While we started designing a retail space for the brand, we perceived Gully Labs as a celebration of Indian street culture, glorified, unified, and expressed through sneakers and apparel that pay homage to Indian craftsmanship and the raw vibrancy of the streets. Every element, from design to detailing, reflects this authenticity. Thus, positioning the brand not just as a retail destination but as a cultural movement. Its brand language, rooted in local identity, is aspirational in spirit. The architects have seamlessly translated this into the very fabric of its retail design.

 The Melange Studio

Translating Culture into Space

Designed and executed in just three months, the architects brought the retail store to life through the efforts of over 50 karigars, in collaboration with a network of consultants, vendors, and partners. They collectively translated the vision of the space into reality. The designers envisioned the flagship store as a physical manifestation of this identity, a kaleidoscope of street elements thoughtfully scattered across the space.

Designed to remain grounded yet aspirational, it creates an immersive cultural journey that mirrors the ethos of Gully Labs—authentic, innovative, and unapologetically bold. The store is not merely a place to shop but a spatial narrative, where every material, texture, and gesture brings the energy of the gullies into a contemporary context.

Materiality & Identity

Materiality played a major role in anchoring the store within an Indian context. Locally available materials such as concrete blocks, lakhori bricks, handmade tiles, stone slabs, and wood were used to craft an atmosphere that feels homegrown, personal, and instantly recognizable.

This choice not only connects the store to Indian streetscapes but also ensures a high recall value for visitors. The brand colours are emphasized at key locations, while a grid language is repeated throughout the store to create visual consistency and cohesiveness across levels.

Play & Pause Points

Beyond materiality and brand cues, it was important to design moments of pause and play across the spatial journey. Interactive elements such as mirrors, street benches, manhole covers, and letter boxes were introduced, not only to spark curiosity but also to create a sense of engagement and familiarity. These playful inclusions transform the store into an experience—encouraging discovery, interaction, and delight—making the interiors as immersive and memorable as the products themselves.

Spatial configuration

A Facade That Speaks– As the brand’s first handshake with the city, the facade breaks away from the linear monotony of its surroundings. A shoe suspended dramatically from the building forms a powerful visual marker—edgy and audacious—declaring “We’ve arrived.” This bold gesture is not just branding; it symbolizes the merging of innovation with cultural familiarity.

Ground Floor – Immersion into the Gully– The spatial narrative unfolds across three levels. The ground floor serves as the first glimpse into the Gully-world, housing the brand’s core retail collection. The environment is crafted with corrugated shutters, grey bricks, portals, mirrors, and jharokhas—textural and visual cues that make visitors feel as though they’ve stepped directly into an Indian gully.

First Floor – Craft and Customization– Ascending the staircase reveals the story of the brand through a visual journey. The first floor offers a dual experience: a coffee counter that doubles as a casual hangout and a shoe customization zone where creativity takes center stage. Adding to this is a one-of-a-kind shoe-making museum, wrapped in raw, vintage woodwork, where visitors can witness and participate in the handcrafted karigari process—a rare glimpse into the artisanal craft behind sneakers.

Second Floor – The Baithak– The journey culminates on the second floor with a Baithak—a cultural and communal hub. This versatile space hosts events, conversations, and gatherings, transforming the store into more than just a retail destination. It becomes a third space where coffee enthusiasts, creative, and community members can engage with the brand’s ethos, extending the cultural dialogue beyond products.

Design Ethos

Conceived by The Melange Studio, the flagship reflects innovation, exploration, and authenticity. Street-inspired materials—familiar yet reimagined—anchor the design. Every element is layered with meaning, creating a spatial narrative that blurs the line between retail, culture, and community.

Fact File

Designed by: The Melange Studio

Project Type: Retail Design

Project Name: Gully Labs Retail Store

Location: New Delhi

Principal Architects: Dhruv DV & Pranvi Jain

Design Team: The Melange Studio – Dhruv DV, Pranvi Jain, Madhur Bajaj, Umesh Ahuja.

Photograph Courtesy: Avesh Gaur

Client Name: Arjun Singh & Animesh Mishra

Contractor: Terraform Developers – Parminder Singh Nagi 

Signages: The Knight Designs by Mr. Kanwar 

Lighting: White Lighting solutions

Big shoe statue on facade: Glyptic Arts

Artist: Rahul Kumar and Uneditioned Art

Furniture: Comfort zone

HVAC: Vyantech

Tiles: Kasa decor & Hey Concrete

Wooden flooring: Shrey Jain

Firm’s Instagram Link: The Melange Studio

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