Nobody does ‘rich’ like JJ Valaya – and we mean that way beyond the hefty retail bills the house commands. This year’s couture week stage was used by the house of Valaya to showcase the designer’s Autumn/Winter 2026 couture collection, titled ‘Siddi’. The silhouettes were deeply familiar – intricately crafted lehengas, contemporary sarees, fluid anarklais, regal sherwanis and tailored bandhgalas. Yet, it was cultural exchange that was at the heart of this collection, as the couturier drew inspiration from the journey of the Siddis of India and the generations worth of confluence with African origins. regal sherwanis and impeccably tailored bandhgalas. The colour palette spanned antique gold, ivory, noir, champagne, jewel tones and earth hues further enunciated with the house’s signature zardozi, aari, dori work, metallic embroidery and crystal embellishment. A standout part of the showcase was Valaya bringing the Shifting Leaves Chevron motif – originally created for his daughter Hoorvi’s wedding, doused in rich black, beige and metallics.
