Career: Visual Merchandiser
Call 8585951111
New Delhi, June 16 - WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
Visual merchandising is the art of displaying merchandise in a store to attract customers and increase sales. Thanks to innumerable malls mushrooming across the country, opportunities in this field are immense. Passion for design and creativity are essential to become a visual merchandiser. A VM takes care of the window display - representing a seasonal theme with the help of mannequins and the inside of the store - the arrangement of merchandise according to concepts and stories. The idea is to get the customer excited by the brand and increase the walk-ins. A VM also spends a lot of time training the store staff on how to fold and hang merchandise, follow instruction manuals and advise them on what pieces should go on the rack and be displayed on the floor, the colour scheme etc. He also has to take a call on slow moving merchandise and make sure it gets prominence through better lighting and display
CLOCK WORK
9 am: Reach office
10 am: Check e-mails and spend time on creatives for upcoming windows
11 am: Spend time with the design department; understand the forthcoming collection
1 pm: Break for lunch
3 pm: Rush for inter-department meeting
3.30 pm: Visit a company store; check out which collection is doing well and decide on what should be displayed prominently etc
6 pm to 8 pm: Spend time in the market; visit stores of competition and check out their displays; analyse their windows to implement ideas in the future
THE PAYOFF
- An assistant visual merchandiser, a fresher from a reputed institute, can earn between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 a month
- A manager can earn Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 a month after five to six years of experience
- A head visual merchandiser can expect a remuneration of Rs one lakh a month after 10 years of experience
SKILLS
- Artistic sensibility and creativity
- Sense of perspective, lighting, colour etc
- Eye for detail
- Ability to blend fashion design, interior design, architecture and even music
INSTITUTES & URLS
National Institute of Fashion Technology
NIFT campus, Hauz Khas, Near Gulmohar Park, New Delhi
110016
J D Institute of Fashion Technology
Hauz Khas
New Delhi
http://jdinstitute.in/visual_merchandising.html
Pearl school of fashion
A-21/13, Naraina Industrial Area- Phase II, New Delhi, 110028
http://www.pearlacademy.com/academics-details.php?mode=academics∂=pgprogramm&part2=pfr
HOW DO I GET THERE?
One could pursue a fashion communication course with a specialisation in visual merchandising at any of the design institutes in the country
PROS & CONS
- One gets to know about how brands and the competition works
- One gets to travel a lot
- A visual merchandiser is the creative mind behind the store
- One cannot make changes on the floor during operational hours. These need to be done either late in the night or early morning before the store opens. The early or late hours could be an issue for some
Source: HT Horizons
Date: 18th June, 2010
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