New Delhi, Sept. 11 -- The 20,000 sq. ft Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla flagship, housed in a historic Mumbai building, is a sensory overload. Gilded, oversized birds and clouds hang from the ceiling, the walls are covered with hand-embroidered textiles, a 3D city hangs upside down from the ceiling, complete with brass gopurams. Racks are stacked with chikankari salwar-kameez embellished with semi-precious stones, mirror-work saris, and bright-coloured kurtas with light embroidery, all reiterating the 40-year-old brand's design vocabulary: unabashed maximalism.

The point of such a fantastical space is that it is hard to ignore or forget. And that is the idea retail stores are chasing.

In less than a year, a clutch of Indian luxury brands, incl...