A) those people who do not know what visual merchandising is (these are the people who NEVER really notice a display and the effect it has on them in usually nil)

B)People interested in the profession

C)Those chosen few who do this for a living and feel they need their home on the web to help show other's what the heck they do for that paycheck.

Visual: Serving, resulting from, or pertaining to the sense of sight.  Capable of being seen by the eye.  Optical.  Having the nature of or producing a image in the mind.

Merchandising:  To promote the sale of, as by advertising or display.

     I have worked as a Visual Merchandiser since the summer of 1988.  Actually I started a little earlier than that doing the store windows for my sister's lingerie shop but I was only 16 so I was not really thinking that I was starting on a long career of battling with maniquins and dreading the holidays.
    I started out working the sign shop running the printing press.  When someone needed a sale sign or a sign to point a lowly costomer to the restroom I got to print it.  It was a messy boring job.  I in haled way too many Tirpolene fumes while cleaning the press and really started to get sick of the job within about a year of getting my first pair of jeans ruined with the ink. (I went through clothes as fast as I could afford to buy new ones on my tiny salary I got at the time!)
    When some of the VM's left for brighter futures I got bumped into a "trimmer" position.  I kinda floated from department to department helping the other veterans at the store. I stayed in that Display department for about a year then I transferred to the security dept. (working nights) so I could go to school.
    I met my husband in Winter 1989 and followed him 150 miles from home to my new home in San Diego.  Here I took a two year break from display to work in the Auto Center as a parts gal. (still for the same company though).
    In 1991 I transferred back into a VM position and here I am still dressing maniquins and yelling at small chidren for playing with the props.  Who knows this could be a life long thing for me......time will tell I guess.
Well as of March 12th, 1998 I am no longer a VM for Sears.  I have decided to take a turn in my career and life and try something new.  This is not to say I do not like the job but I did not feel I was going anywhere with my career and I had hit a dead end of sorts.  Now I have a fresh canvas to start something totally dfferent.........most likely something in the computer field.  Damn Internet got me hooked.  I will still be updating this site with news in the VM world and I will answer any e-mails and questions.  I am not taking the site offline or anything.
Summer 1999 - I am now back in college studying Interior Design

Summer 2001- well still in college, thinking about quitting, thinking about Architecture, who knows. Maybe end up being a VM again. Really liking the time off though!

 If you have ANY links or input please send it on over and I will add it to my list of stuff to add here!!! I am looking for input from other VMs.
Future things I am planning to add are pictures of displays and also pictures of the things trimmers deal with on a day to day basis.  I would also like to start up a monthly mailing in e-mail to people in the business interested in seeing what is new on the web for VMs.  I have a list of the top Ten Steps to Successful Visual Merchandising that is rules to live by for us.
I have a couple of pictures to see of what life was like at my VM job.

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Wanna see a list of how customers can make our work lives interesting?
look here

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Page me using ICQ (you can also e-mail me from this link)
I also sell on eBay these days

M.Colonna Visual Merchandising and Design (design studio)
Visual Senses (design studio)
Mobius Inc.(fixturing)
Trion (fixturing)
Martin Professional (lighting)
Clearr Corporation (signing)
CW Fifield Fabrics
The Visual Store (VM+SD)
Sears (ok I admit it, this is where I did my dirty work)
ALU (fixtures - autopoles)
Exhibium (store planning, fixtures, merchandising)
IMAGINIF (European Visual Merchandising Group)
Another VM's Site
Gio's Fashion Design Page
Cahill: Visual Merchandising Solutons