Once again, RMIT students have teamed up with the Creative Design team at the iconic Australian clothing and lifestyle brand Country Road to create next season’s impressive shop window displays.
Diploma of Visual Merchandising students Shakira Van Vugt, Kathryn Bell, Emma Smith, Kate Gardner, Luisa Leauanae and Nikki Briggs were selected to work on the Country Road Window Project for 2018.
Haydn Salmon, Country Road’s Visual Merchandising Creative Team Manager, said the retailer values its long-standing relationship with RMIT’s Diploma of Visual Merchandising program and continues to be impressed by the results each year.
‘The strength of the relationship is built upon the opportunity for Country Road and RMIT students to be inspired and learn from each other while participating in a real-life project,’ he said.
The students were required to draw inspiration from the 2018 Women’s and Men’s May ranges' colour palettes, textures, mood and key silhouettes. They were also expected to push their understanding of what visual merchandising can do, bringing freshness and innovation, and creating strong street impact and a sense of theatre.
More practically, students also tackled the important aspects of a real-life industry project.
Diploma of Visual Merchandising student, Kathryn Bell loved the hands-on nature of the project.
‘It was a really good first-hand experience meeting people in the industry in head office. Being able to make things ourselves for the window that people on the street are going to see was really exciting,‘ she said.
Once the final window concepts were approved by Country Road, students installed the windows at the Lygon Street store under guidance from the Country Road team.
Through the Window Project, mentor program and internships, Country Road has taken a long-term, proactive approach to supporting up-and-coming talent in the School of Architecture and Urban Design’s Diploma of Visual Merchandising.
Along with running the Window Project, Country Road is a strong supporter of the mentoring program and has employed many RMIT graduates.