Alison Paul is Area Visual Merchandiser and Marketing Co-ordinator for International fashion brand Mexx who have outlets across Ireland.
What’s your job?
My day to day job varies a lot as I am always working on new and exciting projects. My role includes store visits across Ireland to ensure that the Mexx brand creates a visual impact through retail and window displays- this encourages footfall and sales at the tills! It’s also important that the teams are trained to merchandise the store to focus on key looks and bestsellers for the month that lies ahead.
Marketing the brand comes under my remit to an extent as well and I‘ve just finished shooting our spring/summer 2014 campaign. This involves developing a storyboard or concept from beginning to end to cover key trends each season. This includes dynamic fashion shoots to portray the brand at its best, PR activity, catwalk events like Belfast Fashionweek and managing marketing materials in store and through social media platforms.
How did you get there?
I have been working in the fashion industry for over 16 years as a visual merchandiser and a freelance stylist for various magazines and TV for jewellery brands and shoe brands. It all fell into place for me in 1998 when I moved to Scotland and was offered the area visual merchandising role with high street giant Monsoon. This company opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me. I was very lucky to be involved in a number of high profile projects with them including the ‘create a storm’ campaign featuring supermodel Jodie Kidd and launching their website monsoon.com in 2001. I moved to Mexx when I returned home to Northern Ireland for a few years but was then offered a job with a leading department store group here in various departments. I’ve always been a huge fan of Mexx and their ethos. I decided it was time to return to my roots so I jumped at the chance to take this new role with them.
Do you have a typical working day?
Definitely not- most days – you will find me clutching a strong coffee en route to a store anywhere in Ireland to manage merchandising activity. Then when floor walks are complete the rest of my day begins- you cannot turn off creativity and activity- it’s a full time job. Having said that- I wouldn’t change it for the world- it’s fantastic to work with such a highly respected international brand here.
What qualifications do you have?
I have an HNC in retail display and design and a qualification in personal styling. Training in this type of role evolves on a daily basis and you always learn something new depending on the brand or company you are working with.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The best part of my job is seeing happy customers dress with confidence, receiving positive feedback, stores reaching targets on a weekly basis and developing great creative concepts that come together to personify what Mexx is all about.
And the worst?
There simply aren’t enough hours in the day! And, as I am a bit of a perfectionist- you’ll find me working all sorts of hours from a variety of locations to ensure the job is done well.
What other skills do you need in your role?
A lot of the qualities needed for my role are reflected in the Mexx philosophy. They encourage free spirited, non -conformist, positive and outgoing individuals to make up their dynamic team here in Ireland and further afield. You also need to be versatile as every store has different needs and a diverse range of customers. Organisation, patience and a good gut instinct about trends and style are also essential!
What do you think are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?
The biggest challenge at the moment without a doubt is the economy because that is having a damaging effect on people’s spending power on the high street. This makes a visual merchandiser’s role even more important. A store has to inspire and appeal to customers from the moment they enter it. Creating a fantastic shopping experience that encourages sales is always challenging but when you are passionate about a brand and delivering results it can also be very rewarding.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession?
I would say get as much experience as possible, keep a close eye on how high street brands stand out through their own merchandising styles. Creative flair is essential but a good VM will combine this with commercial awareness and confidence to make decisions that will increase profits. Retail is always evolving so you need flexibility as it’s not a 9-5 job.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
I know this sounds a little cheesy but every week without fail when I was a little girl, my mum took me to Anderson McAuley’s department store in Belfast. I was mesmerised by the window displays and all of the beautiful products inside and knew even then that a career in fashion was definitely for me.
What’s the most common question people ask when they find out what you do?
Do you need a degree for this type of role?
What do you look for on a CV?
I think it’s always good to show creativity especially in a VM role. Don’t be afraid to include a portfolio to give a potential employer an insight to what you could bring to their company.
When you interview someone what qualities are you looking for?
A passion for retail, confidence, creativity, leadership qualities and also the ability to work well with others.
Do you have a killer interview question and if so what is it?
What do you think is the single most important aspect of a visual merchandiser’s job?
How do you like to relax outside work?
I work hard but I also like to get out and play when I can! I am a huge music fan with an eclectic taste and love to go to live gigs, comedy shows and DJ sets. I’m also just back from a break in Malta – I really enjoyed relaxing and spending time there. When I really time out I try to go to yoga a few times a week and get some cuddles from Tim, my 19 year old cat.
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