BA (Hons) Degree in Fashion Styling & Visual Merchandising

Fashion visual merchandising is the ‘art’ of presenting products in both physical and digital retail stores and environments, in order to attract, engage, and sell to the fashion consumer. Participants fully understand the role and responsibilities of the visual merchandiser and fashion stylist through an in-depth study of the fashion retail market, looking at all types of retailing, brand positioning and the Omni channels of communication and selling, as well as creative techniques and new practices employed within the industry.

The three year course covers external communication strategies in window display: from styling a product, to communicating the brand message and identity through methods of graphic communication and technology. Methods of composition, colour theory, propping, and display dynamics are also taught and applied. Internal communication investigates the physical store design and layout, fixtures, use of POS and product presentation as well as, engaging the customer through experiential and sensory environment design, learning how to communicate brand message, sell a product, and evoke an emotive response to the customer through narrative and story telling.

Participants also create, develop and manage live photo shoots working to a design brief informed by top industry brands. They learn how to construct an immediately identifiable and recognisable style gained through the study of trends and fashion image; this is explored through photographic techniques in still-life set design, and specific merchandising choices in make-up, hair and accessories, relevant to the brand, product or look. As well as interpreting company briefs, participants are also encouraged to decode brand stereotypes and to think about image positioning from a different perspective, in order to discover unique selling points and create interest and desire with their target audience.

The course provides a solid base in fashion styling and the fashion system, a model that embraces many aspects of the industry, not only in traditional business practices including brand identity, positioning and marketing, but also interpreting art and craft in fashion, consumer habits, and trends and influences in street style, trend spotting, and photo blogging; creative research methods for product communication are key. Cultural studies in the history of art, design, dress and fashion culture provide the necessary skills to make a critical assessment of a brand or client’s lifestyle and legacy. Communication and presentation skills cover methods of ‘pitching’ a concept via visual skills in CAD and 3D design.

This course is part of the fashion styling and creative direction study pathways. With fashion styling as the core subject, participants specialise in the chosen area of interest (visual merchandising), completing the course with a distinct professional profile.

This course is also available as a BA (Hons) four-year course (including Sandwich Year placement).