Paul Rupert Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, United States

Director of Visual Merchandising for Sunnyside Dispensaries

Costa Mesa, California, United States

- Managed Visual Merchandising and Field Marketing teams for the marketplace, inclusive of owned retail, showrooms and wholesale accounts across North America. Teams supported 500+ retail locations and 250+ wholesale accounts.- Led end to end seasonal marketing and visual merchandising strategy with a focus on delivering best-in-class retail environments and memorable product presentations. - Established strong cross-functional partnerships with Buying, Planning, Allocation and Retail Operations and together executed monthly plans that delivered against company goals and initiatives.Orchestrated strategic planning and execution for all New Store Openings, Pop-Ups, Showrooms, Special Projects and Retail events. - Led transformational process changes that impacted how 500+ retail locations received their monthly floor set documents, moving from a physical document to a digital format, resulting in almost $500k in annual savings and making a positive impact on the environment.- Led retail testing in stores with an emphasis on physical and digital innovation, brand excellence and creating elevated consumer experiences that lead to financial ROIs. Delivered an increase of 300% in product category sales through the consumer category testing strategy supporting Vans MTE product collections.- Trained field teams on key brand messages, brand standards and best practices for adapting directed floor set communication to unique store environments and custom retail spaces.

- Oversee all Brand Showcase and Boutique locations while developing the point of view for Pinnacle retail expressions through the Vans lens.- Create, manage and plan all seasonal marketing and visual merchandising, partnering with regional and global Marketing and Creative teams to bring the most aspirational expression of the brand to life in pinnacle doors.- Communication liaison for all marketing and merchandising updates to field teams; oversee Field Visual Merchandisers in key markets to ensure visual and sales expectations are met.- Partner with regional buying teams on seasonal initiatives, key stories, strategies behind pinnacle product launches; communicate with Global VM partners to identify best practices across the globe.- Develop training guidelines unique to elevated/pinnacle retail doors to create differentiation in the marketplace within owned environments; travel to key markets to oversee key installations and host training modules with retail teams.

Chicago, Illinois

- Managed the planning and execution of all product presentation and merchandising direction for Chicago-based global flagship spanning 27,000 sq.ft. of selling space. - Reported into Store Director to ensure business expectations are met. Supported with extended lines to Sr. Product Presentation Manager and VP of Creative Services based in New York corporate offices. - Oversaw presentation for all Men’s and Women’s Sportswear, Clothing, Collection, Accessories, and Children’s merchandising focuses, as well as product knowledge and training to sales professionals.- Partnered with Creative Services department on Window updates, interior decor, and mannequin styling.

Greater Chicago Area

- Oversaw visual merchandising for wholesale division ensuring brand image is consistent throughout the Chicago market. - Partnered with wholesale corporate teams to develop merchandising strategies, training seminars, and customized initiatives to increase sales. - Developed 2 flagship locations from an $800,000 average annual volume to achieve sales of $1M+ through strategic merchandising plans, impactful training seminars, and observation and analysis of consumer trends. - Oversaw brand image for 8 departments by merchandising three brand labels (Men’s Sportswear, Men’s Denim, and Women’s Handbags) across four top door locations. - Reported into Senior Visual Manager and Regional Field Manager by communicating visual image directive and sales updates on a daily to weekly basis through photo recaps and analyzed sales reports. - Traveled to West and Northeast markets with corporate Visual Managers to implement seasonal brand image directive installs, product launches to elevate brand awareness. - Partnered with district wholesale account leadership to maintain and grow business by planning multi store brand visual merchandising standards and product knowledge training seminars, PR and selling events. - Negotiated additional square footage and outpost installs to further build awareness throughout each wholesale location.- Created branded concepts through atrium and outpost displays to further enhance brand image throughout each location. - Corporate liaison between visual department and wholesale account partners, sharing brand visual guidelines, inspiration, and aesthetic within each location.

Greater New York City Area

- Oversaw 5 Flagship locations across the United States Market.- Reported Directly to the Visual Merchandising Director of North America.- With Visual Director assess key inspiration and picks focuses for overall brand image for each season to translate to the North American Market.- Led in partnering with contractors to design, source materials, and create all in-store seasonal props/window elements from aforementioned inspiration for installation throughout North America.- Oversaw implementation of all window and seasonal in store props installation throughout North American market while also partnering with European markets for window installation and in store creative directives.- Managed overall visual merchandising budget for North American Market.- Partnered with buying office with product assortment for 9 labels for each flagship location to create consistent national brand image throughout North American Market.- Created North American visual image guidelines and floor directives for product placement for all flagship locations throughout North American Market.- Managed new window installations, mannequin styling, and product landing bi-weekly to promote image for each market while also supporting visual walks with retail, buying, and PR departments.- Created and implemented all seasonal floorset directives and creative service elements to enhance brand atmospheres and image throughout flagship locations.- Managed training store visual teams on product placement, seasonal inspiration, and visual image/brand standards by creating tailored developmental plans for each visual throughout North America.- Curated corporate showroom for each department (marketing, public relations, and editorial event spaces) to support brand image, growth and furthered development of brand

New York City

New York City

- Visual Manager for Global Flag Ship location to ensure brand image.- Directly reported to Regional Visual Manager and Store General Manager.- Corporate liaison between visual office and store level management to effectively communicate visual standards and seasonal guidelines.- Executed full window and merchandising sets with visual office bi-weekly.- Coordinated monthly floor sets and window elements for global flagship locations throughout NY market.- Partnered with Regional Visual Manager to travel within NY Metro and Chicago to implement brand image directive.- Assisted in the development of North American seasonal visual guidelines to be implemented throughout via window installations, mannequin styling, and full floor merchandising.- Managed all window installations in partnership with visual office including props, and mannequin styling.- Developed and trained all onboarding leaders and associates in visual standards to ensure brand image is consistent across various store formats.

Chicago - Flagship Michigan Ave

Chicago - Michigan Ave

- Created and maintained mannequin styling throughout various collections, utilizing brand styling directive.- Reported directly to Store Creative Director.- Trained with Store Creative Directors on choosing window and merchandising elements from mannequin looks to key merchandising focuses.- Maintained window displays and interior displays weekly.- Oversaw Window dressing and prop installation changes monthly.