Zara's Like a Puppet on a String...

One of the most interesting Christmas window schemes on the high street this year, for me, is from Zara. Their controversial decision to go completely opposed to the usual 'traditional' Christmas window full of trees, pretty twinkling lights and shrines to Father C made me stop and look twice - which is the overall point of visual merchandising after all!

The mannequins have been displayed like puppets on a string which could connote how we as people become like puppets ourselves during the Christmas period - especially when we get our shopping list heads on! The strings control and over power the mannequin, acting as restraints which is interesting as Zara seem to break the traditions of the Christmas period within their scheme rather than be controled by it.

The styling takes on an 80's punk feel with elongated shoulders, long length gloves and puff ball skirts take centre stage in a mix of retro gingham, glitter and motif t shirts.

If you get a chance to, check out the Zara windows on Oxford Street as they are extremely interesting vm-wise in real life. If you can't, enjoy the photographs I managed to take early one quiet-ish morning!

Happy window shopping!

xoxo

Is there a right or wrong way to VM?

I have been in a new visual merchandising position now for four weeks and it has been fascinating to learn a new brand's way of VMing. I feel as though the previous position I held for over two years now barely creates the foundation to my new job role. I'm learning all the basics right from scratch including all the rules and regulations to coincide with creating a coherent brand image. But I have since been thinking, is visual merchandising a method or is it really just personal preference and taste?

I've previously been in situations where I have thought "wow this display looks really good" and within the same instance someone has torn it to pieces saying they don't like this or that and vice versa. Because VM is so personal, afterall it is your own taste and creativity being put on the line for others critique and judgement, it can be a tough old career to find yourself in.

But is there a right or wrong way? Surely if all the adjacencies are customer shoppable and relevent fashion themes have been pulled together to create a 'look' do the other bits make much difference? I suppose its like fashion itself - in my opinion Cheryl Cole is one of the worst dressed celebs yet the majority rave over her! But that doesn't mean she neither wrong nor right....it's all about personal preference.

So to all the visual merchandisers out there - should we be following the rule book or throwing it out? Are the rules and regs taking away your creativity? I'd love to know what you think....

Old Tricks....New Move....

For those of you who follow me on Twitter (@Tattylittleboot) or readers of my original blog (www.tattylittleboots.blogspot.com) you will already know that I have moved from the area of Yorkshire to the big bustling city of London for a dream job opportunity within Visual Merchandising - and that is how this new blog came about!

Although it will be a brand new job role for me within a new and exciting company, plus a different location - what I have learnt about VM over the last five years will still be critical. One aid to my development and learning technique was this amazing book by Tony Morgan a specialist VM within the field, working as Head of Visual Merchandising for Selfridges for about 18 years!

The front cover shows a mannequin
suspended mid-air within a window display
for Selfridges

Visual Merchandising: Window and Instore Displays for Retail is a fantastic read for anyone hoping to get into this wonderful career or to support someone already on that journey. Full of beautiful images displaying visual skills from past to present, it is the essentail VM 'bible'.

The book discusses everything including the history of the topic and where window dressing came from - even starting out with how butchers displayed their produce to attract customers into buying! The most informative part of the book is within the Instore Merchandising section where you can learn about product adjacencies, floor layouts and even lighting and ambience which is all to do with visual merchandising.

From displaying fish and meat on a market stall
to commissioned windows at Harvey Nichols, VM
has developed from one year to the next

Towards the end of the book, the 'Visual Merchandiser's Studio' shows you a checklist of everything a VM uses in their day to day job role from what they have in their toolbox, what health and safety aspects should be checked, a glossary full of  specific terminology and even a lighting chart all about bulbs and amps - what more could you need to know?!

State of the art mannequins are photographed
professionally throughout the book

So, as I sit here in my new home in London refreshing myself on the principles every Visual Merchandiser should know by flicking through my own copy of  Visual Merchandising: Window and Instore Displays for Retail by Tony Morgan - I urge you to either do the same or purchase this sensational book for yourselves. Once you have it you will wonder how you ever got by without it!

Happy Window Shopping

xoxo

You can purchase this book from:

www.amazon.co.uk

www.laurenceking.com/fashion



Visual Merchandising and the 'C' word....

The C word is thrown around these days so casually in the visual merchandising vocabulary it is sometimes quiet offensive to the customers. Said too early causes the old 'is it that time already' conversation. But we, as visual merchandisers, spend so much time out of the seasonal year planning, preparing and implementing one thing: CHRISTMAS!

No sooner have we put away the Christmas decorations from yesteryear, we are getting them out again - dusting off the three month (if that!) layers of dust and starting it all again. From updating the old decs, unpacking and unwrapping newly delivered ones and then organizing when the sensation that is Christmas will hit in store, a critical path is key to the success. Critical paths include the 4-8 week set up period for the season and includes everything from prep, to instore displays right through to the implementation of the window displays. Christmas is mayhem for VM's; but the most wonderful time of the year (or so the classic song says....).

Today I spotted the first Christmas windows of the year! In Yorkshire it seems that Next is the first brand to brave the customer backlash by launching their Christmas windows earlier than most of the other stores on the high street. Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and House of Fraser may be all Christmassy instore but as all VM's know, windows are the face of the store so once these are launched there's no going back - ooh what will the customers say!?

I was very sneaky here and managed to take a few snaps inside my local shopping centre! As a known VM convict with the security guards here they are used to me snapping photographs on my mobile quickly and discreetly (or not in some cases!!)

 Hanging baubles at different heights creates depth and effect within the window space. Using mirrored glitter balls amongst the matt baubles causes the window lighting to bounce off and create a dazzling reflection that hits the pavement concluding in a snowy Christmassy effect - ahhhh!

 I love this giant bauble made of fairy lights with the mannequin perched elegently inside!

Home product placement is an art within itself, taking direction from the old school 'pyramid concept' notice how the grouping starts high and then filters downwards like, a er, pyramid...?


I can't wait to start seeing other retail stores follow suit with their Christmas windows!

Happy window shopping

xoxo

Welcome....x

Welcome to my brand new blog - you may have come here via my old, yet faithful, blog www.tattylittleboots.blogspot.com, via my twitter @tattylittleboot or just through generally surfing the web as we all love to do these days. However you found yourself here, welcome!

As a Visual Merchandiser specialising in the wonderful genre of fashion, I am often asked about my job role - How do you get into VM? What does a VM do on a daily basis? Well fear not as if you follow my new blog, your questions will surely be answered.

From a small time Yorkshire girl starting her visual merchandising career off in a work experience placement to a brand new job venture that will see her up sticks and move to the big city, I'll be documenting my VM career online - I hope you enjoy following me as I follow my dreams....

I've managed 12 windows for a department store
on seasonal window schemes and changes...

The Christmas season is a visual merchandiser's pivotal time -
busy, hectic and mad; but so worth it!

Whether its fashion styling or homeware product placement - I've done it all!

Merchandising departments for consumers is rewarding -
will sales be up or down after the weekend trade?!

All images are my own work.