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Mannequin
A mannequin (also called a manikin, dummy, lay
figure or dress form) is an often articulated doll used by
artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others
especially to display or fit clothing.

Mannequin comes from the French word mannequin, which

had acquired the meaning "an artist's jointed model", which
in turn came from the Flemish word manneken, meaning
"little man, figurine". In early use in the United Kingdom, it
referred to fashion models themselves, the meaning as a
dummy dating from the start of World War II.
The Beginning
 The first mannequins are documented to go as far back as
the 15th century and they were used to display fashion
items to customers, just as today. They had a miniature
form, reason for which they were called "milliners'
mannequins". Further along the path of time, namely in
the mid-18th century, in Paris, mannequins become full
scale and are made from wicker and wire.

In France, at the middle of the 19 century, the first ever paper

mache mannequin came to life. Later on, the preferred
material for making mannequins became wax, because it
gave them a more lifelike appearance. Soon enough, by
1920, the wax used to make the mannequins was
substituted with plaster, offering more durability.
 As technology progressed, mannequins also evolved and
now they can be crafted from a wide variety of materials,
but the most important ones remain fiberglass(1940) and
plastic. The difference between these two is the production
cost and overall appearance, thus, fiberglass mannequins
which are much more realistic, are more expensive than the
plastic ones.
 During the 1980s and 1990s, for example, the faceless and
headless mannequins became more popular and much
more affordable because they don't require hair and make-
up.
Types of Mannequins

 There are quite a few types and styles of mannequins to discuss,

that’s why we’ve split them into two categories mainly, namely
style and functionality, so let’s see what they’re about:
The 4 Most Common Types of Mannequins
Realistic Mannequins
They are called realistic, natural or life like for a very specific
reason, that being this type of mannequin depicts a human face
and body most accurately. Also the fiberglass skin resembles that
of a human being. It is tailored only for a specific size, the make-
up on them is in general permanent and the wigs are perfectly
styled.
These mannequins are used mostly in high-end retail stores and
of course come in both female and male versions.
 Semi-realistic: Do not have as much detailing as
realistic mannequins, but they do have all the
basic human features.
 Abstract Mannequins
This type of mannequin is highly appreciated due to its
minimalist design. Abstract mannequins are the
contemporary pieces of art displayed in retail stores all
over the world. In general, features such as muscles,
fingernails, some facial characteristics, elbows and so
on, are not sculpted, the end result being a modern
fiberglass sculpture.
They also are fairly tall, they have beautiful poses and of
course come in male and female versions, in different
colors and with a glossy or matte finish.
 Headless Mannequins
Headless mannequins are perfect for stores that have a
limited height of the ceiling. They are crafted from
fiberglass and come in different shapes, sizes, poses,
colors and finishes but all are beautifully crafted. The
neck is generally long and cut straight and their
fiberglass construct ensures durability over long
periods of time. They can be used to showcase any
type of clothing because they don’t express any
emotion and of course represent both genders.
Mannequin Styles By Audience
 Bodies that come in all shapes and sizes need to be
showcased in stores all over the world and plus size
mannequins do exactly that. They offer customers a
realistic view of the clothing they want to buy and
helps them create a more accurate mental image of
what they look like in that specific item on the
mannequin.
There are multiple sizes of mannequins that can help
make your customers feel more at home and much
more comfortable with their own bodies.
 Pregnant Mannequins
Mommy shoppers need a special kind of attention, so
it is clear that if store sells maternity clothing items
then they should showcase them on pregnant
mannequins. These types of mannequins are high
quality and always show great emotions. Help
mothers-to-be by showing them how good your
clothes will look on them, which assured that they will
thank properly, by spending money in the store.
 Children Mannequins
Children mannequins are very big in this industry, they
show parents how items of clothing would look on
their precious bundles of joys. It gives store a great
advantage over the competitors. Child mannequins
can come in three forms, namely baby, child and
teenager which allow companies to display their
merchandise.
Mannequin Style By Pose /
Audience
 Sexy Mannequins
The sexy mannequins are hyper realistic and are for
specific stores only, these include lingerie retail stores and
adult shops. They are constructed from high quality
fiberglass, are sculpted in great detail and have detachable
limbs in order to ease the process of dressing and
undressing, they also come mostly in female form.
These gorgeous mannequins have voluptuous forms and
come in very provocative and lascivious poses, all in other
to get the customer in to the “mood” of shopping for some
sexy apparel.
Sports Mannequins
 As in the case of the sexy mannequins we discussed
above, sport mannequins come as realistic, headless or
abstract, in various colors and in very specific poses.
Some might be set while running while others come in
yoga poses, playing golf or soccer. Indifferent of their
posture, they are the perfect display mannequins for
sports retailers.
Mannequin Style By Color
Black Mannequins
These specific display mannequins are in general abstract
mannequins that have a glossy or matte finish. They are
purchased and displayed by high end retailers and are very
flashy, yet classy and contemporary. Black mannequins look
fantastic in almost anything so give them a shot.

