By: Himanshi Jain
Last updated : January 30, 2026 3:26 pm
In an exclusive conversation with Retail4Growth, Sandeep Kapoor, Chairman & Managing Director of SHR Lifestyles Pvt Ltd (SHREE), shares how clarity, not speed, is shaping the brand’s retail expansion across India and international markets.
In India, ethnic wear is often reserved for special occasions, but SHREE has been changing this narrative. Founded in 2009 by Sandeep Kapoor and Sheetal Kapoor, the brand set out to create everyday ethnic wear which is comfortable and easy to care for at home. At the core of SHREE’s approach is a consistent focus on keeping fabrics as natural as possible. But beyond quality products, Shree’s story is also about how thoughtful retail strategy can shape a brand’s growth.
In an insightful conversation with Sandeep Kapoor, Chairman & Managing Director of SHR Lifestyles Pvt Ltd (SHREE), Retail4Growth explored the journey of SHREE, from its inception to its pan-India and international expansion, and how the brand is redefining everyday ethnic wear in India.
Retail expansion in India and beyond
SHREE started its journey as a small online brand, which gradually evolved into a full-fledged retail operation. Its retail journey began in North India, with its first store in Delhi in 2015. The brand expanded rapidly to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and other regions, reaching over 100 stores. “During COVID, we had to take a cautious call to pause expansion until the market stabilised,” Sandeep shares.
When the brand understood the scope of international markets, SHREE opened its first store in the UAE in 2022. Today, the brand operates 124 stores across India, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, with a few additional locations currently in the fit-out stage.
“In the next five years, we are targeting close to 300 stores in India,” Sandeep says. “But we are not aggressive. We are building a scalable, sustainable, and profitable business, for both the company and our franchise partners.”
Offline first, online in sync
In an era where most fashion brands push aggressive online growth, SHREE has taken a contrarian stance. Post-COVID, the brand intentionally reduced its dependence on online revenue.
“Our understanding is simple,” Sandeep states candidly. “Online customers today largely look for discounts. We don’t want to dilute our product or brand quality.”
Instead, SHREE treats digital channels as extensions of its offline ecosystem. The same product, same fabric, same fit, and same pricing are maintained across online and offline platforms. “We don’t make separate products for e-commerce. What you see in-store is exactly what you get online,” he adds.
Technology with purpose
At SHREE, technology too is not adopted for optics, it is implemented only when it adds real value to the business and the customer experience. One such initiative is the use of AI-driven video analytics, built on the brand’s existing CCTV infrastructure.
By analysing customer movement within the stores, the system helps the brand understand how customers look for different sections, where they spend more time, and which product zones attract higher engagement. These statistics help them make better decisions when it comes to store layouts, product placement and manpower deployment.
“The idea is simple,” he says. “If we understand how customers behave inside the store, we can design the store better for them.”
Hyper-local visual merchandising
One of SHREE’s pivotal retail strengths lies in its hyper-local festive visual merchandising (VM). Rather than a one-size-fits-all seasonal approach, the brand creates capsule collections and store experiences in accordance with regional festivals – Pongal in the South, Chhath Puja in Bihar, Karva Chauth in North India, and Eid across markets.
“We celebrate every festival,” Sandeep says with conviction. “Even if a customer doesn’t buy, they should walk out with a memory.”
Importance of lighting in the store
One of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of store design, according to Sandeep, is lighting. In ethnic wear, where colour accuracy is everything, SHREE has standardised 4000K lighting across all stores. “The colour you see inside the store should be the same when you step out into daylight,” he explains. “Many times, a red or pink looks great under store lights, but changes completely outside. We are very particular that this does not happen.”
With these in-store elements in place, SHREE is now all set for expansion. The brand’s retail expansion focuses on clarity rather than speed, with a strong focus on Tier 1-led growth across South and East India, followed by deeper market penetration. With 117 stores in India and a growing international footprint, the brand is building towards 300 stores over the next five years through sustainable, technology-backed, and profitable expansion.