Week 10 EOC | Dream Job

Job Title

Visual (RTW) Fashion Stylist FT: Bloomingdale's Walt Whitman Shops, NY

Division

Bloomingdale's

Location

Huntington, NY

Status

Full Time

Employee

Job Category

Sales/Retail/Business Development

           

Visual (RTW) Fashion Stylist FT: Bloomingdale's Walt Whitman Shops, NY

Bloomingdale's is seeking a highly creative and motivated individual with 2-3 years visual merchandising experience in fashion styling and retail merchandising. As a Visual Stylist at Bloomingdale's, you will be working with some of today's most current and fashion forward vendors to create visual presentations that engage and inspire our customers and clients. Be part of a visual team in an environment "like no other store in the world".

Key Accountabilities:

- Ensure presence of Fashion Leadership through the thoughtful understanding of trend messaging; merchandise selection, placement and composition of mannequins and conveying current seasonal campaign message.

- Collaborate with visual and merchandising teams to create novel and unique concepts for merchandise presentations.

- Updating and maintaining a large volume of mannequin and visual presentations that upholds the Bloomingdale's Brand.

- Ability to learn and develop skills in other families of businesses such as Ready to Wear, Home Store, Men's and Cosmetics.

Skill Summary:

- Fashion display background

- Creative ability to conceptualize displays and bring them to real life presentations

- Related experience in retail, design, art or fashion is desirable

- Highly organized

- Excellent verbal and communication skills

- Proactive self-starter

- Ability to use carpentry tools and painting supplies safely and efficiently

- Flexibility with schedule, dependent upon business needs

Bloomingdale's is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Post 8 | Tagline

8. Now add a tag line to your brand.

Stylist Anonymous

 Secrets are meant to be shared

“Brands start with a great idea that tells a good story” (More Than a Name, Davis, 78).

Post 7 | Specialty & Five Key Talents

7. Write a paragraph emphasizing your specialty and your five key talents, weaving in your most important values, passions and skills.

On the surface, Stylist Anonymous may seem like a superficial fashion site, but in reality, the vision of Stylist Anonymous is to help make the world a better place by giving people confidence and helping them find happiness: “Brands don’t just arrive out of nowhere. They are the product of a company ‘vision’” (More Than a Name, Davis, 43). Our goals are to make our customers feel great about themselves through our love of fashion. We have a lot of fun at Stylist Anonymous because fashion is a very fun and creative thing; therefore, we want to project that to our customers: “This is where branding happens: it is the dialogue that helps create and sustain a relationship between the organization and its audience. And good branding, according to the experts, must engage” (More Than a Name, Davis, 27). When you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life. I don’t consider Stylist Anonymous as a “job” because it is something I look forward to doing everyday. Operating Stylist Anonymous will not be easy; however, that is the fun part. I look forward to overcoming the many challenges. Our customers are our priority, and we want to make sure we provide not only a place to get style tips, but a place where people can share their experiences. It is a very rewarding experience, knowing that our site has helped someone.

Post 6 | Statement of Specialty

6. Weave the items on all your lists into a statement of your specialty. What are you particularly gifted at delivering?

With my highly motivated work ethic, open-minded attitude, and years of perfecting my craft, I will strive to do my absolute best in assisting others with fashion and styling advice to help them achieve confidence, happiness, and so much more.

“In design terms, simplicity has an elegance that is modern and contemporary. It is also different and so, for now, makes the brand stand out” (More Than a Name, Davis, 132).

Post 5 | Top Five Talents

5. From your hopefully long list of talents and qualities, choose the top five, the ones you do best and enjoy doing the most.

