Hello! I am Narayanankutty Nair!
About Me
I am Narayanankutty Nair, a Design and Visual Merchandising Leader with over 25 years of global experience across 22+ countries. My career began in 1995 as one of the first visual merchandisers at Shoppers Stop in Bangalore, transitioning from an advertising background — a move that launched a dynamic journey in retail, branding, and customer experience.
Over the years, I've worked across diverse formats including MBO/EBO (flagship stores, big-box retailers) , specialty stores, pop-up concepts, and e-commerce platforms. I bring deep expertise in brand storytelling, graphic communication, retail strategy, and team development.
Currently, I serve as Project Leader – Interior Fitouts at Identity Retail Innovation Private Limited, where I lead creative and strategic initiatives in store design, visual merchandising, and brand experience.
I live in Bangalore, India, with my wife and son. I’m a strategic yet intuitive leader who believes in collaborative growth, creative clarity, and delivering results that connect with customers and reflect brand values.
With over 25 years of experience, I bring a rare combination of design leadership, brand strategy, and hands-on execution excellence to every project.
Here’s what sets me apart:
- Global Retail Expertise :
- Visual Merchandising Leadership :
- Brand Strategy & Graphic Communication :
- Digital & E-commerce Savvy :
- Team Development & Stakeholder Collaboration :
- Vendor Sourcing & Project Management :
- Training & Knowledge Sharing :
Successfully led store rollouts, rebuilds, and VM strategies across 22+ countries, adapting global brand guidelines to local markets while maintaining visual consistency.
I’ve planned and executed store build-ups, rebuilds, and concept rollouts under tight timelines in diverse markets. From layout planning to final implementation, I ensure every detail aligns with both brand standards and customer expectations.
Developed and implemented annual VM calendars, ensuring alignment with commercial plans and customer journeys. Skilled in space planning, layout design, signage systems, and typography.
Designed multi-channel graphic communication plans that support brand identity, commercial campaigns, and omnichannel customer experiences — blending print, digital, and environmental design.
Experienced in online merchandising, UI/UX visuals, and using AI tools for design collaboration , ensuring consistent brand presence across physical and digital touchpoints.
Built and mentored multicultural teams across multiple regions, partnering closely with Sales, Marketing, HR, Logistics, and Store Operations to drive alignment and execution excellence.
Identified reliable vendors, sourced materials locally, and managed timelines and budgets to deliver high-impact projects on time and within scope.
As an online tutor within IKEA, I’ve trained visual merchandisers and graphic designers across multiple markets, helping them grow professionally while raising overall store performance.
I believe great visual merchandising is not just about aesthetics — it’s about storytelling, customer connection, and business impact.
- VM Calendar Planning & Execution
- Graphic Communication & Typography
- Branding & Brand Strategy
- Store Layout & Space Planning
- Creative Direction & Concept Development
- Team Leadership & Coaching
- Vendor & Project Management
- Digital & E-commerce Experience
- AI Tools for Design & Collaboration
Actively integrate AI tools like MidJourney, DALL·E, Runway, Canva AI, Jasper, and others into my creative workflow to:
- Generate concept visuals, mood boards, and store layout ideas
- Create AI-assisted illustrations, logos, product mockups, and campaign visuals
- Use AI video tools (like Runway or Pictory) for quick content creation, storytelling, and team training
- Collaborate with AI by giving structured prompts and iterative feedback to refine results
- Streamline copywriting, SEO content, and social media creatives using AI writing assistants
Create and implement annual visual merchandising calendars aligned with business priorities and seasonal trends.
Design compelling in-store and digital visuals with strong typographic principles to guide customer behavior and enhance brand clarity.
Develop and maintain cohesive brand identities through visual language, tone of voice, and spatial design.
Optimize store layouts for flow, product visibility, and customer engagement, ensuring balance between commercial messaging and aesthetic appeal.
Lead ideation and execution of visual themes, window displays, and campaign visuals that align with brand direction and market insights.
Recruit, train, and mentor visual merchandisers and graphic designers, building capable, motivated, and future-ready teams.
Manage vendor relationships, material sourcing, budgeting, and timelines for large-scale store builds, rebuilds, and seasonal changes.
Apply digital merchandising techniques and AI-powered tools to ensure seamless integration of visual storytelling across online and offline channels.
I believe in leveraging AI as a creative partner, not just a tool — combining human intuition with machine efficiency to produce impactful, scalable outcomes.
Visual merchandising
Retail Project Mangement
Branding & Marketing
Graphic Design
Store Design
Leadership & People
E-Commerce Merchandising
Searh Engine Optimization
Digital Marketing
Google analytics
Stores and Projects:
Life style-Home: IKEA - 18 store builds in as many countries
Life style-Fashion: Shoppers' Stop, Bangalore
POP UP stores: 5 in 3 countries
Hypermarkets: More Mega stores -2 stores
Specialty stores (watches, fashion accessiories): 5 stores - Dubai
Spec: More Mega stores -2 stores
Here are some of my expertise
Visual merchandising
All around expertise in all visual merchandising. Starting with media selection, VM red-thread, creation of planograms, sketching, elevations and complete execution of the VM projects. Have done many visual merchandising projects involving multi-country, multi-cultural teams.
Branding & Marketing
Well experienced all aspects of brand design, logo, leaflet, banner, brochure and other brand materials. Have planned and implemented many brand marketing activities for reputed brands.
E-commerce & Search engine optimization
Well versed with online merchandising activities, online marketing, Pay Per Click advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing and analytics using Google, SEMRUSH & Alexa
Retail Project Management
Complete project management expertise from planning to execution. Including creation of project plan, timelines, BOQ's, costing, sourcing & vendor selection. Have completed multi-country projects with on-site and remote off-site management involving large teams.
VM Strategy Documents & Guidelines
Developed yearly, quarterly and seasonal visual merchandising strategy documents & brand guidelines. This in allignment with the brand objectives, organizational business plan and by knowing our customers.
People & Leadership
Proven skills in team building, collaborative leadership, "Leading for change". I am a mentor, tutor and coach, an active partner in developing specialist team members, building competence within the team.
Recent Projects in VM, Graphics, and Store Communication
Get in Touch!
Do you want to know more about visual merchandising, retail branding or marketing?
Hire head visual merchandiser/retail project leader / design director ?