Visual merchandisers are professionals who are experts in the process of creating and staging displays in retail stores, conventions, fashion shows and other public events. Along with physical locations, the visual merchandiser of today is often called in to envision and implement online displays for retailers and others who wish to sell some type of merchandise.
One time-honored type of visual merchandiser is the window dresser. Since the inception of the department store during the 19th century, creative people with a flair for visual display would be called upon to create displays including merchandise offered in the store. Often, the window display would be a means of advertising seasonal items as well as goods that were of long term interest to consumers. Today, smaller retail chains sometimes retain the services of a visual merchandiser who develop a concept for a window display that can be easily set in place in all the front windows of stores associated with the chain.
The retail visual merchandiser may also create displays that are placed throughout the store. This is often the case when there is a desire to call special attention to certain products, such as sale items or new merchandise that is intended for use in the upcoming season. As with the window displays, these in-house displays are updated or replaced with an entirely new display from time to time, as a means of keeping a fresh appearance.
Along with the retail visual merchandiser, the fashion merchandiser also envisions, creates, and implements a visual display to attract customers. Fashion merchandisers work with designers to marry recent creations with the perfect environment to introduce the new line to potential buyers. This can include laying out the stage, lighting, and other elements that call attention to the fashions themselves and heighten the desirability by helping the customer envision when and where the garment can be worn.
A visual merchandiser may accept assignments from many different clients, or work for a single employer. The merchandiser may head up a team, providing the creative direction, or function alone, managing all the aspects of creation and setup on his or her own.
One time-honored type of visual merchandiser is the window dresser. Since the inception of the department store during the 19th century, creative people with a flair for visual display would be called upon to create displays including merchandise offered in the store. Often, the window display would be a means of advertising seasonal items as well as goods that were of long term interest to consumers. Today, smaller retail chains sometimes retain the services of a visual merchandiser who develop a concept for a window display that can be easily set in place in all the front windows of stores associated with the chain.
The retail visual merchandiser may also create displays that are placed throughout the store. This is often the case when there is a desire to call special attention to certain products, such as sale items or new merchandise that is intended for use in the upcoming season. As with the window displays, these in-house displays are updated or replaced with an entirely new display from time to time, as a means of keeping a fresh appearance.
Along with the retail visual merchandiser, the fashion merchandiser also envisions, creates, and implements a visual display to attract customers. Fashion merchandisers work with designers to marry recent creations with the perfect environment to introduce the new line to potential buyers. This can include laying out the stage, lighting, and other elements that call attention to the fashions themselves and heighten the desirability by helping the customer envision when and where the garment can be worn.
A visual merchandiser may accept assignments from many different clients, or work for a single employer. The merchandiser may head up a team, providing the creative direction, or function alone, managing all the aspects of creation and setup on his or her own.