Out of my list of what I consider my talents, these would be my top five talents. First, you will be assured that whatever I do will be my personal best. I don’t like to do anything with minimal effort, so I always put out my best work. In other words, my work is personal and original, different from others: “For many brands today, service is the key differentiator” (More Than a Name, Davis, 138). Second, even though I am a student of fashion, I am no stranger to it. I understand fashion, and I appreciate the fact that it can be extremely complicated. I know what works for people and what doesn’t work for people. Third, I am highly motivated. I will always want to achieve success, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Fourth, I can accept criticism. I value constructive criticism because it helps me grow and improve. No one is perfect, especially me, but I am always looking for ways to become a better person professionally and personally. Lastly and most importantly, I am very open-minded. I feel it is important to understand and respect all aspects and opinions, rather then only see my own. It is important to realize what is going on in the world and what is going on around me. Being closed-minded can be a very dangerous thing.

Post 4 | Talents

4. Identify your talents. What have you always been recognized for (particularly as a kid)? What do you do better than most other people? What skills do people seem to notice in you?

Ultimately, I believe my strongest talent is that I try my hardest and I put out work that I feel proud of. For the longest time, I struggled with OCD and the idea of perfection; however, I learned the only person worth pleasing is myself. As a result, I may not be “perfect”, but I am definitely proud of who I am; therefore, I feel that is what makes me unique: “Brands that provide enjoyment will stand out in the future. It is a differentiator and a way to get noticed” (More Than a Name, Davis, 136). I am also organized, persistent, detail-oriented, reliable, and open-minded. I am a self-starter and highly motivated; I thrive when I am under pressure and I love meeting deadlines. I also communicate well with others, and if I need to get a point across, I will make sure the message is heard. In addition, I can accept criticism and I am always looking for ways to better myself in all aspects of my life, not just professionally. Other than my analytical talents, I am knowledgeable of trends and I consider myself as having an eye for fashion. I can spot trends before they become mainstream and I always give my friends advice on what they should wear.

Post 3 | Passions

3. Identify your passions. What things or ideas do you love?

There are many things that I am passionate about. I believe passion fuels your inner fire to do something. At the top of my list, life, in general, is a strong passion of mine. I love life and all the opportunities, abundant or little, it gives all us. When I wake up in the morning, I am thankful and excited to see what my day has in stored for me. My relationships with my family and friends are another strong passion of mine. I would not be where I am today without my family and friends, so my relationships with them are very important; each individual that I meet influences my life one way or another. Also, I am passionate about meeting and engaging with other people. I love making new friends and I enjoy opening myself up to others: “This is where branding happens: it is the dialogue that helps create and sustain a relationship between the organization and its audience. And good branding, according to the experts, must engage” (More Than a Name, Melissa Davis, 27).

Other than my main passions, I have many other passions. Of course, I am married to fashion. I didn’t acknowledge it when I was younger, but I have always been in love with fashion. When I was little, I was mistakenly mailed a Vogue magazine and rather than return the magazine to the sender, I kept it and it literally opened my eyes to the fashion world. Ever since then, I was completely engulfed with fashion and everything about fashion. I would say fashion is my first true love. Therefore, clothes, style, and trends have also become my passion. If fashion were my husband, music would be the guy I have an affair with. I appreciate music greatly for the same reason why I love fashion; it makes the world a better place and it connects people. Also, music helps me get through life. With different situations, different, moods, and different personalities, there’s different music that understands my complicated life. To me, music is another form of communication, which I speak fluently.

Lastly, a passion that has sort of developed over time is the ability to help others. We all experience high moments and low moments throughout our lives. (If you don’t, then you’re not living life). I enjoy helping others when they need help because I know what it is like to go through personal struggles on your own – you just wish someone were there to help you out. Thus, I am passionate about helping people in need because no one should go through a struggle alone.

Post 2 | Core Values

2. Identify your core values. What really matters to you?

“Brand style comes from the core – that is, the values of the brand. Brand values are the belief systems behind the brand. They are usually described as succinct adjectives that are often associated with archetypal characteristics: fun, rebellious, winning or inventive, for example” (More Than a Name, Davis, 82). We, at Stylist Anonymous, have a very strong set of core values, which many people can relate.

