AX: You Make Me Feel

For my Retail Environment course project, I focused my research on Armani Exchange, specifically, the location on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. Over the span of 9 weeks, 6 visits, 3 interviews, and 2 blazers from the AX sales rack... my 35-page-paper was finally complete. From the history of Armani, to location evaluation, to target customer, to merchandise assortments, to competitons, the list goes on! I can recite Giorgio Armani's and AX's mission statements in my sleep!

This project was pretty intense, but I enjoyed every aspect of it. If you're going into Merchandise Marketing or Fashion Merchandising... it is vital that you understand the retail business environment. During the course of this assignment, I had to take myself out of a consumer's perspective and work from a retailer's and buyer's point of view.


"You Make Me Feel" was Armani Exchange's Holiday ad campaign slogan for 2008. With the concept of feeling special and making someone else feel special, AX reaches out to their customers during the holiday through a sensual, touchy-feeling, emotional approach. I have always been a loyal fan of AX - the way the tailored jackets narrow my waist and square up my shoulders... I sit a little straighter, I walk a little taller. AX makes me feel...confident, happy, luxe...

But after this project, I am feeling exhausted, sleep-deprived, and broke...

Some words of wisdom: 1.) Details, details, details!! Especially if you're taking Wallace. She's a tough grader. 2.) Pick a brand/designer/store that you actually like... or are loyal to. You'll be more passionate about this assignment and it shows during the oral presentation. 3.) Stay Organize.. it's a hefty load but if you keep your stuff together, it's be alright.