Last updated : March 24, 2026 5:02 pm
What sets Pratheeksha apart is her knack for designing retail as infrastructure for growth, not just visual expression. She operates at the intersection of design, operations, and business scalability.
Pratheeksha Unnikrishnan, Senior Projects Lead, FRDC (Future Research Design Company) knew she wanted to be an architect at 15. She built her foundation methodically by studying architecture and then moved to Milan for her Master's. This was the defining moment in shaping her career
Being in the design capital of the world, Pratheeksha found herself drawn to the world of retail and interiors – the facades, the detailing, the way spaces are designed for people. After completing her postgraduation, she stepped into retail design, and learning hasn’t stopped for her.
Between 2022 and 2024, she led the transformation of The Sleep Company’s physical retail presence and developed a scalable retail framework adaptable across flagship, franchise, and shop-in-shop formats. After leading the brand’s expansion, she realised that fast-growing brands lacked structured rollout systems. Instead of adapting to fragmented processes, she built a solution within her organisation. She established a dedicated retail rollout vertical by defining workflows, aligning cross-functional teams, and bringing discipline to timelines and costs. Within two and a half years, the vertical evolved into a stable, profitable delivery engine supporting multiple high-growth brands.
Pratheeksha also conducts pre-design workshops with brand founders and leadership teams. Beyond commercial practice, she actively invests in knowledge-sharing. She co-developed and delivered a 5-day Micro-Credential Course on Retail Interior Design and Consumer Engagement at MAHE (Manipal Academy of Higher Education). At FRDC, she mentors interns through live retail projects, equipping them with systems thinking rather than isolated design skills.
What sets her apart is her knack for designing retail as infrastructure for growth, not just visual expression. She operates at the intersection of design, operations, and business scalability.
What is the best part of being a retail designer?
For me, the best part is the collaboration. Retail design is never a solo effort, it’s a coming together of multiple disciplines and perspectives.
From the first kickoff meeting with the brand, to design development, material exploration, prototyping fixtures, and finally site execution—so many ideas and hands shape the final outcome. Watching all of that translate into a real customer experience is something I find incredibly rewarding.
What’s the biggest advantage of being a woman in retail design?
I think one of the biggest strengths women bring into retail design is adaptability. It’s a fast-paced environment, and you often find yourself shifting between roles—conceptual thinking, client conversations, and on-site coordination.
That constant movement builds a certain agility over time. It allows you to not just design spaces, but also navigate people, decisions, and pressures that shape how those spaces come together. There’s a range you develop early on—and that becomes a real advantage.
The top challenge as a woman in retail design
Like in many industries, one of the biggest challenges is finding your voice and expressing it without self-doubt. Building confidence and credibility takes time.
From a design perspective, I personally find it challenging to strike the right balance between designing for the brand and designing for the end user. I think women naturally lean towards user experience and emotional connection, and sometimes it’s easy to get carried away by that instinct. I’m still learning how to navigate that balance.
Where do you derive your inspiration from?
I like observing what attracts customers, where they pause, what catches their attention, and what shapes their journey. That shift—from looking at design to observing behaviour— has been a big source of inspiration for me.
Favourite retail project & why?
The Sleep Company stands out to me. It was a turning point in my journey as a retail designer. Being involved from concept to execution, and then seeing it scale to multiple stores, was an incredible learning experience. It taught me how design evolves on the ground—beyond sketches—and how you continuously refine as the brand grows.
Dream project
I would love to work on an adaptive reuse retail project within a heritage building in Europe. It feels like the perfect intersection of architecture and retail design—where the brand’s vision complements the character of the existing space. There’s something very poetic about that idea.
Advice to fellow & upcoming women in retail design
Know your strengths and your weaknesses equally well. Your strengths will help you lead, but your awareness of your weaknesses will keep you grounded and open to learning.
Always ask questions. The moment you attach fear to speaking up, learning slows down.