Most important, Stylist Anonymous believes in providing a personal connection between fashionistas. We believe the relationship between our brand and our customers is vital for our success. We don’t view our customers as “customers”, but instead they are viewed as our friends – friends who look out for each: “Branding is important because of its relationship and impact on the world we live in. Brands affect people’s lives simply because they are part of our daily choices and decisions” (More Than a Name, Davis, 32). Our goal is to make sure our friends are treated with respect, honesty, and integrity.

With that being said, Stylist Anonymous also believes in helping our customers feel their absolute best. We are passionate about bringing up one’s confidence through fashion, and we hope that our customers are passionate about our passion: “People are passionate about brands whether they support them or not” (More Than a Name, Davis, 32). Believe it or not, fashion has a big role in how you feel. When you feel your best, you can conquer the world.

Now that we got the serious business out of the way, our last core values are to appreciate the beauty of all styles and to have fun; both core values go hand-in-hand. Stylist Anonymous is a friendly and approachable fashion community that provides fun styling advice to help you feel your best with the help of others.

Post 1 | Primary "Product"

1. Identify the primary "product" (service, resource, special ability, etc.) you have to offer others. 
 

Have you ever looked at pictures of the hottest celebrities in today’s trendiest fashion magazines and wish you could steal their style? Or have you ever walked into a clothing store feeling completely overwhelmed? And, I definitely know you have woken up one morning asking yourself, “What the hell am I going to wear today?!” These are all common situations that many of us can relate. Personally, I can experience all three scenarios in one day! Thus, I created Stylist Anonymous, a fun and fabulous online fashion community to help solve with our fashion tribulations: “Brands offer a set of values, a vision and an attitude” (More Than a Name, Davis, 27).

Stylist Anonymous is the ultimate place for styling tricks and tips. Any good company needs to provide a product or service that makes our lives easier: “Basically, a product (or service) is the thing that you buy and use. The brand is the promise of something. That something is intangible; it could be a guarantee of quality, a sense of prestige, or of heritage” (More Than a Name, Davis, 12). By visiting Stylist Anonymous online, you will have the best style secrets available to you.

Sure, there are styling tips available in magazines or you can hire styling professionals; however, Stylist Anonymous is different and evolutionary for many reasons. First off, you help and contribute to the community: “The relationship between the brand and the consumer is two-way – what the consumer thinks of the brand matters as much as how the brand projects itself to the consumer. This two-way interaction is at the heart of managing the brand perception” (More Than a Name, Davis, 27). Everyone has a voice in fashion, and we make sure your voice is heard. Secondly, we are available 24/7 with frequent updates. 

Thirdly, we are a strong community of fashionistas from all levels. Whether you are an expert or an amateur, there will always be a place for you at Stylist Anonymous: “Brands today represent more than a product, service or brand identity (the name and logo, design and voice of the brand). A brand is synonymous with the business and the style behind the product or service; it encompasses the people working for the company and a philosophy and spirit that sustain it” (More Than a Name, Davis, 27). This makes us competitive and different: “Brands also offer a differentiating factor that makes it easier to choose between the many competing product variants” (More Than a Name, Davis, 12).

