8th October 1967

Jodhpur

Fashion Design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology

1992

In 1992 JJ Valaya won the first prize at the NIFT Alumni Competition in Mumbai. In 1992, he launched his brand JJ Valaya alongside his brother TJ Singh. His brand consisted of haute couture pieces that won him high honors from the fashion world. Aside from being a prominent player in the fashion industry, he is also involved with various products such as haute couture, footwear, and tapestry. Along with his brother JJ Valaya launched Valaya Home in 1996 and a prêt label, Studio Valaya, in 1999.JJ Valaya had a passion for fine art photography as well. He published his first book titled, Decoded Paradox in 2011. Interestingly, he debuted at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) in the same year.

The philosophy of JJ Valaya is to create for today, not for tomorrow. JJ Valaya has been hugely motivated by history and wants to make it relevant today. Customers have access to the finest in the world today. JJ Valaya offers a mix of royalty and elegance. JJ Valaya's pieces showcase an appreciation of history and find great magic in exploring the mysteries of various cultures to create something new. JJ Valaya believes Indian fashion houses must take the responsibility to nurture crafts and artisans. The designer is fascinated by beads, metals, buttons, gemstones, and sequins. As per the designer, embroidery is a medium that lends itself to anything that the mind can perceive. The use of metal embroidery is common in the designer's work. The presence of materials like dabka, kora, and mukaish is spotted in his designs in a contemporary way. JJ Valaya believes in experimenting with the medium without compromising the purity of the technique.

In 2003, he launched his pret line. The collections are not only showcased pan-India but globally. Celebrities like Joseph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor were spotted wearing his creations. JJ Valaya collaborated with Oscar-winner Ruth E Carter to create a series of exclusive pieces for the film. With the leading protagonist as a celebrated actor, Eddie Murphy, and renowned costume designer Ruth Carter, JJ Valaya has marked a spot for Indian fashion on the international map.

Prix d'Incitation, Paris (1st Indian student to win an international award in fashion) - 1990 The Thapar-Dupont Medal - 1991 The Elyxa award - 1991 KLM-NIFT Trophy