Evolution of Mannequins:
The word Mannequin is derived from the Dutch Mannekijn, which literally means little man.It is a life-size, articulated doll, especially used to demonstrate the arrangement of drapery. The history of Mannequins starts from 1800s when dress makers used a wooden headless form to display their clothing. These were made of wood and their feet were made of iron so that they stand firmly. Paper Mache was used to give to give them a proper shape.
In the mid 1970s, Mannequin Modeling was made famous by New York City's Major Flagship Department Store Abraham& Straus aka A&S, which was located in Downtown Brooklyn. Mannequin Modeling,is a human model posing as a mannequin figure. This marked the beginning of the art of window display. With the evolution of window displays, the role of mannequins has gained a positive momentum in the retail world. In New York, a sculptor named Lester Gaba created a plaster mannequin called Cynthia, which was very much life like. Cynthia initiated the beginning of a new era of making lifelike mannequins.
Mannequins in the Retail Industry:
The success of a retail business mainly depends on creation of a good clothing environment which depends on an appealing display design. The prevailing situation of cut-throat competition has increased the stress of window display in the retail stores. This art of displaying mannequins in an appealing way in the retail outlets is known as Visual Merchandising. This has now become inevitable in any retail business and more particularly for retailers in clothing business.No one can resist the temptation of a beautiful dress when it can be seen draped admirably on a body. It is a make-believe way of salesmanship.
Window display resulted in a new attitude among consumers called window gazing. Window gazing became a popular past time, and while Window display evolved into Visual Merchandising, Window gazing was eventually termed "Window shopping." Almost every clothing store has a minimum of one mannequin found in the front windows of stores at the mall to display the store's latest fashions. It gives the finishing touch of the display arrangement in a retail store.
Creative arrangement on the Retail floor:
Different types of mannequin are available currently to suit the requirements of the retailers. Men, ladies,children, and even animal mannequins are made in a variety of body sections.Necks, heads, legs, hands, and just torsos can be adjusted to cater the needs of a specific clothing display. Proper positioning of the mannequin will attract consumers towards the shop and eventually in an increase in sales. In the section where children's clothes are sold, family mannequins of father,mother, and child would be likable. In a display of a group of mannequins they should be arranged in such a way so as to look as if they are interacting with each other. The clothes draped on the mannequins should be of the right size and choice so as to make the display more eye-catching.
As retail gets into a tailspin,the spotlight is slowly shifting from the product to the place of action where the art of visual merchandising starts and mannequins come into limelight. They are the most successful sales format for retailers, and so it is required that proper care should be taken to position them in an effective way.
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