I jumped at the chance for this work experience that the head Visual Merchandiser of the UK stores offered me, I always enjoy set design for photoshoots, therefore styling up the oxford street flagship store would really be a great experience for me.
As soon as I arrived I was shown around the store and then had a rifle through a whole book full of photographs and images sourced which fit with the two themes there are running through the store. 'Hyper Hyper' is one and the other is 'Breakfast Club'.
Hyper Hyper is very 80's inspired, with bright colours, a disco theme and alot of body-con sillhouettes.
Breakfast Club was my favourite, based around the film, with retro prints, and vintage florals, more of a 'country girl in the city' kind of feel.
At the time of my work experience it was prototype week. This is when the UK visual merchandising team takes all that it has researched and concluded from visits to to USA stores and reflects it into the Oxford Street UK Flagship store. All other Visual Merchandisers for Urban Outfitters from all around the UK then come to absorb the new changes, get to grips with the new themes and then go back to their original stores with ideas in mind for their change over.
There was a hybrid style to the shop which meant that there was a lot of mix and matching and filling up all available spaces, you could call it clutter, but in a really cool form. With shelves with books stacked, little ornaments, flasks and cameras all in the same sort of area.
As part of the Visual Merchandising team for this week we worked together on producing floor plans of what garments should hang where, putting together outfits for mannequins, and deciding on colour schemes in each area.
I learnt some new terminology too!
- A Face Out - this is when the last garment on the rail is dressed with either an accessory or scarf, and maybe even a cardigan of some sort over the top, this is to give the customer an idea of what the garment on the rail goes well with, encourages the customer to buy matching items!
- A Viniette - A stand made up of three mannequins at the front with a rail behind each that consists of what they are wearing
-2-way or a 3-way - Kinds of stands for clothing
I really enjoyed my time at Urban Outfitters and even managed to get an interview for a position as a part time sales associate ....I landed myself a lovely summer job!
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