Catching initial attention and pre-selling or closing a sale is the principal reason that mannequins are used - they're great for presenting full fashion ideas consisting of clothes and accessories . But how do you target a display to a large number of people when each individual's sense of aestheics is so unique ?

People have very individual preferences, yet you've most likely noticed that they to wear clothes that are similar to their friend's or there peer or social group. Goths are a great example : so are the teenagers of a town or school and also the business clothes worn in a particular company or area.

Another example I've found of how duplicating a style of clothing helps bring about agreement is this . . . I consult clients in Sydney, and it could possibly be an Australian thing, but a lot of business people - executives and company owners - are wearing far more casual clothes than in the past. I started out arriving in business pants, shirt and tie, but soon discovered I was over-dressed, because the person I was consulting was in jeans or cargo-pants and a T-shirt. So now I wear similar clothes when I go to consult and it feels less awkward.

Gaining agreement from buyers that what you are offering is what they in fact want to buy, is a similar thing. A mannequin display, both female and male mannequins should duplicate how people think they should look. So it's important to stay very conscious of the people in the locality of your shop and in the market segment you're advertising to, and what they are thinking.

Take into account also that about 80% or more of customers live within about 5 miles of a shop, so these are the people you should find out about.

Although its worthwhile paying attention to fashion opinion leaders for particular styles and doing things out of the ordinary to capture the initial attention, mannequins are are copies of real people. They should nonetheless exhibit fashion in a manner that real people in your market consider to be their aesthetic style.