Seneca College’s School of Fashion Toronto, Visual Merchandising Arts programme Student: Kaisar Zhumayev
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Tell us what attracted you to VM and why you decided to enrol in a VM course? My passion in the fashion industry, men’s fashion in particular, was the main reason for my VM course enrolment. Digital marketing can be seen as a being increasingly more important than traditional visual merchandising. Do you find VM to be still relevant to the future of retail? In my opinion VM is still relevant to the future of retail. It is inseparable from it. As the retail industry develops and evolves, VM keeps up with it and keeps transforming. It is not limited in the form of window display only. It can still be a part of the online/digital retail industry through different forms like photo styling. Even with all the talk about the “end of the traditional retail industry”, VM as we know it will still be here as part of it. Now that you are coming to the end of your studies, what did you find most valuable to learn regarding VM? Something you will always remember and want to share with others. VM is not only about window displays or mannequins. It is a form of art with different branches where everyone can find something that he/she likes and has an opportunity to grow and develop as a true professional and an artist. What are your plans after graduating and how would you like to use your VM skills? During my studies I found my new passion in fashion product photography. It has become sort of a creative hobby and I plan to develop my skills so that my hobby will become my future career. We are proud to publish your work in the next issue of VM Spotlight. Please tell us a bit about a project. What was the brief for the project? This window display was created as part of a “Fall Fashion Window Display” themed project installation. I was inspired by the lumberjack style and wanted “woodsy” outdoor elements. What was your thought process behind your solution? I wanted my theme to have several characteristics: menswear, masculinity, ruggedness. All the merchandise and props represent workwear: work jacket, denim jeans, work boots, axe, flannel and wood elements. The brand that I chose for my theme was Levi’s.
