All About Mannequins

Mannequins – they come in all shapes and sizes and used for a number of different functions. Although, the most common mannequins and most well known mannequins are those that are used in clothing and department stores.

What does Mannequin mean?

The word mannequin can be dated back to a Middle Dutch word, mannekijn, which was a form of “man, person.” However, the size of man that this word typically referred to was not the life-sized models we think of today, but actually a “dwarf.” Modern Dutch used the word differently so that it was more of an “artist’s jointed model” rather than a dwarfed person. The first adoption of the artist’s mannequin word was first record in 1570 and was related to that of an easel when it came to art terminology used by Dutch painters of the time. The Dutch word today is now “manikin.” When it comes to the English language, we adopted the French version of the Dutch word making it “mannequin.” This is the most commonly used word when referring to a department store model and some live models.

The History of Mannequins

Mannequins have been used for thousands of years, but not necessarily in the capacity that most people think of when they hear the word “mannequin.” Because the royalty were always concerned about their appearance, they would have body forms built to their exact body dimensions. The dress maker or tailor would then use that form to display and make clothes so that the royal individual would not be required to go through the fitting process.

The evolution of this dress form continued from the middle ages to the industrial revolution. It is believed that the next type of mannequin to be created were in the 1700s called “Wickerwork” mannequins. These were probably filled with stuffing leather for fullness. Later, around 1835, wire framed mannequins were made in a similar manner. However, both of these mannequins were still not used for store display. The catalysts that brought mannequins to the stores were the invention of the sewing machine, plate glass and filament lamp.

In the 1880s, retail establishments began to have windows with windowpanes. Streetlights were also being put in during this time. Also, the sewing machine was making it easier for larger quantities of clothingto be produced. It was the era of the industrial revolution, which meant people had more money to spend on fashionable clothes. Something that was only available to the landed gentry and royalty in the past. This also meant more retail clothing stores could be opened and they need some manner in which they could display their clothing in their stores.

The early mannequins that were used in these retail stores were designed of wax, heavy fabric or wood. The mannequins needed to stand upright, so their feet would be made of iron and papier-mâché would be used to give the body shape. When a mannequin was completely designed and finished, they were very heavy objects. Nonetheless, stores needed these mannequins for “window trimming” due to the high interest in fashion at the time and the turn of the century. “Window trimming” would later be called “visual merchandising.”

Slowly but surely, mannequins began to take on a more “human” form. They were made with glass eyes, real hair and facial expressions were added. When World War I required millions of men in Europe to besent off, women had to begin doing men’s jobs. This meant that women had to find a new way to dress. Mannequins gradually became more realistic to reflect the changes in the way women began to dress. However, it was not until the 1930s and a man named Lester Gaba, did the mannequin become more realistic.

A More Realistic Mannequin

Lester Gaba was a New York soap sculptor. He was asked by a large department store to beginproducing mannequins that were more stable and of the same detail he could achieve in soap sculpting. He created six mannequins from plaster that were known as the “Gaba Girls.” They were even given names and dress in the finest clothing and jewels. They were an instant hit with New York’s high society.

Gaba took the use of one of his mannequins to the extreme. He traveled with a mannequin named Cynthia. She was a sitting mannequin who had one elbow resting on her knee with a cigarette in hand. She went in Taxis, to the opera, the Stork Club and a number of other famous New York venues. Cynthia created an enormous amount of publicity and every department store wanted a variation of the Gaba Girls.

World War II did depress the use of mannequins, and even the mannequins that were used looked somewhat melancholy. However, at the end of the late 1940s the mannequins were in high spirits once again and many of the male mannequins had holes drilled in their lips so that they could have a pipe while on display.

How Mannequins are made

The 1950s brought a significant change in the production of mannequins. New materials became available at this time and by the late 1960s, it was easier than ever to mass produce fiberglass and plastic mannequins. Most mannequins that are produced today are made of fiberglass. Most are coated with a Zolatone spray that is dark gray, as well as a flesh-colored lacquer.

Many mannequins are made from a flexible material that has a wire skeleton. Referred to as “bendies,” these mannequins can be posed into any position. Even the fingers move so that they can hold a display prop. Although, these mannequins are unique and flexible. Many are not as realistic as those that are made of plastic or fiberglass. Fiberglass mannequins are actually considered to be higher quality when compared to the plastic mannequins.

In the 70s, mannequins became even more realistic looking. The females had more defined breasts with nipples as well as navels, all “innies.” Many of the females also have pierced ears. The male mannequins are more muscular as well and have other lifelike bulges as well. If men have mustaches, they are painted on to prevent them from being stolen. Many mannequins have very lifelike glass eyes, but many stores request that they not be very real-looking or that they are painted over. This is due to the fact that some people simply feel uneasy around mannequins with realistic eyes.

