Crafting immersive brand journeys…
All the brands that survive in the fiercely competitive market of the modern world are not only created but handled carefully and operated insightfully. They have a knack for knowing how clients feel, engage, and eventually relate to a company in ways that go beyond logos and taglines. Agencies like ASPECT become essential in this complex nexus of strategy, space, and storytelling.
These new-age ventures have caught our attention to foresee change, mould it, and turn it into engaging experiences rather than only reacting to it. What began as a consultancy offering detailed site surveys has, in just six years, evolved into a firm that has delivered design solutions spanning over 8 million sq. ft. across India and Middle East. To uncover many fascinating facts about this new-age agency, we sat down for a one-on-one conversation with the founder, Abhijit Patil. He shared his journey, vision, and several lesser-known facts about the agency.
The company profile
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Mumbai, ASPECT has swiftly emerged as a leading retail and experience design agency in India. What began as a focused team of five architects and engineers has evolved into a multidisciplinary collective of nearly 40 professionals, including strategists, designers, architects, and project managers, united by a passion for crafting transformative brand environments. In just six years, ASPECT has successfully delivered design solutions spanning over 8 million sq. ft. of retail, banking, exhibition and experience center space. This milestone is not only a testament to the agency’s design prowess but also a reflection of its growing influence in the dynamic and ever-evolving retail landscape.
Comprehensive Design Services
ASPECT’s service portfolio encompasses the entire design lifecycle, with each stage tailored to align seamlessly with a brand’s business objectives and customer expectations:
• Research & Analysis: The process begins with a strategic deep dive into the brand ethos, competitive landscape, customer behaviour, and market trends, both domestic and global. These insights lay the groundwork for a relevant and responsive design solution.
• Design Strategy: Leveraging the research findings, ASPECT develops a robust design strategy that aligns with commercial goals and customer engagement metrics. Each strategy is built to be sustainable, scalable, consistent, and resonant across various retail formats.
• Design Development & Project Management: Collaboration is key at ASPECT. Clients are engaged throughout the creative process to ensure the final design reflects their vision. Once approved, the team of experienced architects produces detailed drawings and documentation to support seamless design translation into the construction drawings, post which the project management team takes over, facilitating seamless onboarding of execution partners and ensuring on-ground project success and handover.
More than designing physical spaces, ASPECT designs experiences that drive brand engagement, enrich customer journeys, and set new benchmarks for innovation in retail environments. As per Abhijit, their vision is to create meaningful impact, scalable and sustainable experiences to allow brands to touch upon their full potential. Fostering authentic brand connections allows them to create brand identities that stand out. ASPECT aspires to be a globally recognized design agency, collaborating with both Indian and international brands. Their strength lies in seamlessly blending creativity with strategy, backed by deep technical expertise and execution capabilities enabling them to enhance the value of every space they design.
Early Foundations in Architecture
Abhijit Patil’s professional journey is a compelling narrative of evolution, creativity, and strategic vision. He has always been known for his ability to envision a structure and harmonize creativity with clarity. A graduate of Architecture from Mumbai University (2008), Abhijit began his career entrenched in core architectural practice under the guidance of leading architectural agencies, where he worked on commercial and residential projects. His early experiences laid the technical foundation that would later underpin a remarkable pivot to retail design and entrepreneurship.
His career trajectory later transitioned into retail where he witnessed global exposure. It happened when he entered the builder ecosystem with Kukreja Developers, followed by a transformative role with Phoenix Market City. There, he delved deep into the dynamics of retail spaces and their intersections with brand positioning. During his tenure, Abhijit supported the leasing team by offering technical and architectural guidance to retail brands.
This role sparked a growing interest in retail architecture, helping him understand the nuanced needs of brands in consumer environments. His international exposure came early when he worked with the U.S.-based retail brand Steve & Barry’s, handling their India-led supply chain and retail expansion in the U.S. This mix of global and local perspectives helped shape his multidimensional approach to design.
Strategic Evolution in Retail and Consumer Space Design
The pivotal shift in his career came with his tenure at Fitch (now Landor), a renowned global design agency. Here, he immersed himself in brand implementation, technical detailing, and the strategic side of retail architecture. While his role at Phoenix Market City had given him a macro view of mall brand relationships, Fitch exposed him to brand-driven design thinking. During this period, Abhijit realized his growing passion for the retail domain over traditional architecture.
