Y/PROJECT RETAIL STRATEGY
The Fahion Retail exam, which I took during my third university year, is made up of three subjects: International Marketing, Visual Merchandisign and Fashion Buying. The project consists in the opening of a pop-up store of a brand to choose in a specific country, whose analysis is essential. The brand I chose is Y/Project and the country is France, with a focus on Paris.
The idea was to open a temporary store in April, which will then become the brand's first permanent store, as it is ready to significantly strengthen its retail presence. The choice fell on Paris, as Y/Project was born in the French capital, where it has its offices and the headquarter, where its fashion shows take place and where there is a vivid clubbing culture, to which both the brand and its target are connected. In particular, the district chosen is Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where art, music and clubbing coexist. In fact, the inspiration behind the store's design and the buying concept comes from the world of clubbing. In Saint-Germain-des-Prés district there is the Pamela club, which is very popular among Y/Project's target and also served as an inspiration for the store. During the first month of the temporary store's opening, some events will be organised in collaboration with the club, in order to create a community that will also think about the Y/Project store as a meeting place.
The topic that guided the buying concept, as well as the design of the store, is clubbing. This choice is strategic, as it brings the brand closer to its target, especially the younger segment. Everything revolves around three buyer personas - selected during the target study phase - with different tastes, but with a common passion for music and clubbing. For each buyer persona, three looks were created, for a total of nine, taking into account the SS24 trends and the Y/Project's it items. The looks, including the accessories, represent the soul of each buyer persona. For the Buying part, using Excel, I proceeded with the simulation of the orders, the sales forecast and the mark down.