Week 8 EOC | Subliminal Advertising

Today, we live in a society that is overloaded with hundreds of brands. When a brand is able to reach out to the consumer, that is when the brand is very successful. Throughout the decade, brands have been using clever subliminal advertising to influence the consumer. For the most part, subliminal advertising is considered illegal because it plays with the person’s subconscious; however, in a very cautious way, brands will still use some form of subliminal advertising because it makes the brand memorable and relatable. Brands take advertising very seriously and they would spend a lot of time, effort, and resources to research subliminal advertising. For example, in the short article, “The return of the hidden persuaders,” Shell Oil did some research to find out why people choose certain gas stations over others to purchase their gas. With their research they found out that people prefer the gas stations where their fathers used to buy gas and “the company is now moving forward with a ‘multifaceted campaign’ aimed at conditioning youngsters to be loyal enthusiasts of Shell products” (Shalt). However, there has been a lot of controversy of whether subliminal advertising is ethically okay. Experts and advertisers are split. “In fashionable marketing circles, it has become acceptable again to speak openly about harnessing consumers’ brain waves for commercial ends. These days, the marketing history of the 1950s is being relived as farce, as corporations fall over themselves to spelunk the minds of shoppers, and a new generation of depth men seizes on the subconscious as prime territory for subliminal appeals” (Shalt). Personally, I find most subliminal advertising very clever and fun. The people who deal with this type of advertising have to work really hard at including a message that relates to everyone. No matter what happens, people will connect to brands based on how that brand is perceived by the individual person. Virginia Valentine, president of Semiotic Solutions, quotes “My belief is that, as our personalities get more fragmented, products and brands can work with us,” she says earnestly. “We are not at all about creating needs that people don’t have. We are about meeting wants that people do have. If we can understand the way people want to live their lives — the way they want to see themselves — and then put brands to work in the service of that, I think that’s a beautiful thing, actually.” Subliminal advertising is a powerful and effective tool when it comes to branding. I don’t necessarily see it as a terrible thing, unless it brainwashes people to do horrible things and I believe that is the only real threat when it comes to subliminal advertising. Like anything, there just needs to be some type of regulation.

Sources:

1. "The return of hidden persuaders" article by Ruth Shalt

Week 7 EOC | Retail PEST

 Zara has become the largest fashion retailer in the world. They have gained popularity through their rapid method of bringing new styles and products to their stores, providing a larger selection to their customers. Here is the Zara PEST analysis:

POLITCIAL

·      Zara has a very good environmental policy. They take a lot of actions to be eco-friendly. They save energy in their retail stores and their design shops by using their lighting, heating and cooling systems smartly. They also try to recycle their furniture and decoration. On the producing side, they produce less waste and recycle. Also, they use ecological fabrics and organic cotton.

·      They charge sales tax on their products, if applicable.

·      Zara’s competition includes stores like Topshop, H&M, and Forever21. These stores sell fast-fashion at reasonable prices. Although these stores are similar, they have different styles and methods of operating. Zara is the largest, but it is growing at a healthy rate.

·      The company has been under scrutiny for ignoring consumer rights: “The company ignored the supervision by public opinion and never responded to the opinion of the consumers' association and consumers” (http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90778/90860/7361058.html).

ECONOMIC

·      They have gotten better at pushing out product from their stores, so they have gained a lot of economical growth.

·      Zara is an international retailer that originated in Spain, so they are good at handling exchange rates.

·      Because Zara can push new product rapidly, their consumer spending has increased: “Zara introduce new items every week, which keeps customers coming back again and again to check out the latest styles” (Tiplady).

SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICS

·      Zara consumers go to Zara regularly for their fashion needs: “Zara's customers visit its shops an average of 17 times a year” (Ferdows). They carry clothing for women, men, and children. Their consumers are people whom like the style of high-end clothing, but they don’t want to pay the high-end price.

·      Zara designers are constantly working to fill demand and provide new styles for their stores

·      The company doesn’t focus on advertising. Other than their product (the clothes), they focus on the style and architecture of their stores to look very appealing and chic to customers.

TECHNOLOGICAL

·      The Zara designers are always doing their research to see that are the next fashion trends that are coming off the runways. A lot of time and effort goes into their mission. Also, they like to remain anonymous because they are considered “copiers” and not “designers”.

·      Recently, Zara has updated their inventory system to make everything run easier. Before they use to do everything by hand, when it came to markdowns and such. Now, they use technology and everything is easier and more efficient. As a result, they sell more.

 Sources:

1. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4652.html
2. http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-04-04/zara-taking-the-lead-in-fast-fashionbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
3. http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/08/zara-inditex-and-amancio-ortega-%E2%80%93-the-responsibility-of-international-success/
4. https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/jfp/entry/zara?lang=en 
5. http://www.zara.com/us/en/company/our-mission-statement-c18001.html