MICHAEL HARB Visual Merchandiser + Stylist
Currently the National Visual Merchandising Manager for leading global lifestyle brand Nautica, I’m a creative, forward-thinking professional with over 10 years experience in Visual Merchandising and Public Relations. My decade of experience in the fashion industry has seen me work across a desirable portfolio of international fashion brands, including Ben Sherman, Coach, LACOSTE, Nautica, Reebok, The North Face, Teva, and UGG Australia, executing large and small-scale concepts and campaigns. My attention to detail, practised with my ability to think outside the square, ensure each of my brands’ objectives are catered to, and realised to their full potential.
MICHAEL HARB Visual Merchandiser + Stylist
E L
michaelharb1980@gmail.com au.linkedin.com/in/michaelharb
page | 2
CONTENT 04. Visual Merchandising 16.
Visual Merchandising Directives
23.
Outlet Visual Merchandising
24. E-com & Lookbook Styling 18.
Campaign Styling
34. Editorial Styling
page | 3
VISUAL MERCHANDISING Wholly responsible for the visual merchandising standards for Nautica across Australia and New Zealand. Nautica’s visual merchandising objective is to replicate the lifestyle it exudes in its marketing material. This is achieved by strategically placed product creating an engaging environment for the consumer with a result in sales. Respecting Nautica’s five key characteristics: Nautical, classic style, bold colour, comfort and versatility, the pods are merchandised either by colour theme or lifestyle message targeting to the known consumer within that department store. Lifestyle merchandising focuses on creating a story, teaching the customer how to dress for an occasion. It’s about presenting an experience Colour themed merchandising is section around a colour of the season. This created strong eye catching display, sends a consistent message and reinforces the brands identity. Colour stories use two or three colours and create a sense of flow within the Nautica pod. The outcome of effective merchandising is creating an easy and enjoyable shopping experience delivering a clear message to the customer and increased sales, all while respecting the integrity of the Nautica brand
page | 4
page | 5
page | 6
page | 7
page | 8
page | 9
page | 10
page | 11
page | 12
page | 13
page | 14
page | 15
VISUAL MERCHANDISING DIRECTIVES A tool designed to communicate merchandising standards that need to be met across all department store shop-in-shop. With a presence in over fifty shop-in-shops within departments across Australia and New Zealand it is essential that a directive is produced to communicate expectations. The objective of the visual merchandising directive is to visually outline standards across all VM areas including: Front table displays, Folding, Bust form outfits and Styling techniques. The outcome of these directives has seen consistency across all touch-points and a uniform and considered approach to how the brand is presented. Additionally it is used as a tool to communicate special promotions or incentives from the brand.
page | 16
page | 17
page | 18
page | 19
page | 20
page | 21
page | 22
OUTLET VISUAL MERCHANDISING Merchandising for the Nautica outlet revolves around creating an environment that is easy to shop, looks visually appealing while displaying high levels of inventory. The main objective of the Nautica outlet business is to clear inventory, often product from many different collections and end of season items. As a result merchandising is grouped into categories ensuring customers can easily identify what is on offer and what the store has volume of. Additionally, strategic promotional offers are often running and product relating to that offer need to be merchandised in the front section of the store and styled on the bust forms. The outcome is a visually appealing outlet that is easy to shop and drives additional sales.
page | 23
E-COM & LOOKBOOK STYLING
Lookbook and E-commerce styling is regularly undertaken to showcase key product for each season. The objective of a lookbook shoot is to highlight key pieces from each brand styled together as a complete ‘look’. These are used in a myriad of ways, from PR to email marketing and used to assist in telling the brand story and helping customers see how pieces can be worn. E-commerce shoots are focused on just one piece and shot ‘on body’ so customers can visually see the cut and fit of each piece. They are solely used on the online store so it’s essential they are styled in an appealing way. The outcome of these styling sessions are consistent visual tools that are aligned with the global brand marketing tools and the brands identity.
page | 24
page | 25
page | 26
page | 27
CAMPAIGN SHOOT STYLING Styling a fashion brands campaign shoot brings the brands vision to life. The Ben Sherman spring summer 2012 campaign drew influence from the holiday wardrobe of the early 60’s. The brief was to showcase the tonal theme that ran throughout the collection. The styling for this focused on making the brands signature button down shirt and shift dress the hero and also ensured neutral shades with pops of green ran through each shot. The outcome was a clean and crisp campaign shoot which was in line with the brands global directive. These campaign images are used across print and digital advertising, in store point of sale, e-commerce website and email communication.
page | 28
CAMPAIGN SHOOT STYLING Styling a fashion brands campaign shoot brings the brands vision to life. The Ben Sherman Fall 13 campaign was inspired by Brick Lane, an emerging urban neighborhood in East London. The brief was to showcase English style but with a modernist twist. Taking the theme and the brand guidelines into cinsideration each look was styled to highlight the collections key pieces. The result was strong, structured silhouettes. These campaign images are used across print and digital advertising, in store point of sale, e-commerce website and email communication.
page | 29
page | 30
CAMPAIGN SHOOT STYLING Styling a fashion brands campaign shoot brings the brands vision to life. The Reebok classics spring summer 2012 campaign was inspired by 1980’s sporting and exercise culture as the brand were releasing some of their popular shoes from the 1980’s. Each shot was styled to make the shoe its focus. The outcome was a series of pictures that highlighted the brands new classics range. These campaign images are used across print and digital advertising, in store point of sale, e-commerce website and email communication.
page | 31
page | 32
EDITORIAL STYLING Selecting product and creating a series of styled looks to fit a brief. Commissioned by tangentmag.com; the brief was a “ceremony�. The concept that I based this shoot on was a college frat house initiation. The images showcase the two sides of college life, the alpha male college jock and the reserved academic. Brands used in this shoot included: Duffer of St. George, Lacoste and Hugo Boss.
page | 33
page | 34
EDITORIAL STYLING Selecting product and creating a series of styled looks to fit a brief. Commissioned by tangentmag.com; the brief was a “70’s retro male shoot”. The concept that I developed was “Southern Californian cool – SoCal” working with a digital artist to achieve the final published look. Brands used in this shoot included: Prada, Gucci and Burberry which were mixed with sportswear to achieve a relaxed retro feel.
page | 35
page | 36
EDITORIAL STYLING Selecting product and creating a series of styled looks to fit a brief.
Commissioned by tangentmag.com; this shoot was inspired by serialism art. The shoot blurs the lines between high fashion and art. The model was selected as he was practicing ballet dancing and instructed to move throughout the shoot to create movement. I worked with a digital artist to apply brushstrokes to the clothing to enhance the movement. Brands used in the shoot included: Dior, Prada and P.A.M.
page | 37
page | 38
MICHAEL HARB Visual Merchandiser + Stylist E L
michaelharb1980@gmail.com au.linkedin.com/in/michaelharb
page | 39