Peak-season windows: work back from the store date
A proposed article, drafted by JaringLeads from VMID’s own project posts: what their seasonal windows say about the time between brief and store.
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The short answer
Peak-season windows are decided by the calendar before they are decided by the design.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
For Frank & Co.’s Christmas windows in 2022, VMID’s post puts production, grouping and the shipment records for 44 stores “all within ten days time”.
The same brand’s 26th anniversary that year: production and distribution arrangements for 41 stores “in just 14 days”.
Passion Jewelry’s Christmas windows ran across ten stores in Jakarta, Cirebon and Manado, and the post records that the whole process “took us three weeks”.
Lumine’s festive display in 2021 had to hold Christmas and a Chinese New Year less than two months away, so one design carried both.
Read together, the posts suggest the design is rarely what runs out of time — the count of stores, the shipping and the next moment on the calendar are.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
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What actually takes the time
Four peak-season jobs from VMID’s posts, each with the part of the calendar it made visible.
Forty-four stores, and ten days for production, grouping and shipping
The theme came from Frank & Co.’s head office VM: This Holidays Gifts of Love, a pattern of gold ornaments with gift boxes to complement it. VMID’s part, as its post describes it, was to produce that window for 44 stores spread across Indonesia.
At that scale the window stops being one object and becomes 44 shipments. The drawing is settled early; what the ten days hold is making, sorting by store and keeping track of what goes where.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
“The team manage the production, grouping, and data collection of shipments to the store - all within ten days time.”
PIK Avenue went up first, then six more stores
For Passion Jewelry’s 13th anniversary in 2018 the theme was a circus, with different items for different stores. The first window was installed at PIK Avenue, followed by Pluit Village, Puri, Mall Taman Anggrek, Living World, Cirebon and Manado Town Square.
One store first, then the rest, turns the first install into a check on measurements before the other six go out.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
“With over than 20 items within the circus theme, all with various materials and installation techniques, we were able to maintain the measurement accuracy and finished according to the deadline given by the brand.”
Find it in Passion Jewelry projectsChristmas and Chinese New Year less than two months apart — one design for both
Lumine Jakarta’s festive display in 2021 was a Christmas theme with the Chinese New Year close behind, and the client asked for a design that could hold both. VMID’s post describes rattan circles with flowers, then a gradient fabric, red tulle and a little glitter.
When two moments sit this close, planning them as one build removes a changeover from the busiest weeks of the year.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
“Merging two festive seasons will not only ease the theme transitions effectively, but also deliver the warmth of celebrations into the store’s atmosphere.”
Three Jakarta addresses, one launch date: 7 December
Masshiro&Co.’s Christmas collection launched on December 7th, 2022. The post describes discussion first, then mock-ups of design placements and decor types, then installation with the product displays at the Plaza Indonesia flagship — with other themes installed at the same time in Dharmawangsa and a corner in Alun-Alun, Grand Indonesia.
A launch date fixes the end of the calendar for every address at once; the mock-up stage is where the three stores are agreed before anything is made.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
“There are other themes as well, which were installed simultaneously at their stores in Dharmawangsa and a corner in Alun-Alun, Grand Indonesia.”
Find it in Masshiro&Co. projectsMasshiro&Co.
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The build calendar
Work backwards from the store date, not forwards from the approval date.
Proposed sequence, read from VMID’s posts — to be confirmed by VMID
Theme and mock-up
Arena Corp., Christmas 2022: a different concept for each of four brands across 14 outlets, then a design mock-up stage. Masshiro&Co., the same season: mock-ups of design placements and decor types.
From you — The moment, the stores involved, and any direction your own VM team has already set.
Brand approval
Arena Corp.’s concepts went to management for approval before the mock-ups. For Frank & Co.’s Valentine windows in 2023, the design brief came from the head office VM team and went straight to production for 44 stores.
From you — One person who can approve, and the date they can do it by.
Production
Verde, Chinese New Year 2018: six days to make twelve string rolls for one Plaza Indonesia window. Passion Jewelry, Chinese New Year and Valentine 2018: five days from brief to installation, around 90% of it done by hand.
From you — Window measurements per store, and what may not be drilled, glued or hung.
Grouping per store and shipment
Frank & Co., Christmas 2022: production, grouping and shipment records for 44 stores within ten days. Frank & Co., 26th anniversary 2022: production and distribution arrangements for 41 stores in 14 days.
From you — The store list with addresses, and who receives the goods at each one.
Installation
Passion Jewelry’s Christmas windows: ten stores in Jakarta, Cirebon and Manado, three weeks for the whole process. Arena Corp.: installed by the instructions on the mock-up, on the specified date.
From you — Mall access rules and install windows for every location.
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The projects behind this article
The rest of the seasonal work the calendar above was read from — find each one in the archive.
Find it in Frank & Co projectsFrank & Co
Find it in Frank & Co projectsFrank & Co
Find it in Arena Corp. projectsArena Corp.
Find it in Lumine projectsLumine
Find it in Passion Jewelry projectsPassion Jewelry
Find it in Passion Jewelry projectsPassion Jewelry
Find it in Verde projectsVerde
Find it in Fashionlink projectsFashionlink
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Also worth reading
Retainer or project? Read the shape of the work
The word retainer is on some recurring work and not on the rest. What both look like in VMID’s own project posts.Proposed article — reading to be confirmed by VMID
Read the article
Jewellery windows: design the riser too
In jewellery the riser is designed, not just bought. What VMID’s jewellery posts show when you line them up.Proposed article — reading to be confirmed by VMID
Read the article
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Who is answering
Not a printing vendor with a blog. We design it, build it, install it in the store, and train the people who keep it standing — and the projects behind every article are open on this site.
Draft — to be confirmed by VMID
VMID (PT. Menata Ritel Indonesia) has been a full-service visual merchandising agency since 2016, working across Indonesia and into Asia — more than 1,000 projects for over 100 brands.
08/ Start a project
Tell us the season, the stores, and the date.
That is enough to start working the calendar backwards.
Some of what the brief asks
- brand & retail category
- city
- type of work
- number of stores
- when it has to be live