BC Business
They are idols of style, icons of consumption, easily aggrandized, and just as easily thrown away. This is a photographer’s look at the consummate retail hero: the mannequin.
1) Along with the traditional retailers and specialty markets who purcha
The art of dressing a mannequin is what ultimately brings it to life.
A well-hung wig and carefully chosen outfit, a once chalky, lifeless golem becomes a unique statement about the endless possibilities of fashion.
Modern retailers are striving to use mannequins creatively, in contrast to the ranks of fashion clones deployed ubiquitously throughout department stores of old.
The Patch in Victoria uses only classic mannequins from the ’60s and ’70s to display its high-end vintage fashions.
Visual stylist Bobbi Irons dresses a mannequin at Holt Renfrew in downtown Vancouver.
Mannequin displays make a significant impact on pivotal sales for retailers.
A full-body mannequin stands guard in a storefront window.
The physical look and feel of mannequins has changed significantly over the years.
Like the clothes they bring to life, mannequins are symbolic, evolving and –ultimately –disposable.