Melissa Gray, Showroom Designer – Merchandising
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at SANIPEX GROUP.
Hello, I’m Melissa – and I’ve been a part of SANIPEX GROUP for seven years. My current role is showroom designer for merchandising, and before this, I had the privilege of working in both retail and marketing within the company.
Can you tell us about your shift from retail to your current role, and what does a typical day look like for you?
In 2016, I began my journey with BAGNODESIGN UK in retail, then marketing for the next three years. During this time I contributed to the visual merchandising, managed two showroom refurbishments and two exhibition stands, which set the stage for my current role. In marketing I created graphics and written content, so I was still able to work closely with the products. I then relocated to Dubai in 2019, continued marketing with SANIPEX GROUP, and transitioned to lighting merchandising in 2021 before taking on the role of showroom designer in 2022.
As a showroom designer, I manage all displays across the SANIPEX GALLERY, BAGNODESIGN, and AQUAZONE showrooms in the Middle East. It’s like solving a puzzle – finding the balance between communicating our design intent while showing off a plethora of design aesthetics.
Every day is different. I travel to our showrooms, review and oversee displays, and chat with our retail teams to understand what the customer is asking for. Recognising the diversity of the market is key to tailoring each showroom accordingly. I also collaborate with category and brand managers to plan our displays based on new product arrivals.