Living a mannequin life in a retail store can be hard on mannequins. They have kids trying to move them; clumsy people bumping into them and being moved around and dressed may also cause some accidents. However, most mannequins, particularly fiberglass mannequins, can easily be repaired and fixed. Many companies offer mannequin repair or can instruct you how to do your own repairs.

Other Mannequin Uses

Mannequins have a number of uses in addition to modeling clothing in a department store. There are several different types of mannequin-type models used in medical education, crash testing and even for sexual exploration.

The most common and widely used medical mannequin or dummy, also referred to as “virtual patients” are the SimMan and Harvey. The SimMan is a patient simulator for team training. He provides a educational challenges for medical students and tests a medical student’s decision-making and clinical skills in realistic medical scenarios. The SimMan uses software that is advanced enough to allow students to practice realistic emergency treatment situations. The Sim Man is anatomically accurate and features a bronchial tree that is also accurate in size, color and texture so that students can accurately use the mannequin for fiberoptic bronchoscopy as well as chest tube insertion. The SimMan is also available as a SimBaby. There are several different varieties of the SimMan that can be used in several different medical scenarios including CPR. These mannequins are common when training emergency personal, coast guard, fire protection services and nurses. They also have a similar weight distribution to that of the unconscious person and even special obese as well as horse mannequins have been made for medical training.

The crash test dummy is another mannequin most people are familiar with. These mannequins are full-scale replicas of people and are also weighted and articulated to be similar to that of the human body. The crash test dummy has also advanced with the medical dummy in that they are designed to record as much data as possible when used in testing. They report several different types of data, such as:

Speed of impact
Crushing force
Bending
Folding
Torque of the body
Deceleration rates

It has been estimated that the crash test dummy has literally saved thousands of lives because of the information that they provide when testing new vehicles, aircraft and other vehicles.
Finally, with the exploration of sexuality, the sex doll was created. When you think of a sex doll, most people think of a blow-up doll, but this is far from what all sex dolls look like. In fact, sex dolls come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, and almost all are female. These dolls are essentially sex toys meant for personal exploration and are quite anatomically correct with various other features. Historically, sex dolls actually go back in time further than most people would think, with French and Spanish sailors bringing them on their journeys. These dolls were referred to as “dame de voyage” or “dama de viaje.”

Higher end sex dolls are similar to mannequins and are in the $100-$200 price range. They are created from heavy latex, have plastic mannequin-type heads, some water filled areas (breast and buttocks generally), and latex skin. Even more expensive dolls, in the $600 to $7,000 range, are made from silicone and can be very lifelike. These often have a PVC or Metal skeleton with flexible joints so that they can be positioned.

Mannequins Come to Life

“Mannequin Modeling” was made popular by one of New York City’s flagship department stores – Abraham & Straus, or A&S, as many New Yorkers know it. The store was located in Downtown Brooklyn. The store actually began using real people to pose for up to an hour in the windows of their store as “Living Mannequins.” They were the classic designer clothes at the time. However, the store had to stop this practice after crowds and traffic began to become an issue. If the store used live mannequins, they had to be inside the store or they would have to pay a penalty.

Different Types of Mannequins & Their Parts

Because there are various cultures and ethnicities in the world, mannequins no longer come in only the Caucasian design. Also, mannequins do not only come in the adult for of men and women, but also in the child form, including children of varying ages and infants. There are even mannequin animals. There are various races of mannequins available as well as different skin tones. This makes mannequins particularly useful in stores that are marketing to a specific ethnicity or race. Finally, mannequins are also available at various stages in life as well as lifestyles, such as pregnancy for modeling maternity clothes and plus-size mannequins for modeling plus-size clothing.

Additionally, sometimes bad things happen to good mannequins and you need to replace some parts. Perhaps a hand loses a finger or a limb s broken. Either way, you may find yourself in need of various mannequin parts. Parts can also be ordered so that you can change the way your mannequins pose. This is particularly useful if you don’t have the budget to spend on several different models, but you want some flexibility for your displays.

Because mannequins and how realistic they appear bother some people. Several mannequin styles do not look so “human.” These may be headless altogether or have a unique and not so lifelike face shape or features. Additionally, if you do not require a whole body, you can purchase only the legs for displaying shoes, socks or pantyhose. You may also purchase only heads for wigs, hats, etc. Finally, body forms are available as well. Some people prefer these forms because they have a certain appeal to them in terms of style and showing off clothing. You may also get only the torso of a body or the lower body of a mannequin.

Make sure you check out the other sections of M. Fried Store Fixtures to see other store fixture products and store fixture articles. M.Fried Store Fixtures has a large selection of mannequins, body forms, hangers, retail shelving, store display showcases stimulated security cameras that suits will suit your needs.