maria pilonieta portfolio
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VM PORTFOLIOMaria Pilonieta
Senior Visual Merchandiser
Honest, intelligent, hardworking and ambitious MA Fashion Design and Marketing graduate (originally from Bogotá, Colombia) with several years’ work experience at senior management level, and a strong grounding within the fashion industry as a whole.
Previously held senior management roles including VM at Inditex Group brand Stradivarius, Director of Visual Merchandising for Hotline, and Visual Merchandising Manager for well-known Colombian high street brand Tennis. Punctual and motivated team worker, able to deliver instructions and take feedback with equal measure whilst building up good rapport and working relationships with both colleagues and client contacts at all levels.
‘�‘Working�within�the�industry�for�over�the�last�six�years�has�given�me�a�great�deal�of�confidence,�as�well�as�helping�me�to�develop�practical,�hands-on�experience�and�a�robust�skill�set�across�not�only�management,�but�also�operations,�manufacture�and�design.’’
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
CAREER OBJECTIVES
EDUCATION
WORK EXPERIENCE
Retail & Visual Merchandising
Brainstorming & Creativity
Brand Implementation
Management and Leadership Skills
Fashion Design & Textiles
Mood Boarding & Illustration
Interior Design Concepts
Team Work & Communication
I continue to pursue a career path within Fashion Retail as this is where my true passion lies, and specifically Visual Merchandising, with a view to progress into a Senior Area Management role, potentially with scope to cover either EMEA, APAC or ideally LTA. I am also interested in the growing potential of new technology and trends within the fashion industry, particularly the shift towards sustainable materials as well as mobile and e-commerce.
2008 - 2009Arturo Texida University, Bogotá Masters Degree in Fashion Marketing & Strategy
2004 - 2007 Arturo Texida University, Bogotá BA in Fashion Design & Marketing
2014 - 2016 - H&M Global Flagship Stores.
2011 - 2014 - UBE London
2009 - 2011 - Hotline (Bogotá/Medellin, Colombia)
2008 - 2009 - Stradivarius (Bogotá)
2006 - 2007 - Tennis (Bogotá)
2005 - 2006 - Freelance Fashion Designer
Maria Pilonieta
Address4 Trinity Road,London, N2 8JJ
Phone+44 (0)7411 491 195
Skypeximena.dom
LinkedinMaria Pilonieta
Instagram@MariaPilonieta
PinterestMaria Ximena Pilonieta
VisualMerchandising
After nearly two years working at H&M, I have developed skills across the board and consider myself to be one of the strongest members of my team. I have consistently demonstrated both leadership and creative talent, and have worked myself up through hard work and dedication to get to where I am today.
Visual Merchandising plays a vital role in helping to interpret and conceptualise the designers original artistic vision for each product and relay this on to the consumer, ultimately generating sales.
It pairs a variety of disciplines including concept design, visual creativity, branding and a degree of artistic licence, as well as hands on practical skills such as design, installation, brainstorming, teamwork and problem solving.
This fusion is further guided by an intimate knowledge of the product (in this case the garments themselves), constantly evolving fashion industry trends and analysis of market and consumer insights.
It is precisely this marriage that allows a good visual merchandiser to not only create eye-catching designs and accurately display what is hot right now, but envisage future trends and ultimately influence the market through one’s own individual style - an innate sense of what simply works in terms of tone, colour, composition, pattern, fabric or texture.
H&M Global Flagship Stores ClientH&M
Scope of WorkIn-store & Window Displays
Year2014-16
For this 2015/16 Christmas display we wanted to stray from the stereotypical themes usually portrayed and decided to go for a look and feel incorporating a luxury party theme.
Using an explosive illuminated shopping bag element as the main focus, and gold and white as the primary colours, we added red velvet curtains to give an extra touch of luxury, and finished it off with gold and white festive balloons.
As part of HM’s commitment to using ethically sourced materials, they launched the Conscious Collection.
For this Summer ‘15 indoor kidswear display, I wanted to create a natural, fresh theme using vibrant colours contrasting against illuminated lightboxes installed behind the mannequins on each podium.
H&M Regent Street
H&M Regent Street
Colour Palette
Colour Palette
Colour Palette
For this Spring ‘15 ladies A-Area setup, we enhanced the existing display by adding more mannequins and incorporating fresh, light colours and materials to create a bigger impact on the ground floor.
This enabled us to offer up a wider selection of key pieces from the collection ahead of time, in preparation for the upcoming season.
