Pride and Prejudice

During GlobalShop in March, we threw a party to celebrate 12 brilliant young retail designers, winners of VMSD’s Designer Dozen Awards. Having gotten to know this year’s class while producing the program, I was struck by their professionalism, achievements and, in many cases, formidable job responsibilities for their relative youth.

Retailers and design firm folks at the event were eager to meet these rising stars and, a few shared, woo them for positions in their own organizations. 

Clearly, exceptional talent is in demand. With retail projects on the upswing (see our State of the Industry Report, page 24) design firm leaders and retailers are keen to source a fresh pipeline of talent.

For many, however, it’s a rocky road from the classroom to the boardroom. Years spent toiling in the trenches of stockrooms and store displays can be a grind. And, in some circles, the stigma of the glue gun-toting window dresser has not exactly advanced the industry’s image. (Mostly from those outside of the industry, I say; some of the biggest names in retail paid their dues with low-paying entry-level gigs.)

Still, challenges remain. A professor I spoke with bemoaned his own university’s anemic attention to his school’s impressive design and architecture program, despite having produced a slew of award-winning, successful graduates.

And yet, positive developments speak to changing attitudes. Just last month, LIM College (New York) announced it will offer the nation’s first master’s degree in visual merchandising. Slated to launch this fall, the program will target a need for advanced, specialized education in the practice, while developing leadership and managerial abilities.

Says Eric Feigenbaum, chair of LIM College’s visual merchandising department and VMSD’s New York editor, “Visual merchandising is an indispensible part of any retail strategy. This program is grounded in the premise that today’s retailer must understand the aesthetic component of their business and approach it as a profit center. Over the last several years, the field has moved from the basement studio to the executive boardroom.”

The Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE) has also ratcheted up its commitment to advancing young professionals with its launch of an internship program to connect design talent to the retail environments industry. The program identifies potential employment opportunities and career paths in the industry while providing organizations with desirable internship candidates.

It’s up to each of us to cultivate and support the personal and professional growth of our future peers. How are you doing just that? Email me.