Retail Clothing Display

Creating a successful retail, clothing environment is extremely dependant on the display design. A boring store is sure to land flat on its face in today's exciting clothing world, and a variety of presentations, several fixture types, and multiple levels can make a huge difference. The right design should bombard the customer with several garments at different levels and in different textures but should allow easy traffic flow and not seem too congested. Retailers should not expect the modern customer to spend hours sifting through clothes racks. Instead, through the use of quality store fixtures, a larger number of garments and styles should be presented through multi-level and textured displays.

Clothing displays can be divided into two major categories, those on the floor and those on the walls. The sales floor is utilized for two major things, accommodating customer traffic, and displaying clothes. Through a combination of two arm and four arm racks (which come in slanted or straight forms), round racks, combination racks, and display tables. The standard arm racks are the most common and effective floor fixtures in clothing stores. Though round racks are great for clearance items, arm racks carry a number of garments while showcasing the outermost two or four articles. Instead of the shoulder of the garment being the most visible side, the front of the outermost garments is in full view. A variety of display tables work great for folded clothing. Some people might not understand why some clothes should be folded and others hung, but regardless of clothing care, displaying both will bring more texture to the sales floor. Combination racks are designed for this very reason, having both arm and table display capabilities. These single fixtures give the textured appeal of both folded and hung clothes. The most optimal space for clothing display in a store is the walls.

Keeping the floor as uncluttered as possible will help customers to move about with ease, and by moving a majority of the merchandise to the walls, a large amount of inventory can still be presented without overburdening the floor. Slat walls and grid walls are the most popular of wall displays, and they provide excellent and versatile display options. With an enormous variety of accessories like clothing hooks, tables, arm racks, and a many specific designs, slat walls and grid walls make presenting any garment or accessory simple. After the walls have been lined with slat walls or grid walls, clothing can be displayed in virtually any design format that fits the store best.

As a finishing touch to any clothing store, the addition of mannequins and graphics will enhance any space dramatically. There are countless mannequins in various forms that help the clothing come to life. Customers enjoy seeing how the garments are designed to fit and how different outfits look together. There are full body mannequins, both male and female, as well as mannequin forms that work great for display tables. Large graphics can serve the same purpose depicting actual models wearing the clothes, but they are not limited to this. Pictures on the walls can also provide atmosphere such as outdoor scenes in a store like Eddiebauer or club scenes in a store like Wet Seal. The clothing should set most of the mood, but a little help from mannequins and graphics can go a long way. These fixtures and strategies help clothing stores to hold customer attention and accommodate traffic, but the bottom line is that great clothes sell themselves.

It is important to create store displays that features the clothing and keeps customers focused on the clothes. Congestion, clutter, and overstocked shelves and racks are only distractions that keep people from appreciating the merchandise.

About the Author:

Ron Maier is the Vice President of S & L Store Fixtures, a leading online provider of slatwalls and gridwalls. For more information, please visit http://www.slstoredisplays.com