From Digital Hype to Physical Home: Comet Deepens Its Bond with Hyderabad
Stepping boldly into the City of Pearls, Comet lands in Hyderabad with the same fearless energy that has come to define the brand across India. With the launch of its first-ever store at Lakeshore Y Junction Mall, Comet opens a new chapter in its drop-led journey, inviting Hyderabad’s sneaker community into an immersive world where design, culture, and storytelling collide. In an interaction with CE, Utkarsh Gupta, co-founder of Comet Shoes speaks about the launch of their new store in Hyderabad and the sneaker culture.
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What made Hyderabad a natural choice for Comet’s first physical store?
Hyderabad has a very confident, expressive youth culture that’s deeply plugged into fashion, music, gaming, and sneaker communities. It’s a city where tradition and modern identity coexist beautifully, which aligns with how Comet blends cultural nostalgia with contemporary design. We saw a strong organic demand from Hyderabad online, and opening here felt like giving that growing community a physical home. It was a natural step to deepen our relationship with a city that already resonates with our ‘never shy, never sorry’ mindset.
How does a physical store deepen that narrative beyond e-commerce?
A physical store allows storytelling to move from screens to spaces, turning our narratives into something people can truly experience. Customers can touch, feel, explore, and engage with the brand in a way that e-commerce simply cannot replicate. It becomes a living environment where design, emotion, and culture come together. Beyond shopping, the store becomes a platform for conversations, community gatherings, exclusive drops, limited-edition releases, and immersive brand experiences. It’s where stories are not just told, but lived and shared.
How important is design and visual impact for consumers to connect with a brand today?
Design is the first dialogue a brand opens with its audience, even before a single word is spoken. A bold façade immediately communicates confidence, creativity, and cultural intent. It tells people that something distinctive lives inside. For today’s young consumer, visual impact is deeply personal, it mirrors how they see themselves and how they wish to be seen. The store, therefore, becomes more than a retail space. It transforms into a visual landmark, an Instagrammable destination, and a cultural marker within the city. It invites curiosity, sparks conversation, and creates a sense of aspiration. In many ways, the space itself becomes a statement piece, embodying Comet’s fearless attitude and reinforcing what the brand stands for before a sneaker is even tried on.
How do you ensure staying authentic while appealing to a fast-growing, diverse audience?
Authenticity, for us, comes from staying deeply rooted in our own stories and ethos rather than constantly chasing trends. Every design begins with a narrative that feels unmistakably Comet, honest, intentional, and emotionally resonant. While our audience is diverse in style, background, and expression, the common thread that binds them is individuality. When a design is driven by genuine emotion and strong storytelling, it transcends categories and aesthetics. It allows people to interpret it in their own way, making the product personal. That honesty is what enables our designs to connect organically across different personalities, cultures, and creative identities.
What shifts in the customers’ buying behaviour have influenced your retail strategy?
Today’s consumers are driven by emotion as much as they are by aesthetics. They are drawn to labels that reflect their values, celebrate creativity, and make them feel seen and understood. That is why our retail spaces are designed to be immersive and community-led rather than purely transactional. The store is not just a point of purchase; it is a place of expression, discovery, and interaction. It becomes a space where people gather, engage, and build relationships with the brand and with each other. In doing so, the store evolves into a place of belonging, where culture is created and shared, not just consumed.
How does Comet’s design language reflect individuality and self-expression?
Comet’s design language is inherently fearless. Every detail, from bold silhouettes to rich textures and narrative-led collections, is crafted to evoke emotion and individuality. Our sneakers are designed to feel personal, almost like an extension of one’s identity. They are not meant to blend in or play it safe. Each pair is a statement, reflecting confidence, originality, and an unapologetic desire to stand out. At their core, our designs celebrate those who choose self-expression over conformity and see footwear as a powerful form of personal storytelling.