Fashion Styling and Visual Merchandising

Il fashion visual merchandising è ‘l’arte’ di rappresentare prodotti sia fisicamente che digitalmente all’interno di ambienti e punti vendita, allo scopo di attirare, coinvolgere e vendere al consumatore del prodotto moda.

I partecipanti comprenderanno pienamente il ruolo e le responsabilità del visual merchandiser e del fashion stylist attraverso uno studio approfondito del mercato del fashion retail, osservando tutti gli aspetti della vendita, del posizionamento del brand e di tutti i canali di comunicazione e vendita, affrontando anche tematiche relative alle tecniche creative ed alle nuove pratiche utilizzate all’interno del settore.

Questo corso triennale offrirà spunti sulle strategie di comunicazione esterna riguardanti l’allestimento delle vetrine: dallo styling al prodotto, fino alla comunicazione del messaggio del brand e della sua immagine, sia graficamente che attraverso sistemi tecnologici. Saranno inoltre affrontati ed applicati diversi metodi di composizione, aspetti relativi alla teoria del colore, all’allineamento e alle dinamiche espositive. La comunicazione interna, invece, investigherà il design fisico del negozio, configurazione, impianti, utilizzo del POS e presentazione del prodotto stesso, offrendo spunti su come comunicare il messaggio del marchio, vendere un prodotto ed evocare risposte emotive attraverso la narrativa ed il racconto di storie, coinvolgendo il cliente attraverso la progettazione di un ambiente esperienziale e sensoriale allo stesso tempo.

I partecipanti creeranno, svilupperanno e gestiranno servizi fotografici live lavorando a un brief commissionato da prestigiose aziende operanti nel settore. Impareranno a costruire uno stile immediatamente identificabile e riconoscibile attraverso lo studio delle tendenze e dell’immagine di marca; questi aspetti saranno esplorati attraverso le tecniche di fotografia nella progettazione di set still-life nonché compiendo specifiche scelte di merchandising per quanto riguarda il make-up, le acconciature e gli accessori, affinché questi elementi rispondano alle esigenze del brand, del prodotto o del look di riferimento. Oltre ad interpretare i brief delle aziende, i partecipanti saranno anche incoraggiati a decodificare gli stereotipi del marchio ed a pensare al posizionamento dell’immagine da diverse prospettive, allo scopo di scoprire punti di forza e creare interesse e desiderio all’interno del target selezionato.

Il corso offre una solida base in fashion styling e nel sistema moda, un modello che abbraccia molteplici aspetti del settore, non solo le pratiche di business tradizionali, includendo quindi identità, posizionamento e marketing del brand, ma anche interpretando arte e artigianato nella moda, abitudini del consumatore, tendenze e influenze dello street style, del trend spotting e del photo blogging; in questo contesto, i metodi della ricerca creativa per la comunicazione del prodotto risultano essere fattori chiave. Lo studio della storia dell’arte, del design, del costume e della cultura della moda offriranno le competenze necessarie per un’analisi critica del brand e dello stile di vita del cliente. Saranno affrontate tecniche di comunicazione e di presentazione relative ai metodi di “pitching” relativi al lancio di un concept attraverso programmi CAD e design 3D.

Questo programma è parte del percorso di studi in fashion styling. Partendo dal fashion styling come materia di insegnamento cardine, i partecipanti si specializzeranno nell’aria di interesse prescelta (visual merchandising) posizionandosi come esperti di settore con un profilo professionale altamente specializzato e ricercato.

Tematiche
• Fotografia, Sviluppo delle immagini, Selezione & Editing
• Fashion Styling & Photo Shoot
• Strategie di Visual Merchandising
• Graphic Design e commercial media presence
• Identità e Immagine di Marca
• Marketing e comunicazione della Moda
• Trends, Customer profiling e Forecasting
• Design portfolio professionale
• Omni channel retailing: fisico/digitale
• Risultati visivi: CAD, 2D, 3D.

Programme methods:
The programme is designed to facilitate the development of a student who will be highly employable and will allow them to investigate and develop their strengths.
The programme will present students with a variety of approaches to learning and assessment strategies that will promote intellectual, imaginative, analytical and critical judgement.
It will allow students to develop understanding as well as their presentation and communication skills, which they will be able to demonstrate in a variety of forms.
A combination of different learning and teaching methodologies are employed in order to promote reflective learning and develop generic transferable skills.
Methods include:
• projects to encourage independent learning through investigation, enquiry and problem solving;
• group project to enhance interpersonal and collaborative skills;
• tutorials and group tutorials to facilitate shared experiences and best practice;
• seminars, formal lectures and workshops;
• study, trips, external projects and competitions present the students with another dimension to their leaning experience;
• guest speakers provide the students with a full, broader and real prospective to their specialist field of study.
Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of the intended learning outcomes through a variety of tests appropriate to their field of study

Assessment methods to support learning:
The programme uses a balanced assessment system, both summative and formative as an integral part of gathering information on student learning. Different forms of assessment can, and where appropriate should, be used to test different types of skills and learning.
Formative Assessment:
Formative assessment informs both teachers and students about student understanding at a point when timely adjustments can be made. In formative assessment students could be involved in the assessment process. These formative assessment situations will also give students an opportunity to learn to critique the work of others. Some of the instructional strategies that will be used formatively include the following:
• criteria and goal setting: asking students to participate in establishing what should be included in criteria for success;
• self and peer assessment: With peer evaluation, students see each other as resources for understanding and checking for quality work against previously established criteria;
• student record keeping: helps students better understand their own learning as evidenced by their classroom work. This process of students keeping ongoing records of their work not only engages students, it also helps them, beyond a “grade,” to see where they started and the progress they are making toward the learning goal.
Summative Assessments:
These assessments are a means of gauging student learning, at a particular point in time, relative to established marking criteria.
Summative assessments > can occur during as well as at the end of each unit and concentrate on specific evidence of student work, examples as follows:
Portfolio Assessment > is used to assess a variety of projects that have been developed throughout the unit.
Practical Coursework > allows the students to demonstrate their understanding and application of practical areas of study.
Written Reports > are required is some study areas, where a clear and structured brief is provided and the students are asked to submit work to me marked independently and anonymously by staff.
Formal Examinations > are required is some study areas.
Presentations > are used in some subjects to allow the student to develop their professional communication and presentation skills.
Student Projects > are used when the student is required to submit work to be marked independently and anonymously

Admission is based on the reasonable expectation that the student will be able to fulfil the objectives of the programme and achieve the standard required for the award.
Admission requirements are listed below.
Candidates must have a sufficient command of the English or the chosen language of the course to be able to meet the requirements of the programme in every respect.
When considering the suitability of an applicant for a place on the programme the Admissions team will usually take the following factors into account:
• the applicant’s qualifications (High School Diploma or equivalent school certificate);
• the applicant’s personal statement;
• a portfolio of work (if appropriate to the subject).

• Visual merchandiser
• Display designer
• Fashion stylist
• Creative team: retail
• Creative/art director
• Fashion business entrepreneur

Year 1
Fashion Image
New Media Environment
Professional Fashion Panorama
Fashion Cultures Contextualisation
Year 2
Fashion Branding
Visual Display Strategies
Retail Environment
History of Art and Design
Year 3
Fashion Retail Strategies
Final Major Project Fashion Styling and Visual Merchandising