Visual Merchandiser

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Visual Merchandising Executive with a keen eye for detail and a passion for luxury fashion who can elevate the customer experience through compelling visual storytelling. If you are enthusiastic about luxury fashion and possess a proven track record in successful visual merchandising, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Job Purpose:

The Visual Merchandiser (VM) is responsible for the creative and strategic presentation of products in boutiques setting, ensuring that the visual aesthetics align with brand guidelines and drive sales. In the fashion and beauty industry, VMs collaborate with various departments (marketing, product development, sales, etc.) to ensure that product displays, store layouts, and promotional setups are optimized for attracting target customers. They use their design expertise to curate a visually compelling environment that enhances brand storytelling, communicates the latest trends, and encourages shoppers to engage with products.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Visual Display & Product Placement

2. Create visually impactful displays: Plan and execute innovative and aesthetically pleasing displays that highlight key products, new arrivals, or seasonal collections in fashion and beauty categories.

3. Mannequin Styling: Style mannequins to showcase current fashion trends, outfit combinations, and beauty looks that resonate with the target audience.
4. Window Displays: Design and install window displays that capture attention, align with marketing campaigns, and draw customers into the boutique.
5. Product Grouping: Organize and position products (apparel, accessories, beauty products) in a manner that highlights key features, benefits, or complementary items to encourage cross-selling.

6. Storytelling: Build engaging in-boutique narratives through displays that reflect the brand's identity, ethos, and seasonal themes.

7. Trend Research & Brand Alignment

8. Stay Updated on Fashion & Beauty Trends: Conduct research on industry trends, upcoming collections, and competitor merchandising to ensure displays are cutting-edge and relevant.

9. Brand Standards: Ensure that all visual merchandising efforts adhere to the brand's guidelines and identity. Create a cohesive look and feel that aligns with the brand's values, ethos, and customer profile.
10. Trend Forecasting: Work with the buying team to anticipate future trends and align merchandising strategies with upcoming fashion and beauty movements.

11. Control Budget: Sourcing and negotiating with outsourced suppliers to ensure cost-effective solutions.

12. Sales Strategy & Commercial Impact

13. Maximize Sales through Visual Merchandising: Use merchandising techniques to increase the boutique's sales potential by driving foot traffic to specific sections, highlighting high-margin or promotional items, and encouraging impulse buying.

14. Data-Driven Decisions: Collaborate with boutique management and the sales team to analyze sales data, product performance, and customer behavior to improve visual strategies.

15. Seasonal Transitions: Implement seamless transitions between seasonal product lines, promotions, and events. This includes clearance displays, holiday setups, and special event merchandising (e.g., fashion shows, product launches).

16. Cross-Functional Collaboration

17. Work with Marketing Teams: Collaborate with the marketing department to ensure in-store displays reflect current campaigns, promotions, and branding efforts across social media, advertising, and in-store marketing materials.

18. Liaison with Buying & Product Teams: Work closely with buyers and product developers to understand upcoming product releases and plan visual displays that highlight these products effectively.

19. Work with Store Teams: Train and collaborate with store staff on maintaining visual standards and how they can assist with simple merchandising tasks (restocking displays, organizing products, etc.).

20. Boutique Layout & Space Management

21. Optimize Store Layout: Work with the boutique management team to design traffic flows, customer pathways, and product placement that maximizes space utilization while enhancing the customer experience.

22. Fixture Planning: Ensure the appropriate use of merchandising fixtures (racks, shelves, beauty counters) to support display strategies.

23. Lighting & Props: Coordinate with maintenance or design teams to utilize lighting, props, and signage effectively to highlight specific areas of the boutique or focus products.

24. Monitoring & Maintenance

25. Visual Consistency: Ensure visual consistency across multiple boutique locations by training boutique teams on visual standards and auditing merchandising efforts and providing a weekly VM report.

26. Display Maintenance: Regularly check displays to ensure they are clean, organized, and updated according to the latest trends, promotions, or inventory changes with managing and monitoring visual merchandising tools and inventory levels
27. Inventory Coordination: Work with inventory control teams to ensure that products featured in key displays are adequately stocked and accessible to customers.

28. Monitor and Analysis: Update a monthly report on visual merchandising tools and inventory status

29. Training & Development

30. Train Store Staff: Conduct training sessions for boutique staff on how to uphold visual standards, basic merchandising techniques, and product presentation.

31. Develop Junior VMs: Mentor junior visual merchandisers, providing guidance and feedback on their creative and strategic execution of displays.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

1. Educational Background

2. Bachelor's degree in fashion design, visual merchandising, interior design, marketing, or related fields.

3. Certifications or formal training in visual merchandising, fashion styling, or retail management are advantageous.

4. Experience

5. Minimum of 1-3 years of experience in visual merchandising within the fashion or beauty industry.

6. Proven experience working in retail environments.

7. Strong portfolio showcasing successful visual merchandising projects, window displays, and product setups.

8. Creative & Analytical Skills

9. Creativity: Demonstrated ability to design visually appealing displays that reflect brand identity and engage customers.

10. Attention to Detail: High level of attention to detail when it comes to styling products, positioning fixtures, and maintaining display standards.

11. Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze sales data and customer behavior to make data-driven visual merchandising decisions.

12. Technical Proficiencies

13. Proficiency in design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), or visual merchandising software for 3D store layouts such as SketchUp and product planning.

14. Strong knowledge of fashion styling techniques and beauty product presentation.

15. Interpersonal & Organizational Skills

16. Strong communication and collaboration skills to work across multiple departments and with different teams.

17. Exceptional time management and organizational skills, capable of handling multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
18. Ability to adapt to fast-paced environments, shifting retail trends, and changing product lines.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Increase in foot traffic to specific areas or product zones within the boutique.
• Sales lift of featured products or promotions.
• Customer engagement and feedback on in-boutique displays.
• Consistency of visual displays across multiple locations.
• Alignment with brand standards and successful execution of seasonal or promotional campaigns.

Working Conditions:

• Ability to work flexible hours, including early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays, depending on store setup needs and promotional schedules.
• Physical requirements include standing for extended periods, moving or lifting fixtures and products, and performing manual tasks to set up displays.