Normally a vintage mannequin is a mannequin from a past era. It could be a modern replica, or an actual mannequin from that era. These mannequins have that naivety and beauty associated with times of old, and when placed in a shop window they provide a sense of timelessness. The question is what era to choose from ? The eras that depict the most interest are the 1930’s and the 1960’s. It could be that those times reflect the so called good prosperous times and times of societal change. In addition these mannequins generate interest and appeal from a nostalgic association with those times.

Differentiation

One of the objectives of marketing is differentiation - that is, standing out from the competition - especially in a crowded market place. The implementation of a vintage mannequin generates that attention by presenting a point of difference. It can also state and announce what the store stands for. Remember the mannequin is fundamentally important in making shore the message is communicated by the visual display strategy.

Since the 1940s we have witnessed a substantial change in the body size of people. Older style mannequins are smaller in proportion and height, where todays mannequin are fuller-figured and taller. Consequently the use of a vintage mannequin body to display today’s apparel may not be appropriate, as the body would not do the clothes justice.

However the use of a vintage head on that body will differentiate the mannequin and the window and store display, and provide relevance to today’s body size. These can be fitted to any mannequin to provide an individual appearance.

A high percentage of vintage mannequins were dressmaker forms and tailor forms, given the type of apparel that was worn at the time. Vintage heads can also be affixed to similar modern forms to provide a sense of antiqueness.

Mannequin construction has changed

• In the early mannequin days, mannequins were constructed from wire, papier mache and plaster. Naturally these were quite heavy and would not be suitable or appropriate in the current era with safety issues abounding.

• More recently mannequins were constructed from fiberglass which provided a more light-weight mannequin and comparatively better finish. As advanced moulding materials were introduced, more detailed heads became possible, and these are evident in the mid-to-later part of the last century.

• Today, mannequins are made from a variety of materials including fiberglass and various plastics. The advantage of these materials is that they allow the mannequins to be repaired and rejuvenated without starting from scratch.