Where light, colour, & craft come together

Papa Don’t Preach store, designed by DesignHex, turns shopping into an experience. It blends couture, architecture, and storytelling, where every corner, from the chandelier to the staircase, draws visitors into a world of fashion and fantasy. 

There’s a certain kind of magic that hits you the moment you spot the Papa Don’t Preach flagship at Dhan Mill, Delhi. It gleams, glows, and dares you to look closer. Designed by Shimona Bhansali, Founder and Principal Designer of DesignHex, the store blurs the boundaries between couture and architecture.

“We never wanted to build just another retail space,” says Shimona. “The goal was to create a couture universe, a place where light, colour, and craft come together to tell a story.” And that’s what this flagship does. It pulls you into a world that’s bold yet soft, rebellious yet romantic.

“We envisioned it as a portal, not a shop,” she explains. “It had to be immersive and theatrical, a place where discovery happens at every turn.” That thought shaped everything, from the texture of the walls to the way light falls across a garment. The aim was to make shopping feel less transactional and more emotional.

A facade that refuses to be ignored

Before you even step inside, the store stops you in your tracks. The facade is a sculptural spectacle, hand-carved marine motifs, CNC-cut sea creatures, and two tonnes of natural wood that come together in fluid, fantastical forms.

The facade is designed as a siren call, impossible to ignore, deeply layered in meaning. “Afar, it is a spectacle that grabs attention, much like the garments themselves,” says Shimona. “Up close, the craftsmanship tells its own story, reflecting the detailed handiwork Papa Don’t Preach is famous for. Commercially, the facade acts as a guide, turning curiosity into visitors. Conceptually, it shows that the brand doesn’t just occupy a space but shapes it, making the facade a statement of its identity.”

Technology with a human touch

The Papa Don’t Preach store uses technology in smart ways. At the entrance, a digital LED works as a “digital window, an adaptive storytelling tool,” as Shimona explains. The store is also looking at other tech features like seamless checkouts, interactive kiosks, smart price tags, and digital fabric libraries. “The goal is to enhance convenience and personalisation without diluting the sensory, handcrafted essence of the space,” Shimona adds. Technology doesn’t take over here; it quietly supports the drama and details that make the store special, showing up only where it truly helps the customer experience.

There’s a certain kind of magic that hits you the moment you spot the Papa Don’t Preach flagship at Dhan Mill, Delhi. It gleams, glows, and dares you to look closer. Designed by Shimona Bhansali, Founder and Principal Designer of DesignHex, the store blurs the boundaries between couture and architecture.

“We never wanted to build just another retail space,” says Shimona. “The goal was to create a couture universe, a place where light, colour, and craft come together to tell a story.” And that’s what this flagship does. It pulls you into a world that’s bold yet soft, rebellious yet romantic.

“We envisioned it as a portal, not a shop,” she explains. “It had to be immersive and theatrical, a place where discovery happens at every turn.” That thought shaped everything, from the texture of the walls to the way light falls across a garment. The aim was to make shopping feel less transactional and more emotional.

A facade that refuses to be ignored

Before you even step inside, the store stops you in your tracks. The facade is a sculptural spectacle, hand-carved marine motifs, CNC-cut sea creatures, and two tonnes of natural wood that come together in fluid, fantastical forms.

The facade is designed as a siren call, impossible to ignore, deeply layered in meaning. “Afar, it is a spectacle that grabs attention, much like the garments themselves,” says Shimona. “Up close, the craftsmanship tells its own story, reflecting the detailed handiwork Papa Don’t Preach is famous for. Commercially, the facade acts as a guide, turning curiosity into visitors. Conceptually, it shows that the brand doesn’t just occupy a space but shapes it, making the facade a statement of its identity.”

Technology with a human touch

The Papa Don’t Preach store uses technology in smart ways. At the entrance, a digital LED works as a “digital window, an adaptive storytelling tool,” as Shimona explains. The store is also looking at other tech features like seamless checkouts, interactive kiosks, smart price tags, and digital fabric libraries. “The goal is to enhance convenience and personalisation without diluting the sensory, handcrafted essence of the space,” Shimona adds. Technology doesn’t take over here; it quietly supports the drama and details that make the store special, showing up only where it truly helps the customer experience.

The chandelier that steals the show

It’s impossible to miss the chandelier. Hanging like jewellery from the ceiling, it’s playful, colourful, and completely unapologetic.

“Inspired by jewellery, stained glass and the idea of light as adornment, it acts as the store’s crown jewel,” Shimona says. “Each piece of colourful glass was chosen for its refractive quality, casting dynamic hues that echo the shimmer of sequins and embellishments in the garments.”

The chandelier also serves a practical purpose. It spreads light evenly while becoming the main focus of the space. It makes the ceiling as interesting as the walls or the floor. In short, it’s like a hanging sculpture, showing that fashion can be experienced in the space around you, not just worn.

Lighting that tells a story

The store mainly uses moon and yellow lighting, each serving a purpose. “Lighting is the silent narrator of a store,” says Shimona. The cool moonlight makes fabrics, sequins, and textures clear and easy to see, while the warm yellow light adds a feeling of intimacy and glamour. “Together, they create a layered experience – precise where needed, romantic where desired,” Shimona adds. This mix also reduces visual fatigue, thus allowing customers to linger longer.

The staircase that shapes experience

At the heart of the store, the staircase rises like a runway, covered in a plush carpet that guides visitors as they move through the space. “The staircase is more than circulation, it’s theatre,” says Shimona. “It creates vertical drama, drawing the eye upward, while the carpet’s texture blends with the blush tones around it. The effect turns a simple walk into a choreographed experience, a rhythm that keeps the store alive.”

The project was completed in just two months, a feat that Shimona Bhansali calls “a real test of planning, creativity, and teamwork.” “Every choice was about craftsmanship, material authenticity, and making the most of the time we had,” she adds. Despite the tight schedule, nothing was rushed. The result is a lasting experience that reflects Papa Don’t Preach’s identity and sets a new standard in fashion retail design.