DT598 - Visual Merchandising and Display DIT

RoseanneB

Got into VM & Display today! Was my first choice, absolutely delighted! Anyone else in?

PurpleVintage

Hey, I really don't know where to ask this but could anyone tell me if this course caters window dressing (for fashion)? Also, what exactly is required for the portfolio. The website is extremely vague and shows no examples of what is required.

RoseanneB

Hey I'm in first year now, I know the DIT website is very vague. Basically what we do is window display for fashion, homewares and pretty much anything else you can think of. We do classes like, strategies in visual merchandising, theory of vm, drawing, communications, business and autocad. It's a full time course, like about 28 hours a week. We're given briefs for projects and we do something for the project in every class, the project is always a window display (these are done in a room in the college which is kitted out with empty shop windows)

As for the portfolio, I did not do a portfolio course but I got 600/600 in my portfolio for this particular course as I aimed it for this course only. I did a small visual notebook where I threw together a few ideas for windows and some good drawings that I've done over the years. For my main (size A2) portfolio, I began it with lots of pictures of good window displays in stores in town and also from online. I then went on to do a page of research for my window display idea and then one page of it drawn out and complete. I did about 5 of these. They were nowhere near perfect but they got my ideas across and were my own original ideas.

I recommend putting in some text explaining the concept for each of your ideas too, and be sure that everything is laid out very clearly and neatly. The portfolio will set you back a fair amount of money, from buying fancy papers to use in it etc. but it's totally worth it if you put the effort in.

I hope this helped feel free to mail my account x

PurpleVintage

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Great job on getting in with full marks! I didn't expect the portfolio to be that specific... the thing is, i'm actually applying for NCAD, so my portfolio is centered around it, I'm not even anywhere closed to finish with that brief, let alone have time to make another portfolio for another course. This course is my 2nd option, since it's the closest thing I can find to fashion styling. Completely lost as to what to do now.

Thank you so much for the reply though! I'll be sure to mail you if I have more questions

RoseanneB

No worries! One thing I will say is that one of my lecturers told us that they see a lot of ncad portfolios and they can always tell that they are going by that brief. And that they like to see something a little different. If you're hoping for this course but don't have time to do a whole portfolio based on it, I would defo consider doing even a section of your portfolio on it, like even a few A2 pages they just want to make sure that the people who get in are the people who really want the course, so just make sure to show a good interest!

jodie_28

how long did it take you to make your portfolio
i have no idea where to start with it either

RoseanneB

6 weeks, bear in mind that I was up til 2 and 3 every night and I missed a fair amount of school for it. My guidance counsellor always said the portfolio is more important than the leaving cert

jodie_28

thanks im in 5th year so I have a good bit of time but I want to start it now so Im not stressed next year. I have no idea where to start at all though everyone else I know doing portfolios is doing ncad brief so im all confused

RoseanneB

I would start by going out into town or wherever and taking pictures of windows and in store displays that you find good, quirky or different or that sell their product well. From that I'd gather together info from visual merchandising Internet sites and start trying to put together some window ideas arnotts windows at the moment would be a great thing to have documented in a portfolio, they're really good

jodie_28

RoseanneB wrote: »

I would start by going out into town or wherever and taking pictures of windows and in store displays that you find good, quirky or different or that sell their product well. From that I'd gather together info from visual merchandising Internet sites and start trying to put together some window ideas arnotts windows at the moment would be a great thing to have documented in a portfolio, they're really good

Thanks so do you write about them like why they work

emmettwalsh

hey so i got into visual merchandising and displey in dit and i see that there is business studies and communications and i would not be strong at those two subjects would this be a big disadvantage to me ?

G_R

Subjects are generally taught from a "No Knowledge Assumed" basis - meaning they'll cover everything.

You may need to spend a little extra time on some things that you mightn't have heard of before but it will definitely be doable.

Congrats btw!

Nora115

RoseanneB wrote: »

Hey I'm in first year now, I know the DIT website is very vague. Basically what we do is window display for fashion, homewares and pretty much anything else you can think of. We do classes like, strategies in visual merchandising, theory of vm, drawing, communications, business and autocad. It's a full time course, like about 28 hours a week. We're given briefs for projects and we do something for the project in every class, the project is always a window display (these are done in a room in the college which is kitted out with empty shop windows)

As for the portfolio, I did not do a portfolio course but I got 600/600 in my portfolio for this particular course as I aimed it for this course only. I did a small visual notebook where I threw together a few ideas for windows and some good drawings that I've done over the years. For my main (size A2) portfolio, I began it with lots of pictures of good window displays in stores in town and also from online. I then went on to do a page of research for my window display idea and then one page of it drawn out and complete. I did about 5 of these. They were nowhere near perfect but they got my ideas across and were my own original ideas.

I recommend putting in some text explaining the concept for each of your ideas too, and be sure that everything is laid out very clearly and neatly. The portfolio will set you back a fair amount of money, from buying fancy papers to use in it etc. but it's totally worth it if you put the effort in.

I hope this helped feel free to mail my account x

Hi! You must have finished by now, but could you tell me how many hours per week did you have to attend classes? All you say sounds great but I don't know if I can afford not working while studying.... thanks