Papa Don’t Preach Unveils a Dreamlike Retail Escape in the Capital

The first thing that grabs your attention about Papa Don’t Preach’s new atelier is the colour. The façade is bursting with a colour palette pulled straight from a Wes Anderson film, featuring lavender and sage that rise in rippling curves, carved with shells, coral, and mythical sea creatures. It’s one space you can’t walk past without slowing down.

Creative Director and Founder Shubhika Sharma joined forces with DesignHex founder Shimona Bhansali to bring to life an imagined underwater world, built from panels of nearly two tonnes of sustainable composite natural wood. The atelier’s design mirrors the brand’s Mumbai flagship store in Kala Ghoda to an extent, but once you enter the store, it’s a different experience altogether.

The store is a living, breathing space accented with muted pastel hues that feel plucked from a Willy Wonka dream. Inside, blush and smoky pink walls draw you in, while pale columns rise in the shape of tree trunks and branches, forming a canopy.

The blush-tinted walls with gentle greens swirl and textured stone floors cradle visitors on a candy-coloured cloud. Underfoot, the pink-and-white marble is punctuated with slim bands of microconcrete, featuring rows of embellished lehengas and metallic dresses that catch the light filtering through large windows.

Every corner of the atelier invites discovery. Curved shelves display delicate accessories as though they’ve been plucked from the ocean floor, while softly glowing lamps resemble drifting jellyfish, casting playful shadows across the floor. The air carries a subtle, comforting scent of sandalwood and sea salt, grounding the whimsy in tangible luxury. Plush velvet seating in soft lilac and muted teal offers moments to pause, admire, or dream.

Even the mirrors are framed in iridescent shells and sculpted coral, reflecting both the garments and the imagination behind them. Here, design, storytelling, and couture intertwine seamlessly, turning shopping into an enchanting voyage.

As the sequins and gold threads flicker like fleeting stars, you’d feel as if you’ve entered fairytale land. It’s a space that feels as alive as the clothes it holds, where fantasy and craftsmanship come together to redefine what luxury can feel like today.