DesignHex - Shimona Bhansali

Project by

Shimona Bhansali

DesignHex

Design Hex, led by founder and chief designer Shimona Bhansali, crafts deeply personal, imaginative spaces rooted in nearly two decades of creative expertise. With a passion for turning dreams into reality, the studio designs expressive homes and vibrant workplaces, ensuring every space reflects its user’s personality, aspirations, and unique story.

About DesignHex

Papa don't Preach

Design Team: Shimona Bhansali

Site Area: 2100 sq. ft.

Completion of Project: May 2025

DesignHex - Shimona Bhansali
Image Credit - Janvi Thakkar

Concept Note

The Papa Don’t Preach flagship in Dhan Mill, Delhi is an immersive couture dreamscape where fantasy meets fashion. With a hand-carved underwater-inspired façade and soft, whimsical pink interiors, the store blends art, nature, and imagination to create a bold, theatrical retail experience that mirrors the brand’s vibrant identity.
DesignHex - Shimona Bhansali

Situated in the heart of Delhi’s vibrant Dhan Mill compound, the Papa Don’t Preach flagship store emerges as a wonderland of haute couture, where fantasy, fashion, and architecture seamlessly converge. Conceptualized by DesignHex, the space transcends the idea of a traditional retail destination, presenting instead a spirited personification of the brand’s bold identity and whimsical design philosophy. From the moment one approaches the façade, the store makes its presence felt with an otherworldly expression inspired by folkloric underwater kingdoms.

Crafted from two tonnes of natural wood, the frontage features hand-carved sculptural panels and CNC-cut sea creatures, each element intentionally designed to echo the brand’s dramatic visual narrative. Shades of sage green and lavender shimmer delicately in daylight, transforming the façade into a dynamic, ever-changing surface that mirrors the brand’s love for vibrant expression. Completed in a record sixty days, the exterior stands as a theatrical prelude to the world within.

Inside, the store unfolds into a soft, dreamlike romance that aligns aesthetically with the brand’s Mumbai flagship. A palette of smoking pinks and blush tones bathes the space in an atmosphere that feels both tender and exuberant. Structural columns are reimagined as majestic trees, their branches extending across the ceiling in a symbolic gesture of organic growth and unrestrained creativity. Textured pink paint enhances their sculptural presence, while the flooring combines a patchwork of pink and white marble with accents of micro-concrete, adding subtle contrast and visual rhythm.

Sunlight becomes an integral part of the experience, streaming through expansive windows that animate the interiors throughout the day. The natural illumination interacts with textures, materials, and colours, casting delicate hues that enrich the store’s dreamy aura. This interplay of light and form creates a space that feels at once enchanting, warm, and glamorous.

Anchored within Dhan Mill — a former industrial zone now transformed into one of Delhi’s most energetic lifestyle districts — the store stands as a landmark of design innovation. It embodies a rebellious yet refined spirit, confidently blending art with commerce and fantasy with modernity. More than a retail destination, the Papa Don’t Preach flagship offers an immersive experience where fashion, nature, and imagination come together in vibrant harmony.

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