Time Magazine released a report on its NewsFeed web site that mannequin makers are designing more realistic models, including the addition of disabilities, plastic surgery augmentation, plus sizes, “anorexia-thin” sizes and pubic hair.
“There are many instances of mannequins fueling important conversations about the beauty expectations of real, rather than plastic, women,” the report said.
The most recent example was when display artists at a lower Manhattan American Apparel gave their sleek mannequins a “surprising addition” – pubic hair.
“Even though it’s kind of hard to take a stunt by Dov Charney’s controversy seeking American Apparel as entirely sincere,” the report said. “it did ignite an important conversation.”
Perhaps intentionally. American Apparel, which (the report said) revels in the sexualization of young women,” later tweeted, “What do you think of our pubic hair PR crisis?”
A retailer in Zurich, Switzerland, recently displayed a series of mannequins in its windows modeled after five types of disability. It accompanied the statement from disability activists, “who is perfect?”