasika Dugal, Kubbra Sait and Sushant Divgikar were seen attending Valaya’s show donning his creation.