Chrome Mannequins
 Chrome display mannequins are absolutely dazzling, they are so
shiny and show off such graceful postures that they are a must for
modern retailers. Besides their power to enchant customers
anywhere they are placed. Chrome mannequins are made from
fiberglass and come as abstract mannequins or as mannequin
torsos, in both genders.
Having a chrome mannequin is like showcasing a silver doll in the
store.
 Gold Mannequins
Gold display mannequins give off the idea of luxury,
because they look like a million dollars. They generally are
abstract mannequins with all the features that come with
them.
 Other Color Mannequins
Custom color mannequins - they are absolutely gorgeous
and while they mostly fit in the abstract category and have
the same features as the rest of them, these in general are
custom made and rather pricey. Also in this color theme we
can discuss a little about hand painted mannequins which
have something similar to a tattoo on their bodies, but
again, these too are custom made.
Mannequin Types By Functionality
 Dress forms
Also known as tailor’s dummies and mannequins, dress
forms are used for fashion design. These are professional
products that come in a variety of forms and sizes, some
even having special features that help the dressmakers
create the perfect items of clothing for their customers.
They can also be used in retail stores to create fantastic
displays and effects.
The special features we mentioned earlier include collapsible
shoulders to make it easier to remove clothing items from
it. Moreover they can have adjustable height, rolling bases
to help with moving around, magnetic shoulders which
allow for the adding of arms, some are even expandable
which aid in the making of various sizes.
Ghost Mannequins
 Also known as photography mannequins or invisible, these
exquisite types are absolutely fantastic for retailers,
photographers or whoever might need them. This
bestseller type of mannequin is very popular nowadays
because they focus strictly on the customer, they can
imagine how the item of clothing looks on them without
being distracted by the rest of the mannequin.
Their fantastic advantage, besides the fact that they come in
both genders, is that they have multiple removable parts to
make the clothes seem like they just float. These removable
parts include multiple neck layers either v shaped or round,
arms, hands, legs, and some parts of the torso.
 Standalone Mannequin Parts
 Neck pieces:
Mannequin necklace displays stands are perfect for jewellery
stores because they represent the upper part of the torso.
They come either in the form of the torso from the waist up
with no arms or head, or in some cases with half of the face,
Velvet, plastic, foam or various types of canvases are used to
create this particular type of mannequin part.
 Hands & arms:
Mannequin hands and arms are used to display rings and
bracelets or other types of jewellery, gloves, and they can also
be used by nail artists to exercise their craft. They can have a
stiff hand, that comes in a preset pose or they can have all the
finger joints so it can move the fingers. Mannequin display
hands and arms come in various lengths and are made from
various materials such as plastic, wood, high density foam
and so on. The hand poses are perfect for displaying tasteful
rings and bracelets, most of them being very graceful and
almost inviting.
 Legs:
These mannequin legs are generally used to display stockings
because they begin from the mid-thigh area and continue down
to the foot. It doesn’t matter what kind of stocking you sell, leg
mannequins can showcase any type of stocking and socks.
 Calf:
Calf mannequin are used to display leg bracelets or anklets, high
heels and boots.
 Foot:
Foot mannequins are those that begin from the ankle and
continue down. They can be flat to help showcase or designed to
fit into high heels. Also they can be made from a wide variety of
materials, can come in multiple colors and with various designs.
 Torso Mannequins
Torso mannequins are
widely available, easy
to transport and can be
made from hard
plastic. This is also the
building block for any
type of mannequin,
sometimes having the
possibility to attach
arms, legs and heads.
They are also more
economical than other
mannequin options.
Handling Mannequins
 TIPS TO HANDLE MANNEQUINS
• Always change the mannequin garments in the changing/trial
room.

• Accessorize the display with the right props and accessories.

• Ensure the display garment is next to or near the display point.

• Arrange garments size-wise and color-wise on fixtures nearby.

• Ensure the availability of the merchandise displayed on the

mannequin(s).
• At all times, avoid lighting up the mannequin’s face.

• Chest lighting is the preferred technique. This not only shows

off the colour and the detailing of a garment, but also softly
illuminates the mannequin’s face.

• Outfit a mannequin the way customer would want to look, color

coordinated and correct size.

• Outfit mannequins with only that merchandise which is stocked

(size and quantity).

• price tags.
Thank you