Entrepreneurial Leap
After nearly eight years of gaining experience at Fitch, along with a brief stint at Future Group supporting Central’s store expansion from the design side, Abhijit decided to embark on his entrepreneurial journey. In 2017-18, the seed of an independent practice took root, and by 2019, his brainchild was formally established. Initially, operating as a consultant to Fitch, Abhijit began by offering niche services like detailed site surveys which is a critical yet often overlooked segment that proved invaluable to brands. His thorough checklists and accurate site data enabled seamless downstream design and implementation processes. This reliability became his firm’s signature, opening doors to broader mandates.
Gradual Expansion & Brand Collaborations
ASPECT began its journey with support roles and gradually expanded its scope to include design adaptation, implementation, and eventually, full-fledged concept design. This measured and strategic approach earned the trust of leading clients, paving the way for end-to-end design mandates. Over time, ASPECT partnered with a wide array of prominent brands across multiple sectors including Fashion, Beauty, F&B, B2B Experience Centres, Paint, Jewellery, Lifestyle, Automotive, Kids’ Toys & Play, Furniture & Home Décor, Banking etc.
The agency has helped shape sustainable, scalable, and CAPEX-friendly retail formats that reflect brand narratives with precision and depth, underpinned by strong domain expertise. ASPECT’s client portfolio includes esteemed names such as Shoppers Stop, Trent, Asian Paints, ABFRL (National & International brands), Reliance Brands, Opus Paints, Hamleys, Swarovski, Indriya Jewellery, PNG & Sons, MRF, Bridgestone, Tata Motors, Tata Communications, Zudio, Intune, Style Up, R&B, Nike, Tasva, Centuary Mattress, Greenlam, Usha Hab, Baker’s Fun, JFL, Living Shapes, Star Market and many more.
Design Philosophy & Differentiation
In the competitive landscape of retail, ASPECT stands out by creating bespoke environments that resonate with each brand’s unique story. Despite supporting multiple competing brands, the firm ensures that every space feels distinct—an authentic expression of the brand’s personality. Abhijit highlights the importance of understanding a brand’s DNA. This commitment to insight-driven design ensures that every concept is developed from the ground uprooted in brand philosophy, informed by user behaviour, and supported by rigorous research. The result is a spatial experience that is not only functional and scalable but also emotionally engaging and brand-authentic.
Strategic Approach to Growth
Abhijit’s entrepreneurial strategy was rooted in humility and precision. He approached big brands not by aggressive pitching but by delivering excellence in small scopes. His trustbuilding approach through site surveys and incremental value addition laid a solid foundation for growth. By ensuring that even competing brands received unique and distinct design languages, ASPECT carved a niche as a brand-sensitive, detaildriven design partner.
Present-Day Impact and Future Vision
At present, Abhijit leads ASPECT with a team of architects, designers, strategists and engineers, offering a comprehensive suite of services from research, concept design, and technical detailing to project management. The agency has designed and delivered over 500 stores for Zudio alone and is currently engaged with almost every other sector. Looking ahead, Abhijit aims to scale the firm’s operations both within India and Internationally. Recognizing the volatility of the retail sector, ASPECT is now diversifying into workspace design. The goal is to partner with larger, premium clients across industries. The vision is clear to transition from essential support roles to strategic design leadership while retaining the core values of precision, trust, and thoughtful execution.
Parting words by the founder
“To budding entrepreneurs, my advice is to stay closely attuned to the consumer pulse and maintain agility in your approach. Success doesn’t always come from taking big leaps or focusing only on key milestones—it often lies in the consistency of small, thoughtful steps and in giving equal attention to every stage of the journey. It’s not about being the loudest voice in the room, but about being the most relevant. Innovation, adaptability, and an unwavering focus on delivering value both functional and emotional are essential to building a lasting brand.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our story. We are sincerely grateful to the Business Connect team for giving us this platform to share our journey. We hope it offers a deeper insight into ASPECT and inspires future collaborations that are meaningful and impactful.”
