Visual Merchandiser

A visual merchandiser is a professional in the retail industry who is responsible for optimising the presentation of services and products to showcase their features and benefits. They develop in-store and window merchandise displays with the purpose to engage, motivate and attract customers towards making a purchase. Visual merchandisers are a crucial member to any retail team as they create retail strategies that maximise the aesthetic of products and services, and play a critical role in the look, feel and culture of a brand.

Diesel x Selfridges

Anthropologie

They duties of a visual merchandiser vary depending on the employers type and size, the nature of the projects, and the level of responsibility. Some of the duties include:

Set up dress mannequins and displays.
Make better use of a store's layout and space.
Design lighting and color range of product displays.
Arrange display fixtures, showcases, counters and clothing racks.
Sell a display idea to marketers.
Instruct sales department how to color coordinate counter displays and cloth racks.
Attend business planning meetings.
Liaise with promotional staff and marketing team.

Being a visual merchandiser can involve travelling between retail stores and working from head office, or you can take on the responsibility for one store, depending on your employer and each stores responsibility. To become a successful visual merchandiser, you require innovative skills to design unique displays, counters and other items that can attract customers to the company merchandise.

There is a lot more to visual merchandising than I originally thought before looking further into it. I originally thought it was more clothing based, styling mannequins and arranging displays, but I learnt from my research that it involves every visual aspect of a store from the lighting and layout, to the mannequins, clothing racks, colour ranges and displays. I think I could see myself doing work as a visual merchandiser, just not permanently as it involves aspects of work I wouldn’t enjoy as much as other areas and I can imagine there is a slight lack of creative freedom from having to follow what the companies aesthetic is. I have a specific personal aesthetic which I would like to follow through into my work so I don't think I would enjoy working for brands such as H&M and Zara, which carry fairly basic, subtle pieces compared to the more eccentric, unique style I want to be known for. Although the workplace settings would be interesting and keep me on my feet with a mix of office work and physical work, as well as the option to travel and branch out to different locations and stores.

Vivienne Westwood

Anthropologie

Zara

Fun, colourful and displays a female and male mannequin. Has a clear theme and has styling for both genders so will attract a wider audience. This display would definitely catch my eye and would peek my interest to see what else it has inside the store.

Boring, basic and very plain. No clear theme, no outstanding factors. This personally wouldn't catch my eye and if I did happen to see it, it would not interest me in exploring the store.

Some skills I would need to work on and define to become a visual merchandiser include customer service, communication, knowledge of design principles, leadership, collaboration, visual awareness and very importantly, buyer psychology. All of these on a CV would benefit anyone looking to go into visual merchandising.