Post Graduate Diploma in Fashion Communication students of the 2019 batch put up a display on Visual Merchandising at JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore on 10th January 2020 at the Brigade Road Campus.

Visual Merchandising is the art of making use of visual techniques inorder to increase sales and is known as a powerful marketing strategy. It involves various elements like lighting, use of space, smell, music, signage, sales and promotional events, branding etc. to grasp the attention of the customers by presenting the merchandise at is best. An effective visual merchandising can improve the stores sales. The students created displays that incorporated various elements of visual merchandising learnt during their module and through observations of various stores to come up with compelling brand stories and visual effect.

On showcase were two types of displays by the students – window display and interior display. Window displays are an amalgamation of art, design and fashion and is one of the powerful marketing tools. It is a representation of a brand’s image and must be strong enough to compel a passerby to enter a store. Whereas the elements involved in an interior display includes lighting, smell, music, layouting, materials, furnishings etc. to enrich the design of a store. The students incorporated various elements of Visual Merchandising based on their brand story and put their best foot forward to bring out the essence of their hypothetical brand. The theme of the brand varied and the students experimented with different ideas from customized gowns, Indian handcrafts, resto bar, apparel, nursery cum apparel store to customized consultation.

Viram means full stop or in the case of the store it is a one stop shop which showcased products from 4 different states – Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan (Jaipur) and Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow), highlighting the diversity and specialized authentic Indian clothing alongwith handcrafts from each state. The display was emphasized by the use of spot lights, soothing santoor music and paan which is offered to every guest as a gesture of welcome in India. The burst of colours were augmented by elements like a huge frame that highlighted new arrivals and signages of sale. The name of the store was mentioned in Devanagiri script. Designed to create an appeal among the millennial generation and a wide range of clientele from across the worl;, the silhouettes were designed to be international with an Indian essence.

Bellisima in Latin means feminine and was targeted at women from 18 – 25 years of age with a vibrant window display that sold womenswear. The students made use of mannequins to highlight the apparel which were clean simple and comfortable casual day wear. The theme revolved around the Spring Summer season and the visuals created were in tandem with it. The head of the mannequin was decorated with colourful flowers against a vibrant backdrop being true to the theme and the target audience. The display was highlighted by spot lights.

Treasure Trove of Appearances was created as a service that would provide tailored looks for customers by providing them consultations based on their body type, occasion, skin colour and size. Based on the findings, the customers would be advised on the kind of clothes best suited for them. Apart from consultations, the store also offered in-house photoshoots for customers if requested by them which would give them a sense of how they looked with the makeover. The photos in the system would then act as a portfolio to help other customers understand the different looks on different body shapes to make educated decisions. The draped mannequin with exaggerated lips and with make-up brush, accessories alongwith the clothes racks and shoes provided a clear view of the brand’s story.

Glanz means Glamorous in German and was a design cum studio. The concept of the store involved creating customized evening wear and party wear gowns alongwith in-house pre and wedding shoots for couples if they so wish. The students created a window display that was decorated with a mannequin in a bright blue gown, alongwith spot lights and fairy lights that added to the allure of the festive theme of the store.

Peach Tree was apparel cum nursery store. The window display was minimalistic and showcased a dress against a creeper and a planter with a wall hanging, hat and footwear on the backdrop. The colours of the backdrop were vibrant and fresh. The store was a resort wear focusing on sustainable clothing, accessories and footwear alongwith a nursery. The colour scheme implemented for the display was a split complimentary colour scheme for the backdrop of the display. The focus of the store revolved around the environment and was highlighted through spot lights.

9 Angles was a gothic inspired resto bar with sustainability as its core factor. Black dominated the colour scheme. The design adopted a sustainable approach by incorporating natural décor materials and reusable plates. The hypothetical concept space had Jack Daniels and Jagermeister displayed in their window as they had sponsored the Visual Merchandising for the resto bar. The patrons of the resto bar would be required to adhere to a dress code wherein they would be required to have black as an element in their dressing for example lipstick, costumes or their hairstyle. Pictures of the patrons would be captured and at the end of the month a party would be hosted for the best dressed customers.

Through the display the students were able to understand the importance of the art of presentation and the need to create a desire for brand or products through visual representation.

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