Visual Stylist Merchandising - Northbrook
NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP
Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) has been the premier destination for luxury fashion and goods, superior service, and an elevated retail experience for more than a century. Today, 9,000 associates contribute to the success of NMG’s brands: Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, and Horchow. There are 38 full-line Neiman Marcus stores in cosmopolitan markets across the United States and a sophisticated digital platform that attracts shoppers worldwide. Bergdorf Goodman operates two stores in landmark locations on Fifth Avenue in New York City and BergdorfGoodman.com, catering to loyal luxury customers globally. NMG also owns five Last Call stores and Horchow.com, an e-commerce site that offers premium furniture and home decor.
As an organization, NMG is on a transformational journey to become the preeminent luxury customer platform. NMG continues to deliver the best integrated customer experience and has evolved the business to succeed in the ever-changing retail landscape. NMG is a relationship business. What differentiates the organization from other luxury retailers are its unique assets: a strong store footprint, the most knowledgeable associates, an engaging online experience, solid brand partnerships, innovative digital and in-store experiences, the most loyal luxury customer base, and a strong balance sheet.
Our customers will always be at the center of everything NMG does. The company continues to reinvest in new technologies that enhance the customer experience. NMG meets customers where they are. NMG’s goal is to offer customers a seamless experience across its stores, online, and remote digital selling.
NMG’s priority is to develop a highly engaged and high-performing team where everyone belongs. The business attracts and retains best-in-class talent through unique offerings provided to associates in addition to standard employer benefits. These include an innovative way of working, associate discounts on merchandise, tuition reimbursement, associate hardship fund, and paid time off to volunteer, to name a few.
As part of NMG’s Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) work, the organization is focused on driving its core value of being “All Heart.” NMG is also assessing its current environmental and social impact while developing a three-year plan to lead the luxury industry in its commitment and transparency to environmental and social sustainability. NMG strives to become an employer of choice, driven by a culture of Belonging. A dedicated team focuses on this journey, directly impacting how NMG conducts business throughout the workforce, workplace, and marketplace dimensions.
NMG has incredibly passionate and committed corporate and store associates. NMG offers associates an environment where everyone feels welcomed, nurtured, and empowered. Our associates are the heart of NMG. As an organization, NMG leads with love – love for customers, love for associates, and love for brand partners.
Summary Statement: The Visual Stylist helps the store Visual Merchandising team create the overall look and feel of store environments. Under the direction of the Visual Lead, they provide extraordinary customer experiences and bring the Neiman Marcus Brand and fashions to life through magical and powerful storytelling with window displays and in-store activations.
Responsibilities & Duties:
Brand Standards
- Adheres to NMG Brand standards and brand partner standards within the store
- Ensures that the store experience reflects NMG Corporate initiatives
- Executes all Corporate directive strategies as delegated by the Visual Lead (e.g., Holiday Story)
Windows & In-Store Activations
- Interprets the Neiman Marcus direction and current trends through in-store presentation
- Provides direction and assists with merchandising the selling floor (e.g., floor presentation, fixture placement, trend presentation, vendor standards) in coordination with the Visual Manager, Sales Manager, and Assistant Sales Manager
- Creates in-store environments to showcase luxury customer platforms by making it personal, unconditional, and magical
- Demonstrates an understanding of how visual activities drive sales
- Drives sales by ensuring all visual initiatives align with the overall store and brand strategy by:
- Maintaining store signage, mannequins, furniture, artisan elements, floral displays, carpets, and other visual elements
- Completes tasks and follows direction of Visual Leads to build all merchandising and visual displays
- Follows fashion style cards provided by Corporate on a monthly and seasonal cadence
- Owns assigned family of business (e.g., Women’s, Men’s), as applicable
Meetings / Calendars / Budgets
- Attends daily, weekly, and monthly meetings as applicable with the Sales Support team to understand and respond to visual merchandising changes based on expected new deliveries
Communication with Key Partners / Events
- Communicates supply needs, asks questions, and delivers upward feedback to manager
- Executes, in collaboration with Brand Experience, on event strategies and necessary event preparation activities (e.g., stage, chairs, florals, décor) under the direction of Visual Leads and other Store Leaders
Miscellaneous
- Maintains visual workroom and studio organization with a focus on safety
Qualifications
- Prior visual merchandising experience preferred
- High School Diploma, 4-year degree preferred
- Ability to work autonomously
- Excellent customer service skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Motivated and results-driven
- "Win together" mentality
- Demonstrates a natural passion for fashion and trends
- Proficiency with computer skills including Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Adobe InDesign, and / or Autodesk Revit desired
- Certain roles may require standing, bending, climbing stairs, and lifting and carrying up to 35 pounds
- Associates must be willing to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, which will include evenings, weekends and holidays
Competencies:
Passion for People
- Collaborates with coworkers by exhibiting positivity, resourcefulness, and qualities of a team player
- Effectively communicates both verbally and non-verbally with others
- Inspires trust and dependability
- Supports daily department operations
Passion for Business
- Demonstrates perseverance and resilience when faced with business challenges or opportunities
- Understands how individual work contributes to general department and company goals
- Prioritizes tasks and uses effective time management practices to meet established deadlines
- Completes work in an accurate and organized way
- Seeks out and tries new ideas and solutions developed by others
- Exhibits flexibility and remains calm in a changing environment
Passion for Personal Growth
- Continuously builds skills and knowledge through training, coaching, and career experiences
- Demonstrates a working knowledge and appreciation of the NMG business and the fashion industry
- Conveys energy and enthusiasm for NMG and personal work
- Adapts personal approach in response to diverse situations and people
- Responds to unexpected changes in work environment with creativity and resilience
- Establishes and upholds high personal standards for individual work and environment
- Maintains a customer-centric mentality versus a solely store-centric one
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of duties, responsibilities, or activities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.