California Gift Show cross merchandising seminar 2010

Last seasons gift show I was hired by the California Gift Show to do 4 seminars on
how to cross merchandise and create mini shops within retailers own spaces.
So many retailers don't cross merchandise.. I am not sure why, maybe not understanding how to do this? Maybe not wanting to change? I am not sure. I do know that lifestyled and cross merchandised shops like Anthropologie are the future- they are constantly re-working and re-inventing the new and the old inventory to create mini shops that draw your attention and entise you to buy...

This is what I do- teach retailers how to cross merchanidse and create fun and exciting vignettes and displays. I chose 4 concepts that retailers could relate to..ones that would make them think outside the box and create some excitement that they could re-create within their own shops...

The only concept not shown was the seaside living which I am sad to say I forgot to shoot...

enjoy!

xo

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Birthday shop was created to show retailers how to cross merchandise kids party planning

products and gourmet...its all about bright, fun merchandise that grabs your attention...

first plan of attack, inventory set up...

we decided to paint a huge happy birthday song on the wall...again, so easy and

so effective!

The finished opening tabletop- its supposed to feel like you just walked into

a kids party

The finished display!

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Halloween is the #2 most retailed holiday next to Christmas....

That being said, you may not feel like your shop translates to
a holiday like Halloween but trust me...this is a opportunity
that you don't want to skip over.
Even my apparel shops touch on Halloween- a little story of
black apparel cross merchandised with some candles and
specialty chocolates and ta-da! Instant Halloween statement.
Make sure you place it up front and have it set up by mid
September and you should be sold out of it way before the
actual holiday...

floor set up of the Halloween shop

opening statement table top...

finished! Notice the detail on the back wall... grapevine attached to wall, orange and black ribbon running through with Halloween lanterns hanging from it...so easy, so cost effective and so fun..... That is what its all about after all- making it fun for you and your clients!

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Nappa style was a cross merchandised wine/gift shop- showing retailers how to cross merchandise furniture, gift product and gourmet into one life styled vignette...

setting the floor at the convention center and laying electrical...the beginning of it all

opening statement of the nappa style shop

the overview of the entire shop complete

change is good....

As we get ready to start changing over from holiday to new spring
windows and gift or apparel collections I have to wonder why so
many do not put more into it.....
As a retailer, you go to shows to get "wowed", to get excited, to be inspired...
don't you think that your clients want the same thing come a new season?
Most of you have a very regular client base, they see you at least once a month,
correct?
Think of you going to a show...if the showroom did not change the displays nor
front new fresh merchandise, wouldn't you just walk by and not go in assuming
that nothing new is being shown?
Its the same for your clients....
So...push the envelope a little this spring, make them think, get them inspired
and get your clients excited!

It is spring after all...
xo

Peking Handicrafts Atlanta showroom

2 times a year are the gift shows...all across the country
showrooms with amazing gift and home products re-invent
themselves for the new season based around the new
product..
This is what I do...fly in, take down the old display and
re-invent the showroom and all the display to reflect the
product...for retailers this is the time they make most of
their buys- holiday, everyday etc...
My job is to create excitement and get the attention of
the buyers-
This is Peking Handicrafts new showroom we opened
last July in Atlanta...





Its all in the details I have always believed...
think outside the box in regards to how you display
items...standard fixtures are oh so boring!

the bare bones...we decided to paper the back of

the fixture with copy's of recipes from an old cookbook...yellow

pages made it more interesting..

The finished display...the faux cake is Styrofoam circles painted

brown and stacked with caulking as icing in between.....

the best is that it can stand up to sunlight so makes for a great

window display

I just love this missoni-ish group!

Starting to take shape...the Trina Turk opening statement with

the hot house floral group behind

An easy display element that pulls in the color and adds a little humor

more LA Mart display cases

The begining..pale lavender-love this paired with dove grey molding..

The first portion of the molding....


Finished product..natural fabrics with silver and mirrored details. I love the organic elements of the drift wood and the wood carved bird against the modern mirrored chest....

The case lines for the LA Mart were based on trends...

Brights, modern/ethnic and pastel/mirrored- each floor had one design scope.
I wanted to make both case lines to flow with each other so when you got out

of the elevator you were told the story. I have always loved the museum of

natural history in Los Angeles and the display cases of cave men...I love walking into

the dark room and the cases magically became alive each telling its own story.

The cases on these floor sort of remind me of this... dark and full of stories...

Ready..set...go!

prep work on the LA Mart furniture floor display cases..

product moved in and set...

finshed product with the display element of mexican paper flowers....

Very, very bad....

its been over a year from my last post..

Hmmm..lets see..in a year I have successfully broken 3 laptops, dropped 3 blackberrys in some type of water, filed for divorce, fell in love, visited Costa Rica, had 3 red light tickets, one speeding ticket, closed my office in the LA Mart, moved to Manhattan Beach and had a hysterectomy....

So, you see where my attention has been....

However it has not stopped me from working nor being inspired by all the amazing pop up shops, displays and beauty I have seen over the last year either...

I still have the photos to put up that I mentioned in the last post and now a whole new set of

shots to post..everything from last market to holiday.

Here is the first little taste of what is to come...