H&M Regent Street
H&M Press OfficeJanuary 2015
Tasked with coming up with a chic layout and design for H&M’s first press event of 2015, giving exclusive access and sneak previews to selected upcoming pieces across homewear, kidswear, ladieswear and Divided, we developed a scheme to show off the collections.
A temporary display was set up across the floor according to each collection, and sufficient room was given to allow people to browse and interact.
A special auditorium section and seating area were also set up within the room with benches for audience members to sit and watch the presentation.
H&M Press Office
Colour Palette
In this display we used window decals as a tool for promoting old stock via our ‘Winter Offers’ campaign, sticking to the months ‘White Christmas’ theme and incorporating the least expensive items to enable us to display discount pricing.
We used a window lightbox to give the impression of a wrapped Christmas present by adding a metallic effect ribbon and bow helping to give further balance to the display.
H&M Bond Street
In this section, we created wardrobes on the back wall in order to give prominence to various items and suggested outfits.
Using a specific colour combination of light pinks, blacks and whites, we attempted to balance the whole area.
H&M Bond Street
Colour Palette
With this line we aimed to use a combination of prints and plain formal knitwear, creating a chic-casual look and using this year’s trend colour guidelines.
The lighting was key in making the displays really pop-out and look fresh throughout the section.
H&M Bond Street
Colour Palette
Following on from the outdoor campaign, we set up the Winter offers in this in-store hot-spot.
The striking use of pink arrows allowed us to draw attention to the items below, making it clear and easy to find discounted items within the store.
H&M Bond Street
Colour Palette
The main A-Area indoor display is the most prominent feature upon entering the store.
We wanted to focus on a younger, casual and urban look, using on-trend pieces such as jumpsuits, and relaxed tracksuit bottoms and t-shirts in neutral colours.
In this indoor section of menswear the focus was on knitwear and different staggered heights of tables, floor-standing units and wardrobes in order to give depth and balance.
We set out with the aim of making it easier for customers to be able to find matching items.
H&M Tottenham Court Road
H&M Oxford Circus
Colour Palette
Colour Palette
Modular units were used to represent wardrobes and purchase suggestions for new outfits were laid out in anticipation of the upcoming Autumn ‘14 season.
H&M Oxford Circus Colour Palette
H O T L I N E
ClientHotline (Medellín, Colombia)
Scope of WorkWindow & In-store Displays
Year2010
The interior and in-store display were designed completely from scratch as this was a new store opening.
We selected a theme around the use of hardwood and natural coloured stone to emphasize the brand’s simple, clean look.
For this window display I combined the use of floral decals and handmade floor-standing papier-mâché flowers, in order to create a motif for their new collection.
HotlineInterior & Window Display
Hotline Santa Fe Shopping Centre
Colour Palette
The use of lighting and mirrors was paramount in creating the correct ambiance.
In selecting the right in-store furniture we took into account the flexibility of each piece in being able to change the layout of the displays as and when required.
Pieces hanging on the rails were arranged and organised according to specific outfits and colour coordinated to offset the items on the shelves above.
HotlineInterior Design
Hotline Santa Fe Shopping Centre
Colour Palette
ClientStradivarius (Bogotá, Colombia)
Scope of WorkIn-store & Window Displays
Year2009
Using various simple elements and contrasting textures in this display, we attempted to recreate a sense of ‘lightness and freshness’ alluding to the countryside and invoking a feeling of summertime.
A background palette of cream and white was chosen in order to accentuate and juxtapose sharply against the vibrancy of the clothes.
Stradivarius (Inditex Group)Santa Fe Shopping Centre
Colour Palette
After having determined and selected relevant pieces for the collection based on forecasted sales, the mannequins were dressed accordingly and the remaining racks and shelves were positioned in order to maximise customer traffic and flow around the shop.
Stradivarius (Inditex Group)Santa Fe Shopping Centre
ClientTennis (Bogotá, Colombia)
Scope of WorkIn-store & Window Displays
Year2007
A post-industrial western theme was used alongside neon and metal signage in order to create a unique ‘rustic urban’ look and feel.
Industrial spot lighting was also added to the mix to achieve the desired effect and further enhance the mood and ambiance.
Tennis Unicentro Shopping Centre
Colour Palette
Contrasting elements of antique iron wagon wheels, cast iron chains and rustic, aged wood were employed as the base tools for all displays throughout the shop, perfectly complementing the collection’s use of denim and stone-washed cotton.
TennisUnicentro Shopping Centre
Address4 Trinity Road,London, N2 8JJ
Phone+44 (0)7411 491 195
Skypeximena.dom
LinkedinMaria Pilonieta
Instagram@MariaPilonieta
PinterestMaria Ximena Pilonieta