With less than a week to go, I think back to how this madness started.  About a year ago the AGHA folk (aka Home & Giving Fair Crew) came up with the idea of running a visual merchandising competition for their members. 

The competition was open to small business retailers in desperate need of a makeover.  The plan, to capture the makeover on film, and share with the retailing world our visual merchandising tricks of the trade.   

Some 12 months later, with plenty of back and forth, we have our winner, we have our retail space, we are armed and ready to go!  Introducing our Makeover Madness Winners Nick & Bec from Dream Designer Children’s Wear in Fairy Meadow NSW.  

 

So why did they win?

 

They are in desperate, desperate need of a visual merchandising makeover! And if you don’t believe me take a look at the below pics…

Dream Designer Childrens Wear - Store Front

 

Dream Designer Childrens Wear - Window Display

 

Dream Designer Childrens Wear - Internal Store

 

On closer inspection of this business I came to discover many things… Nick & Bec have an impressive range of children’s wear in store, an assortment of designer labels on the books; it’s an impressive offer. They also run with special occasion children's wear for christening etc… which, from what we hear on the grapevine, can be very hard to find these days.  Adding to this, Nick & Bec between the two of them have five kids, and from a ‘credibility’ point of view, I’m sold! Dream Designer Children’s Wear are active on the net, have a great website, regular blog postings & a good following on Facebook.

 

 

They are doing everything right…right? But when I walked into their store, unfortunately this is where it all falls apart!!  They have so much to offer, great product, great story, but all I was visually confronted with was a sea of product, a lack of proper fixtures to showcase their beautiful stock and a pair of owners who have somehow lost their visual merchandising way…. So let the madness begin.  In two more sleeps we begin our makeover, so excited….watch this space for more details.

 

 

How Aussie is this!  An Optometrists window display with a bare foot Santa in his boardies, surf board underarm and belly hanging out!! Its really not that far off on how things can look come Christmas day as you hit your local beach!!  Merry Christmas 'Aussie' style.

 

 

Christmas Props & VM that go all the way...

I am always inspired by retailers who get in there at Christmas time and truly commit to the event. For these guys it’s not just a bauble here and there, these retailers jump into the festivities with full force along with all of their tinsel, trees, ribbon, stars… check it out …

 

  

Throw a bit of Christmas Colour at it! If you are stuck for VM ideas on what to do with your retail space for Christmas, a bit of colour will get you through.  The brighter the better. Colour is a great way to draw attention to your retail space, it makes for a nice change and it looks good.  Check out these retailers from NYC who really do embrace colour all the way!!

Red backdrops, red baubles, red props, it looks fantastic and its so eye catching!!

This would have to be one of my all time favourite windows, how cool is this!

Cheeky Christmas Cheer

Winter White. Even though we don't see a lot of colour in these displays, its still very strong, all of the different textures warm these windows up and the interesting props are striking & eye catching.

And when all else fails, wrap some boxes up & throw some baubles into your window display!

 

SPRING 2012

Windows we really like...

This bike is TOO COOL!

 

 

 

Props that POP!

AUSVM recently worked with some great Spring props, we acheived strong visual impact with these beautiful paper lanterns.. with very little dollars spent! 

To make the most of a good Spring display, colour block where possible, it really does grab a customers attention ...  

Window Display, with predominatley pink lanterns as the backdrop

Product Displays, product and props are colour blocked for maximum effect