As the pandemic slows down in India, new flagship stores and retail centres opening at every nook and corner of the national capital, gesturing that the city is thriving and open for business. From fashion to decor, Delhi’s streets are now bustling with new store openings. Most of these stores mirror the designer or brand’s signature style through decor, upholstery, and interiors.
As Delhi gears up for both the wedding and holiday seasons, these stores offer you a wide range of choices—both of your wardrobe and home. Take a look at these new, sprawling shopping destinations ahead of the festivities.
1. Shanti Banaras
Delhi’s Mehrauli is brimming with designer showrooms and boutiques that can take you to a place of grandeur. Joining the bandwagon of established flagship stores in the area is a new address showcasing classic Benarasi weaves. Emerging brand Shanti Benaras, a pioneer house in Benarasi weaves, recently launched their flagship store in Mehrauli, where a fine assortment of woven lehengas and sherwanis in silk blends with real gold zari work are housed to experience Varanasi’s craft mastery. “Our dream was to create a store that allows easy access to real zari and that is why we are bringing this experience of Banaras and its craft mastery to Mehrauli,” says co-founder Amrit Shah.
As you walk through the alleyways around Qutub Minar, the splendour of the store, with its rich immersive warmth, welcomes you against a plush colour palette lit by delicate mogra light fixtures. Designed by Rama Mehra Studio, a family of designers whose aesthetics align with the brand, the store opens into a gallery of Pichwai paintings. The other sections feature rich zari sarees and hand-embroidered lehengas. The store also houses a five-foot, symbolic Mogra chandelier hanging under an antique mirror, enveloping the space in light and romance.
Where: Shanti Banaras at One Style Mile, 6, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli
2. Ellementry
Specialising in simple luxury through handcrafted aesthetics, lifestyle and home decor brand Ellementry’s original store in Gurugram has recently elevated its space by shifting to a more prominent location within the DLF Galleria Market (DLF Phase 4). Offering a blissful range of kitchenware, tableware, home decor, accent furniture, and more for customers to choose from—the new store has a bigger and better space that showcases the brand’s personality artistically. As one enters the store, every product is beautifully and aesthetically displayed to give you an idea of its utility while showcasing its beauty.
Where: Ellementry at Galleria Market, DLF City Phase 4
3. JADE by Monica & Karishma
As couture design label JADE by Monica & Karishma completes 12 years, they’ve opened their first outpost in New Delhi at DLF Emporio. The store exclusively unveiled their new collection ’Bani Thani’—handcrafted heirlooms integrated with Rajasthani craft forms like miniature art and Leheriya and created in collaboration with award-winning Leheriya artist Mohd. Saqui. The store offers a select edit of stunningly hand-dyed Leheriya ensembles, seeped in sustainable natural colours derived from turmeric, madder root, onion peels, and the like. You can also find handcrafted bridal ensembles rooted in tradition yet contemporary in aesthetics, for the New Age Indian bride. The store also has murals and sculptures that echo the brand’s commitment to craft-based fashion. With an emphasis on bridal wear and couture, the space has artful additions that all design enthusiasts will love.
Where: Jade By Monica & Karishma at 344, 2nd-floor DLF Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj II
4. The Mainstreet Marketplace
Hype, self-expression, and exclusivity bring alive the ‘hype-beast’ culture. Bringing to the Indian market exclusive kicks and apparel from Yeezys, Jordans, Adidas, Nike, and the likes—entrepreneur Vedant Lamba’s sneaker and streetwear resale platform, The Mainstreet Marketplace, launched its swanky new outlet in New Delhi. With the launch of their sprawling new store in Dhanmill Compound, it is touted to be Asia’s largest resale store. Spanning across 1,600 square feet, the space features futuristic inspirations with accentuating lights and impressive compositions. Shelves crafted from raw reinforcement rods and contemporary props like carpet, furniture, and abstract-shaped mirrors influenced by the brand’s identity and language make the space more unique. The store also features exciting arcade machines to enhance shopping experiences, inviting consumers to deep dive into the culture and its vibe. Besides this, it also houses exclusive sneakers and cool garments. Overall, it creates avenues for a modern and contemporary shopping experience while the minimal and sleek interiors reflect the hype culture.
Where: The Mainstreet Marketplace at Lot 31, The Dhan Mill
5. Payal Singhal
Mehrauli’s portfolio of designer showrooms refuses to increase. Designer Payal Singhal is adding a new address in Delhi by unveiling her store-in-store at multi-brand fashion retail store Aza. Although Aza houses several other designer ensembles, Payal Singhal’s label known for modern Indian bridal and occasion wear laden with global appeal gets a special mention. A display of kaftans, athleisure co-ords, and affordable prêt enjoy a sizeable chunk in the store.
With this new store, she also unveiled her Winter Festive' 2021 collection, Suroor. The collection is replete with hybrid lehengas with cut-outs, sharara sets, kaftan kurtas, and anarkalis—all enhanced with intricate mukaish, zardozi, gota, nakshi, pitta, and mirror work. A new set of silhouettes with the signature PS prints are also an integral part of the collection in the store.
Where: Payal Singhal at Aza, Ambawatta One, Mehrauli
6. Shantanu & Nikhil
These are some names that are definitive for the Indian fashion industry and avant-garde couturiers—Shantanu & Nikhil are one of them, and they are launched their largest flagship couture store in Mehrauli too. It’s a plush store with aesthetics similar to their signature style, celebrating modernity and minimalism. With hues of black, white, and grey along with gold detailing, the store has minimal structures with the brand’s signature leather residing all over the ceiling. The space showcases a plethora of their timeless signature styles from lehengas and cocktail gowns to sherwanis and bandhgalas.
Where: Shantnu & Nikhil at One Style Mile, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli
7. It’s All About Home (IAAH)
Stylish, comfortable and innovative—leading designer décor brand, It’s All About Home (IAAH), has been a golden name that always aims to blur the lines between art, object, and functionality. The brand launched its third store in Delhi NCR at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj with an extra addition of kitchen solutions along with an exquisite collection of furniture, furnishing, decor, lighting, dinnerware, and entertaining options. The new store showcases a facade of wood and bronze, presenting a one-of-a-kind character with prismatic flower assortment at quirky spots.
Where: IAAH at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj
8. Antar-Agni
Synonymous with beautiful fabrics with fluid expression and drapes, patrons of designer Ujjwal Dubey’s work will be elated to know that the brand has opened its first flagship retail store in Delhi’s Ladoo Sarai. Dubey’s store reminds you of his signature work—a muted palette of greys, ivory, and white. With a curation of festive pieces with a mix of kurta, waistcoats, bandhgalas, along with some of the brand’s timeless favourites, you can also find limited collections at the store.
To display just how fluid and androgynous his collections are, the store was brought to life keeping in mind a space where there are no edges and walls to flow into each other. The store also utilised Agrocrete, an eco-friendly cement made of agricultural waste instead of paint, and earthy tiles echoing this palette with sleek furniture. The store gives you an ethereal and cosy feeling, rejecting a typically hectic retail experience.
Where: Antar Agni at G5GR+F49, Chatri Wala Kuan, Lado Sarai