Behind the Brand:
Monthly Store Magic
Monthly Store Magic
Did you know we completely remix our stores every month with new collections? Join Riley, one of our Visual Associates, as she walks us through the process of updating stores each month to give you the best shopping experience.
“I’m going to show you how we brought our summer collection to life in stores.”
-Riley
Q&A with Riley
1. What’s the Talbots mock store and how does it compare to our real stores across the country?
The Talbots mock store is where we set up the monthly visual direction for stores. It is an environment created to best represent the majority of our stores. We have a large and diverse fleet of stores across the country, and the mock store is our best way of guiding every individual store to execute the monthly visual set up.
2. Describe the full process of taking the store setup plans from the mock store to real stores.
To start our monthly store set, we get samples of every item coming to stores for the month. Then we create different stories based on end use such as casual, refined, polished, weekend, or with a color, print or fabrication direction. This month we have four new stories—casual, refined, our T by Talbots collection and beach shop.
Next, we distribute all new merchandise into the mock store by stories. We merchandise and place all items, pick mannequin looks, fold down, accessorize and make everything perfect to set the standard of how we want all stores to look to best represent the brand.
After it’s all approved, we create the VMG (Visual Merchandising Guide) which has everything shot and described for stores to execute.
Next, we distribute all new merchandise into the mock store by stories. We merchandise and place all items, pick mannequin looks, fold down, accessorize and make everything perfect to set the standard of how we want all stores to look to best represent the brand.
After it’s all approved, we create the VMG (Visual Merchandising Guide) which has everything shot and described for stores to execute.
3. How does the team decide which merchandise to feature in stores?
The process of deciding these stories happens six months in advance. Merchants, with the help of the Visual Team, decide what they are going to buy, from the broad selection we carry online to what items we want to sell in stores. This is called coordination, which entails handpicking every item that will be featured. We consider what’s new and exciting from a fashion perspective, what story or feeling are we trying to convey. We also reference the catalog to make sure we are representing a similar feeling across the brand.
4. How does the team decide which images are used in the windows and inside the store?
With the marketing team, we discuss the monthly windows. We want to make sure we are representing the brand expression through the amazing photography we shot for our monthly catalog. This month’s catalog was shot in Mexico. We collaborate to pick images that are not only representative of the new collection, but also help support the storytelling and emotion from the model images along with the looks.
5. How do the store teams receive and execute these monthly updates?
For the VMG I mentioned above, we shoot everything in the store layout from front to back with every detail. We host VMG calls with our visual retail partners in the field to add any special information or product callouts, which they in turn communicate to all stores. We also execute the monthly store set at our Derby Street store in Hingham so executives can walk through an actual store and see how it comes to life.
6. What do you like best about your job?
I love that I get to be creative on a daily basis. Every day I learn something new or get a different perspective on things. What we do on the Visual Team not only fosters creativity, but also has an impact on the success of the business. It is also always so rewarding to see things come to life in stores nationwide.
7. What’s your favorite thing about the Talbots summer collection this year?
I love the amazing array of colors and prints we have this year! We have everything you need from lunch with your girlfriends to a day at the beach to an amazing vacation! Makes me excited for the warm months ahead!
Shop Riley’s Picks
