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RETAIL FOCUS OPINION PIECE
The Evolution of Mannequins
Adrian Coe, Director & Sculptor - Universal Display; Cofounder - Iconeme
When I began sculpting mannequins for the retail industry more than 20 years ago, I could never have predicted that today I would be configuring my designs to include a piece of technology that would allow them to communicate directly with shoppers, via their mobile phones. This recent advancement, which allows retailers to transmit information about the clothes on display via beacon technology, further increases the importance of the mannequin’s role in enticing customers into a store. In fact, it is one of the most significant steps forward in mannequin design since these life-like forms were first used in window displays back in the 1930s.
When the New York-based sculptor,
Lester Gaba
, created a life-like mannequin called ‘Cynthia’ in 1932, which included ‘imperfections’ like freckles, it was ground-breaking at the time and signified the beginning of a new era for visual merchandising, where realistic mannequins were widely adopted by retailers. This trend continued, and it’s only in the last few years that there has really been a rapid decline in the use of, and demand for, realistic mannequins. Retailers are now commissioning sculptors, like myself, to create more aesthetically targeted forms, which allow the customer greater interpretation as to how the clothes might fit on themselves.
For us at
Universal Display
and
Iconeme
, we are continually evolving and changing our designs to be at the forefront of these new trends. We produce ranges of mannequins each year, but our focus has sharpened to the retailers who now increasingly request bespoke designs. We know mannequins interact on a visceral level, the body language and pose can convey the attitude and ethos of a retailer like no other display form, and as such, the demand for a unique look is ever increasing.
Furthermore, as technology weaves its way into every industry, it’s no surprise that the retail sector is also experiencing this shift. One major change is that customers are now shopping in a different way - using their mobile devices while in store to check items, prices and other details, as they browse. And this is where the idea for beacon-enabled mannequins started. We wanted to allow retailers to engage with consumers directly as they shop in store, via the mannequins on display.
By using the Iconeme app, customers can now receive information from mannequins in selected retailers, including clothing prices, where items can be found in store and offers. This is a big shift for retailers, as mannequins are now becoming interactive rather than passive displays, providing a bridge between the offline and online worlds. Mannequins can now ‘greet’ shoppers as they enter a store and provide them with nearly as much information about the looks on display as a sales assistant could. As the ‘Internet of Things’ casts its influence in the retail world, it’s an exciting time and we believe that right now is a key moment in the evolution of the mannequin.
Click on Here to see the Retail Focus Article.
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