Charles Men’s Shop

A Window Into Giving thanks

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With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many people will begin to consider what they are thankful for. For some, this may be the extra slice of pumpkin pie that they scarf down at the dinner table. I however would like to take this opportunity to state how thankful I am for everyone who has contributed to my success and well being at Genesee Community College thus far. If it were not for the careful guidance I have received from my professors, Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart, as well as from a variety of other faculty members at Genesee Community College, I would not be nearly as capable as I am today.

That being said, though Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks as the name suggests, some individuals view gathering for this holiday to be another instance in which a large family brawl may occur. These specific instances of family in-fighting at Thanksgiving dinner is what I drew my inspiration from for my latest window display at Charles Men’s Shop in Batavia. I came up with the concept of the display window acting as an actual window into a family home at Thanksgiving. I wanted it to appear as though that the men of the family had begun to fight just as the feast was beginning. I created a small table environment set with dinner utensils to give the Thanksgiving dinner feel, as well as decorated the window with Tulle fabric which acted as window curtains. I also dressed the mannequins in various stages of outerwear to suggest that a few of the men would be leaving shortly due to the fight. I had a lot of fun coming up with the concept of this window. I felt a little kooky creating such a descriptive back-story for a window display; however, Kristen and Don from Charles Men’s Shop informed me that the most successful window displays employ the same tactics.

I feel as though I’m developing a better understanding on how to create more successful displays through the use of color, balance, focal point, and even movement. I have also started attending a Visual Display class at GCC and have found that I am able to transfer many of the concepts I am learning directly into my displays at Charles Men’s Shop. I find that learning by doing inside and outside of the classroom at Genesee Community College is helping me to further my skills and better understand where I might be headed in the future.

A New Point Of View

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Charles Men’s shop is a family owned and operated business that has been Batavia’s number one choice for fine men’s clothing since the store’s creation in 1947. The store has an excellent reputation within the local community, as well as within Genesee Community College. For these reasons, I was explicitly overjoyed when offered the opportunity to intern as a visual merchandising coordinator at Charles Men’s Shop. I considered this a great opportunity to improve my skills within designing window displays, as I am set to take the visual display class in the next eight-week session at GCC.

Maggie's First Window Display at Charles Men's Shop.

Maggie’s First Window Display at Charles Men’s Shop.

Before going into set up my first window display I had very little experience doing any task of this kind. I was terrified of failing or of letting anyone down. I researched hours-upon-hours, looking at different color palettes popular for fall menswear, as well as observing a variety of window displays online. I took advice from anywhere I could get it; I was told to find a theme or direction in order to make the execution of my vision easier. I also spoke to Maggie, a current freshman in the Fashion Business Merchandising program at GCC, and current visual merchandising intern at Charles Men’s Shop. Maggie had told me that her first window theme would center around indoor fall theming which she phrased as, “Antiqued fall elegance.” Maggie captured her vision perfectly within her window space.

I however took an alternate route. I executed a theme inspired by the outdoor beauty of fall and the sense of community it can create through local sporting events and other active interests. I received a plethora of support and guidance from the Men’s shop staff, Kristen and Don, as well as from my fashion professors, Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart. I was appreciative of any constructive criticism or suggestions they had for me, as I felt lost in this brand new world. I’m still finding my way when it comes to creating displays for Charles Men’s Shop; recently I took on the task of creating a table display as well.

My First Table Display at Charles Men's Shop.

My First Table Display at Charles Men’s Shop.

Though I find this job to be challenging, I am interested and excited to strengthen valuable and necessary skill-sets within myself. If it were not for the excellent professors and connections I have access to at Genesee Community College I may never had earned an opportunity of this caliber. I am incredibly grateful to have this chance to grow, and cannot wait to see where this opportunity takes me in the not-so-far future.