A mannequin can be considered a retailer’s greatest asset, it speaks to the fashion message as a “silent salesperson” (Kaufman, 2016). Mannequins are available in diverse types and styles to serve different audiences or functionalities. They can be made in assorted sizes, age groupings, racial and ethnic types, makeup and hairstyles, and poses and attitudes (Kaufman, 2016). In a retail setting, the mannequin represents the brand and the lifestyle of the brand’s consumer (Kaufman, 2016). With this being said, one might be wondering how to choose the right types of mannequins for different style stores. In this blog post, we will focus on three main styles of stores, specialty boutiques, mass merchant stores, and department stores, and what types of mannequins each of the three style stores would be recommended to choose.
Specialty Boutique Style Store
A boutique style store is typically a smaller store, carrying stylish clothing, jewelry, or footwear, and is generally concentrated on slow fashion. With a smaller interior square footage than department stores or mass merchant retailers, boutiques should only utilize mannequins that best suit their focus product. A specialty boutique that sells woman’s dresses would choose to utilize dress forms, to represent their brand and their brand’s consumer. In order to maximize square footage for selling space in a boutique, I believe a boutique would choose to use torso mannequins, and standalone mannequin parts such as mannequin necklace displays or foot mannequins. These types of mannequins can be easily moved around the store, and are smaller in size to minimize the amount of space being taken away from product placement. Standalone mannequin parts also support the brand in highlighting their main products as these mannequins will make these smaller products stand out more (Emerald X LLC., 2021).
Mass Merchant Style Store
A mass merchant store is a company that sells large quantities of goods that appeal to a wide variety of consumers, these stores focus on large sale volume and slim profit margin to offer their products at lower prices than typical smaller retailers (Kenton, 2020). Mass-market retailers include big box-stores, such as Target, Sam’s Club, and Best Buy, as well as brands like Levi Strauss and Gap (Kenton, 2020). A mass merchant style store would choose to utilize abstract or headless mannequins. Abstract mannequins have a minimalist design and are modern fiberglass sculptures that in general have no realistic muscles, facial characteristics, make-up, or wigs (Emerald X LLC., 2021). While these mannequins can have unique appearances in different colors, poses, and heights, they successfully model apparel while not detracting from the overall brand message with realistic features (Displays2Go, 2021). A mass merchant style store would also choose to make use of semi-abstract, or realistic, full-size headless mannequins. The headless mannequin type would benefit mass merchant stores as with no head, there is no representation of age, ethnicity, gender, or size, and can appeal to anybody (Emerald X LLC., 2021). This mannequin is typically cheaper in cost due to lack of detail, making it more affordable to buy many of them. A mass merchant style store such as Target, is selling multiple types of apparel goods to various consumers. By using mannequins that place more emphasis on the product, rather than the specific consumer, the company is able to use these mannequins to display all different types of apparel. Target could use headless or abstract mannequins year-round to display swimwear, lounge apparel, professional attire, dresses, or active wear.
Department Style Store
A department style store is considered to be a sizable retail establishment that offers a wide variety of products in separate product categories as departments within the store (Britannica, 2016). This style store usually offers products such furnishings, electronics, clothing, footwear, toys, and cosmetics. These stores are usually bigger than mass merchant stores, think Macy’s, multiple floors with large, separated department sections. They also differ from mass merchant style stores as they are not thought of in the discount store market, and include more luxury brands or products at a higher price. Department stores would choose to use to use realistic mannequins that are mostly used in high-end retail stores (Emerald X LLC., 2021). Realistic mannequins are natural and life like, with fiberglass skin, specific sizes, makeup, wigs, and sculpted facial features (Emerald X LLC., 2021). The realistic mannequins in a department store would benefit by being styled by audience in each department, such as the use of adult women or men mannequins, plus size mannequins, pregnant mannequins, and children and teen mannequins. The realistic mannequins in varying ages and customer target market segments offer the consumer create a more accurate mental image of what they look like in the items on the mannequins and make them more comfortable (Emerald X LLC., 2021). These mannequins allow for each department in the store to have mannequins that speak directly to that specific product and customer.
References
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Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2016, February 22). Department store. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/department-store
Displays2Go. (2021). Retail displays & store fixtures. Retrieved from https://www.displays2go.com/C-28642/Abstract-Mannequins-Black-Cameo-White-Silver-More
Emerald X, LLC. (2021). Mannequin Forms: Best for Retail Display. Retrieved from https://www.designretailonline.com/products/mannequins-forms/
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