Setting the Seasonal Stage
Editorial layout design for Coach’s Global Visual Merchandising Guidelines
2019
As design lead for the Global Visual Merchandising Guidelines at Coach, I created various editorial-style layouts. These pages opened each monthly guideline with inspiration, storytelling, and mood, giving store teams a clear sense of the collection's narrative before diving into product placement details.
The Challenge
There was a need for a way to connect the strategy of store presentation with the heart of the collection — helping global teams understand the story behind the product, not just where it should go. My task was to craft visually rich, editorial-style spreads that would feel elevated, aspirational, and on-brand while still being informative and easy to digest.
My Role & What I Created
As the design lead, I:
Designed editorial-style seasonal introduction pages for the monthly visual merchandising guidelines.
Created visuals that communicated the seasonal mood, product inspiration, and key collaborations.
Paired striking photography and elegant typography to create a strong emotional hook.
Ensured layouts flowed seamlessly into the more structured VM instruction pages that followed.
Tools Used
Adobe InDesign (layout + editorial formatting)
Adobe Illustrator (type treatments and layout elements)
Adobe Photoshop (photo editing and asset prep)
The Outcome
These pages set the tone for each global VM guide and were praised for adding depth, clarity, and emotion to an otherwise technical document. They helped regional teams translate product strategy into local storytelling, improving brand cohesion, seasonal alignment, and engagement across global markets.
Design Note
I always enjoyed working on this part of the guidelines, where creativity and structure meet. I loved designing something that not only looked beautiful but also carried intention and helped teams feel more connected to the season’s story. It reminded me that good design doesn’t just instruct, it inspires.