Visual Merchandising and Store Design | VMSD.com

Today’s mannequins are speaking the language of the brand with drama, elegance and theatrical excitement.

By Eric Feigenbaum

In the days of the grand old department stores, mannequins silently sold the retailer’s goods. Whatever was put on them flew out the door.

Today, in a different economy and for a different consumer, mannequins are entrusted with selling something else: the retailer’s brand. As an integral component of the store’s identity, the mannequin is a vital tool of communication. It may not sell that evening gown on that particular day, but it will leave a memorable and recognizable impression in the mind’s eye of the consumer.

“Going forward, designers should use mannequins to project their own identity,” says Candy Pratts Price, an innovative visual merchandiser at Bloomingdale’s in the 1970s and ’80s, and now creative director of Style.com. “If the economy will allow, mannequins should be designed for each individual store.”

Differentiation is critical in today’s marketplace, with each retailer required to develop an image that sets it apart. Mannequins are key touch points of the brand image. Selecting the right one is essential, and leading fashion retailers have different approaches.

“Poses must not only complement the merchandise, but also project the brand,” says Ignaz Gorischek, vp of store development and visual planning for Neiman Marcus. “We always look for soft and subtle poses that allow the fashion to hang naturally. We don’t want poses with a great deal of movement that will stop the eye and distract from the clothing.

“Mannequins should also be engaging,” says Gorischek. “When a shopper walks through an area, another presence makes her feel that she’s not alone. She sees another body and she wants to be there – and to look like that.”

Neiman Marcus uses realistic mannequins in the windows only, while abstracts fill the sales floor. “A well-designed abstract provides a simple elegance that is synonymous with Neiman Marcus,” Gorischek says.

At Saks Fifth Avenue, mannequins do more than sell; they teach. “They show the customer how to accessorize and put pieces together,” says William Herbst, senior vp, construction, design, planning and visual. “They validate a look and the nuances of a particular style. This is timely, because we’re now mixing brands on the selling floor more than ever.” To highlight this mixed-merchandising trend, Saks has been combining mannequins with forms, in presentations as eclectic as the merchandise offerings themselves.

Herbst also uses a different mannequin for each department. “They’re the easiest way to differentiate a family of business,” he says.