Visual merchandising has undergone an amazing evolution, from the basement studio to the board room. Back in the day, every major department store across America had some guy hidden away in the basement. His role was to come out of his studio every once and awhile to communicate the attributes of a single product. More often than not, he selected merchandise that simply appealed to him.
Today, visual merchandising communicates the attributes not only of a single item, but of a company’s brand, mindset and philosophy. The visual merchandiser is an integral member of a team and the branding and marketing process. They’re trying to illicit a response in customers; trying to strike a responsive note. They're not necessarily trying to sell that evening gown on the mannequin in the window but rather to project a brand image.
And the craft continues to evolve with changes in our economy and culture. With today's two income families, the time customers spend in the store is greatly limited. So while the challenge for visual merchandisers used to be to compel people stop, look and buy, today it’s to compel people to stop, look and stay.
Everyone who attended IRDC in San Francisco had the opportunity to experience all of the retail excellence that this great city offers. During my stay, I had two retail experiences that underscore the power of visual merchandising done right.
Walking down Market Street, I was drawn into the Anthropologie store by an incredible sculpture of the Golden Gate Bridge. What made me stop, look and enter was that Anthropologie’s rendition of San Francisco’s most recognizable structure was crafted from boxes of Rice-A-Roni, another symbol of the Bay Area. In typical Anthropologie style, they created an environment that celebrated the local flavor of the store, while also encouraging me to wander, discover and stay.
Another memorable retail experience was Britex Fabric, a 4-story, family-run establishment located on Maiden Lane just off Union Square. I was first drawn into the landmark store by the 30-foot vertical sign on the side of the building and the welcoming window display that was bursting with color. Once inside, I was spellbound by the 120-foot long, floor-to-ceiling wall of colorful woolens that ran through the heart of the store from its Maiden Lane entrance to the back wall on Geary Street.
Both Anthropologie and Britex understand that we’re not merely designing a store, we're designing an experience. Increasingly, more retailers are recognizing that the store itself is a tool of communication and visual merchandising, more so today than ever before, is a key touchpoint to the brand image.