The business of fashion is a multifaceted discipline. For example, think about when you walk into a store. Everything you see is carefully considered by the owners, including what’s in your line of sight, how everything is displayed, and so forth. That’s called merchandising, and it’s just one of the many things students in the Fashion Business and Management program at Centennial College learn. And because there’s no better way to learn than doing it for real, Fashion Business and Management students got a chance to learn on their feet this February, when the program partnered with Colette Liburd, owner of the Clarendon Trading Company, for a special project: merchandising the store’s Scarborough Town Centre location top to bottom in a limited amount of time. Kenneth Leung was one of the students taking part in the project. His end goal is to open his own shop and sell his own clothes, so merchandising is important for it. Here’s what he learned, and how partnerships like this one enhance student learning.
There’s more to fashion than fashion
“I like fashions, and pay attention to the latest fashion trends,” Kenneth says about why he got into Fashion Business and Management. “I like doing the mix and match thing, I like dressing up, so that I can keep up with the times and look modern every time.”
“But fashion is not just about making people look good,” he says. “It is a professional business that can help you make money. So I wanted to know everything going on behind the scenes. And I hope to have my own collections one day. So this is a great chance to allow me to achieve my goal by studying Fashion Business and Management.”
Clarendon’s affordable fashion
Meanwhile, Colette Liburd started the Clarendon Trading Company eight years ago, along with her business partner, out of a desire to market fashion to people who wouldn’t normally be able to afford it.
“I've always been interested in clothing, fashion, but never had a ton of money to purchase it,” Colette says. “So I just started thrifting, going to the market on Queen Street downtown. And we had a lot of stuff, and we slowly started to sell it online. Eventually, we registered our business and organized it. And we just realized that there was a really big need for people that want to look good and fashionable, and feel good in what they wear, but don't want to spend their entire paycheck to afford it. So we started sourcing more actively and creatively to keep our purchasing costs low, so we can provide fair and affordable products to our clients.”
How the project happened
“Our professor, Stephanie Herold, told us to visit the store and meet with Colette,” Kenneth explains, “to learn about her store concept, their target market, customers, their brand vision, etc. So we toured the store and learned about its products, their store layout and their fixtures. Afterwards, we had to divide into several groups among our whole class. Each group was assigned a part of the store to reconfigure the layout and product display, with the purpose of bringing fresh ideas and arrangements to the store.”
“The students came in, and they all took a different section of the store,” Colette adds. “And they basically re-merchandised it based on their own flair, and how they were organizing it as a group. They had to make a mini mock-up floor plan and make sure that they had the materials that they needed to execute what they wanted to do.”
“Our group was responsible for the layout of the store windows,” Kenneth says about his specific assignment. “I think this was the biggest challenge for us. Because store windows are crucial in attracting customers, we had to plan a readable and compelling proposal that could be done within two hours before opening the store. Fortunately, thanks to my team members, we achieved a satisfactory result with limited time and resources.”
The important part is the learning
“Giving us an opportunity to practice in a real life brick and mortar store, which allowed us as students to design and experience products and merchandising in real life situations, it's definitely different from sitting in a classroom,” Kenneth says about the experience. But he wasn’t the only one to benefit, as Colette found herself grateful for the insight the students brought to the store.
“It was nice to have a fresh perspective in the store, a fresh set of eyes, because for me, I do all of the merchandising for the most part,” she says. “So it was nice to see a completely different take on the space. And some of the changes that they made, we actually ended up keeping them, they're still there right now. So it was a great opportunity for them to learn, get some hands-on experience, but also a great opportunity for me to learn as well.”
“There is no doubt that learning the right approach to showcasing merchandise, your product is key to the success of a store,” Kenneth adds, “as it's really hard to increase foot traffic and visually tell your customers what your brand is about,” he says. “And this is a key and immediate help in increasing sales for business, learning different merchandising, knowledge, skills and tactics. I believe it will enable me to present products effectively and bring business opportunities in the future when I one day have my own shop.”
Before then, Kenneth is looking forward to the last leg of his program, and the additional practical experience it will bring.
“What I'm most looking forward to is the field placement in the final semesters, when we will practice the knowledge learned in the classroom,” he says. “And I also hope to use that opportunity to get in touch with the industry before graduation, and to better understand where I want to go after I graduate.”
Written By: Anthony Geremia