Fashion Merchandising

This assignment was to help me understand a few of the requirements needed to make a merchandising plan for a retail store for actual merchandise of my designs. I answered the questions and planned out a store floor layout that would be appropriate for the designs and garments that I made for the previous assignment.

Merchandising Plan

My brand “Mediern” will be known for the aesthetic that I will be creating designs for, and that the clothes are endurable. I will be making modest and attractive medieval-modern clothing that is inspired by historical images and text, all brought together with a fresh new taste. Fantasy lovers and history buffs will be able to integrate their favorite pieces into their everyday wear. I will have Cloaks, aesthetic Corsets, Vests, Belts, Tunics, Jerkins, Trousers, Boots, and Gowns. My store will be unique, with a modern feel to most of it, but little reminders of the medieval era inside, such as a tapestry, Goblets, and Antique finishes to the metal decorations.

I will be making clothes that everyone can wear, but I will be aiming most of my advertising efforts to teenagers and young adults. Teenagers and young adults are easily influenced by social media trends and advertisements. They will be able to make the styles become more socially acceptable to wear, making them more interesting to different generations as time goes on. This way I can expand on all of my work and be more influential with patience.

I will try to have a varied merchandising plan because I am trying to promote an aesthetic and not specific clothing pieces. I will have Male and Female Clothing be separated by 50%, so that both genders will be able to have the same range of clothing to buy. The Gentlemen will have 15% bottoms, 20% Tops, 10% miscellaneous such as accessories and cloaks, and 5% Shoes. The Ladies will have 10% bottoms, 15% Tops, 10% dresses, 10% accessories, and 5% shoes.

My layout is drawn below, and it will be similar to the style of set up as Target is, with racks, shelves, and tables with folded clothing. It is a racetrack layout style. There are three sections, the Men’s, the Women’s, and the accessories and cloaks section.

I will be choosing the price based off of a value system, but I’ll also be using strategic sale tactics to get more sales apon occasion. As I introduce a sale, I will advertise it on social media and on my website so that my target audience will notice and check out my store. I will be using the best quality I can to make the clothing, but I will also want things to be affordable for my everyday targeted consumer. For an outfit I design I will be adding the cost of materials with the labor cost and emotional value cost. Cost of the materials will be 60%, labor will be around 25%, and 15% emotional value cost. That way I can make a sale by 10% easily and 15% if I am okay with getting close to my normal costs. That 15% emotional cost could be taken away and added as I need for a sale. Teenagers and young adults do not normally have that largest income, but they are the most influential generation, and would be more likely to impulse buy during a sale.