Visual Merchandising
The role
Responsibilities include:
- Creating display ideas
- Following company floor plans
- Drawing ideas of designs either freehand or using a computer
- Making intelligent decisions on space and lighting
- Informing other stores and store brands on how to set up their stores (if required)
- Feeding back information to head office
- Arranging and setting up displays for stores
- Sourcing materials and props
- Ensuring prices are visible within displays
- Guiding and Teaching sales staff
- Training new visual merchandisers or assistants
- Removing old displays
VM display design:
Entry Requirements:
To be suitable for the role, there is two key ways to get there. Either completing a retail course at college or moving up through the store. Once you have the job you train with them but can also take other classes to do alongside.
Desired Skills:
- A good sense of design, colour and style
- Ability to pay strong attention to detail
- Imaginative
- Creative
- Clear communication skills
- Ability to stick to deadlines
- Energetic
- Good IT understanding
- Skill for technical drawing
Example of good VM : Selfridges, Oxford Street
Selfridges is famous for amazing displays and the aesthetic look both inside and outside the store is very unique. For this reason; alongside its vast range of couture and designer clothing; many people including myself will look for any excuse to go visit one of their stores. Selfridges on Oxford Street is the second largest store in the United Kingdom and I have chosen it to represent everything I love about Visual Merchandising.
What Visual Merchandisers think about:
Placement
Having the mannequins placed in the middle of the aisle makes it impossible for customers to not see them or the product they are showing off. I was attracted by the many layers and how the mannequins are in such casual stances; it makes the couture look like everyday clothes.
Back ground
By putting dark and/or patterned clothes infant of a light and plain background, the product gets all attention drawn to it. I liked the simplicity of this display and I think the monochrome colour scheme adds a hint of class.
Mix and Match
As there are a lot of different but equally bold colours and styles collected in one place, people are left with more than one eye catching spot. The bright colours and relaxed vibe given off purely by the display enticed me.
Position
The pose of these mannequins is unique to most other standard stand up straight display models in other stores. By simply looking at them - you are forced to look at the product subconsciously.
Themes
Alongside celebrity endorsement; displays that tie in a strong theme also get a lot of attention. This one was my personal favourite throughout the store as it holds a good aesthetic.
This is only one of the many gorgeous bag displays in Selfridges. The lighting is great as it shows off the detail in each design. The wallpaper behind is subtle and elegant. The decision to have only one item per shelf is clever as it makes each product more exclusive and consequently more desirable.
Branding
Brands like Christian louboutin can sell their products just by name and clearly the person in charge of visuals in selfridges knows this. I like how each pair of shoes has a mirror behind them so the signature red sole is on show so i took a picture of this display in particular.
Spacing
I like how these shoes are not clustered or crowded together so each pair can be seen individually - this practically makes the product sell itself.
Colour
Colour coordination is pleasing to the eye and keeping different shades of the same colour together, draws customers in to a bigger collection of shoes than what they originally thought they wanted.
Starter Salary is between 12 to 16 thousand per annum.
Usual hours are 30 - 40 per week but can include early starts and late nights in order to meet deadlines.
Visual Merchandising - That F Word: EP12