Paula Arkell M.A - Brand & Retail Consultant Portfolio of clients

1. PAULA
ARKELL–WALLER
RETAIL CONSULTANT
‘ Working with retailers problems by
using a hands on approach to solutions’

2. Profile – Retail Consultant
 VM Judging - SkillVM part of
Skillsmart Retail 2011
 Teaching – Workshops on all aspects of
retail operations in London including
Fashion & Textile Museum
 Consulting – With Government
Regeneration Projects: LDA, ODA,
 Ilford BID, Newham Zip Cove, Fit For
Business, Ilford Lane
 Mentoring - And working with
independent Retailers & Wholesalers:
Sales Training, Merchandising, Window
Display, Troubleshooting
 Writing – VM and Sales Training
manuals www.fashionenter.co.uk
www.fashioncapital.co.uk
 Illustration – Fashion and design for
www.fashionenter.co.uk
www.fashiocapital.co.uk

3. Areas of Specialism:
 Business Support & Start Up
 Tendering for Public and Private Sector
Contracts
 Visual Merchandising
 Window Display and Planning
 Sales Team Training
 Mentoring
 Business Planning
 Design and Illustration (Freehand)
 Staff Development
 Presentation Skills
 Marketing
 Public Speaking
 Personal Development and Career Advice
 Writing

4. Visual Merchandising
SkillVM, Training and Freelance VM Design

5. VM Judge 2011
‘skillVM is a national platform
for students to demonstrate
their visual
merchandising, creative and
technical skills in a live
competition environment in
the search for the best of the
best in VM. Designed by
Skillsmart Retail, the Sector
Skills Council for Retail, it
promotes skills across the
retail sector, develops
creative flair and showcases
excellence and is part of the
World Skills UK portfolio of
skills competitions in
association with UK Skills.’

6. VM Skills 2011

7. UNIQLO - Autumn Winter Campaign
 Briefed to come up with concept ideas for
window campaign for the new Season
Sophisticated modern look.
 Concept 1: Film Noir (Retro)
50’s & 60’s, black and white film stars.
Colours: Red, Black and white props red
carpet, clapper board, movie chair.
 Concept 2: Modern Life Framed
Sophisticated lines, key items, ‘The Shirt’, ‘The
Mac’’.
Colours: Black and white, Props; Frames and
screens
 Concept 3: London Style
Mod 60’s look key icons London
Colours: Black and white, red, blue

8. Fashion
Design, Illustration &
Writing
Grace Kelly Exhibition, Fashion Enter, Fashion Capital

9. Grace Kelly Exhibition
http://www.fashioncapital.co.uk/the-summer-dress/Grace-Kelly-At-
the-VaA.html

10. Illustration and Design

11. Summer Dress
Design for
Brandalley
Competition for
www.fashionenter.co.uk
to design a summer
dress for Brandalley
customer.
Overview: A day to
night dress, age group
25 -40 sophisticated
woman wanting to
make a stylish
statement

12. Illustration – V & A Exhibition Elegance
2009

13. Visual Merchandising
Workshops
VM Training, Fashion Mentoring, workshop speaker

14.  Mentoring Programme in connection with
Newham College time frame 6 - months
 Working one to one with SME’S
 Setting objectives to be achieved at each
meeting 4-6 week meetings
 Support network and business advice for
designers and retailers in their first few years of
trading at a subsidised cost
ZIP COVE
Mentoring Programme

15. Akino – Handbag Bar
2nd Floor, 2.15 Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London, W18 5PW, email:
onika@handbagbar.com
Issues discussed & actions taken:
 Worked with client for 4 months
looking at visual presentation of
store:
 Store layout – creating a work
bench and in store stories on the
bags
 In store – Promotions and signage
 Store window ideas
 Approaching buyers around a
concession, and what type of
retailers to target

16. Akino – Handbag Bar

17. VISUAL MERCHANDISING & RETAIL
WORKSHOP VISUAL MERCHANDISING & RETAIL
WORKSHOP
PART 1
PART 2
‘ Windows of Opportunity’
‘ Every shop tells a story’
Purpose of Display: (60 min)
 Basics of display/history
Store Layout: ( 60 min )
 Creating a shopping experience
 Reinforce brand image, retailers with
good brand identity  An atmosphere in store that reflects
 Windows as a selling tool
the brand
 Store layout, encouraging traffic
 Interior displays – current & future
trends penetration
 Utilizing hot spots
 Display calendar
 Stockroom
 What you need in a display box
 Retail Future
 Q & A and a tea break (15 min )
 Practical: Basics to dress and style a  Q & A and a tea break ( 15 min )
mannequin ( 45 min )  Practical: in a shop environment
building a display ( 45 min )
Asian Dreams Workshops
The Fashion and Textile
Museum, London

18. EXHIBITIONS AND TRADESHOW EXHIBTIONS AND TRADESHOW
WORKSHOP WORKSHOP
PART 1 PART 2
‘ Exhibitions & Tradeshow’ ‘ How to approach buyers’
Practical planning ABC: ( 60 min ) Selling – Principals of customer service
 Planning and setting up your stand (60 min)
 Creating the look  What is good customer service
 Props  Personal touch
 Organizing your day  Changing customer priorities
 How to promote your stand  Body language and visualization skills
 Marketing and POS
 Q & A and a tea break ( 15 min )  Q & A and a tea break ( 15 min )
 Practical: Building a stand ( 45 min )  Practical Selling to a buyer ( 45 min )
Asian Dreams Workshop
The Fashion and Textile Museum, London

19. Oxbow – Regional VM
Manager
UK and Channel Islands

20.  Vm Territory of 46 stores including 3 corners and furniture
accounts throughout UK and Channel Islands
 Visual merchandising and training of Oxbow product within
the stores, working with Managers and owners on products
and promotions
 Identify key best selling styles from the competition that is
missing from the current collection
 Liaise with UK Marketing Manager and VM Manager
France, including regular visits to Head Office in Bordeaux
and Paris
Oxbow
UK Channel Islands VM Manager

21. Oxbow
Boardwalk, Newquay
Problems:
 Location
 Too much stock ‘less is more’
 No accurate sell out figures
Actions:
 Relocation for 2004
 New wall unit merchandising
 Stock count round beginning and end of each season
 Utilize exchange programme on slow or best sellers

22. Oxbow
Free Spirit: Brighton, Southampton, Milton
Keynes, Blue
water, Leeds, Cambridge, Guildford, Exeter
 Selection of product promoted
within 8 stores oxbow men’s
and women’s as a trial brand
for summer season
 Placed in hot-spit locations
around the stores
 Oxbow to become a
permanent brand within all
stores in 2004

23. Oxbow
Just Add Water:
Norwich, Brighton, Southampton, Poole, Bournem
outh, Bath
 Promotional window for
snowboard wear on a sale
or return basis
 Time frame 2-weeks
 Stores chosen for this was
Norwich, Bournemouth, Ba
th feed back of sell
through was
good, technical product
was a slow mover

24. Oxbow
Ocean to Earth
Corner: Yeovil, Andover, Salisbury, Weymouth, Basingstoke

25. PAULA
ARKELL–WALLER
RETAIL CONSULTANT
‘ Working with retailers
problems by using a hands on
approach to solutions’