In Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills, known for its eclectic mix of dining and shopping experiences, a minimalist grey concrete structure rises into view. It frames a dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass façade, tinted in a vivid, saturated red with a white signboard that reads “Lovebirds’. Among the many details inside the store, this particular feature set a formal introduction to the label’s brand language, a quality that has quickly become emblematic of how retail spaces today serve as physical extensions of their respective brands. The colour red, not unfamiliar to the Lovebirds’ vocabulary, has appeared at several key moments before: from their Circle of Lovebirds campaign, to the claw machine installation at Vogue Forces of Fashion 2024, and even a 12-foot red sphere in their SS23 performance installation titled The Space in Between. Here, as a part of the Hyderabad outpost, its biggest yet amongst the counterparts in Mumbai, Delhi and Gurugram, this feels quite apt. Much like Lovebirds’ collections, whose clean silhouettes are often punctuated by an unexpected pop, the store’s 8,000 sq. ft. presence across two floors carries a similar spirit, both in its outward façade and within its interiors. At the same time, the labels’ fascination with architectural forms, so often distilled into their motifs, seems to come alive in the store’s stark urban presence. Through the rose-tinted glass, the interiors open into a contrasting industrial palette of pristine white walls, granite counters, and metal centre blocks. Designed by AD100 architect Saurabh Dakshini of Studio Organon, the rest of the space rests in a spare beauty rather than too many elements, although this outpost also houses their newly introduced menswear line. The deliberate stripping back makes it clear that the garments and accessories remain the focal point; the bright pinks, violets, reds, and olives across the label’s voluminous silk dresses, tailored tops, and bottoms heighten the atmosphere. Even the flooring ties into the brand’s ethos, laid with an in-house handmade monochrome rug. Despite the scale, the store avoids feeling crowded; instead, there is space to linger, to take in the breadth of the label’s extended offerings, including its accessories and bags. For a touch of drama, a ramp in one corner leads up to clothing racks that almost camouflage into the wall. Facing this, a staircase alongside a rack of Lovebirds menswear collection leads to the upper level. Here, the interiors continue with the same handmade minimalist rugs and a display of the brand’s collection; the space doubles as a hybrid zone for hosting community gatherings and events.The return to physical retail is steadily gaining ground. While not entirely a new concept, the establishment of multiple branches in key cities signals strong growth, particularly for homegrown labels that have only emerged in the recent past.