A mannequin is a doll that was used by artists and tailors in shop windows. Basically, mannequins are used to show different clothes, fabrics and textiles. Previously, the English term mannequin referred to human models and museums. In addition to being used in the fashion industry, clothing mannequins can also be used to display jewelry. In this article, we will analyze the dress mannequin, so stay with us at the end of the article on Khosravi’s mannequin.
What is a dress mannequin?
Mannequin is derived from the French word Mannequin, which means “artist’s detailed model”, which comes from the Flemish word manneken, which means “little man, statue”. Fashion shops in Paris ordered the dolls from merchants in Flanders, which was regionally the easiest region to import the mannequins from.
The history of clothing mannequins
Shop mannequins are derived from tailor’s mannequins used by fashion houses to sew clothes. Mannequins have been used since the 15th century. A miniature mannequin or “small mannequin” is used to show fashion to customers.
Full-scale wicker mannequins were used in the mid-18th century. Wire or metal mannequins were made in Paris in 1835. The first female mannequin was made of paper in the 19th century in France. But later mannequins were made of wax to make them look more realistic.
Today’s mannequins are made of different materials, the main ones being fiberglass and plastic. Fiberglass mannequins are generally more expensive than plastic mannequins and are usually not durable, their durability is low. Do not forget that the plastic mannequin is a relatively new innovation.
Buying clothes mannequins
Mannequins are mainly used by retailers as an in-store display or window dressing, however, many online sellers also use them to display their product photos from a clothing mannequin. While the classic female mannequins have smaller to medium breasts, manufacturers are now selling mannequins with very narrow waists that look against the natural human anatomy.
Different types of clothing mannequins in the fashion industry:
1) Abstract mannequin
Abstract mannequins are famous for their detail in stores. To make these mannequins special, they use facial features. Of course, they have some other features such as muscles, elbows and nails. You can see the best results of clothes on these types of mannequins. The material of the abstract mannequin is made of glass fibers.
2) Realistic mannequins
Mannequins are designed to resemble a real person. These mannequins are made of fiberglass skin to simulate human skin and look more realistic. These mannequins are mostly used in expensive stores. The head of this mannequin is covered with a wig, which gives them a formal or informal look.
3) Headless mannequins
The feature of these types of mannequins is that they are a very good option for displays with limited ceiling height. The material of this type of mannequin is fiberglass, which is available in different sizes, shapes, colors and modes. The fiberglass construction adjusts the durability and their necks are usually smooth. Male and female headless fashion mannequins can show off a variety of outfits well because they show no emotion.
4) Bust mannequin:
They are compact, easy to transport and widely available. It can be seen that some bust mannequins have the option of attaching the body, so they can be attached if needed and only the upper part of the dress is well displayed. One of the characteristics of these mannequins is that they are efficient in places where there are several mannequins and individual clothing lines must be prominent and clear.
The importance of clothing mannequins in fashion retail
This type of mannequin is used in the retail sale of goods. Therefore, in fashion retail, visual display of goods can have a great impact on sales and can also be a better option than mannequins to display products.
Mannequins are nothing more than models of the human body used by retailers to display their products. Retailers have different techniques for displaying their products to attract potential buyers. Therefore, buying mannequins in this way helps retailers sell their products to attract customers to their stores.
Buy a mannequin
The characteristic of mannequins is that they come out of the shop window. They entice customers to take a look as they pass through the store. There are many ways to promote your brand and sell them. Clothing mannequins are used as one of these methods to display goods. When a customer passes by a store, they first see the store window and then make a purchase decision. Mannequins give value to goods. They draw attention to the store’s collection and invite customers to buy clothes and thus earn money for the store.
Since years past, mannequins have been used as one of the valuable tools in the apparel retail business. When the clothes are placed on the mannequin for display in the store. The customer can see all the details of the clothes before entering the store. If the mannequins can impress and attract the customers with their beauty and the clothes they wear, it becomes very easy to sell the retailer’s goods.