Walk through any department store, and you'll pass countless mannequins modeling the latest fashions. While we've come to take these visual merchandising staples for granted, mannequins have a rich and storied past that dates back to ancient Egypt.
When King Tutankhamen's tomb was opened in 1922, one of the treasures found was a lifelike torso believed to be the first dress form. Mannequins continued to perform the functional role of dress form for kings and queens for centuries, allowing tailors and dressmakers to to create clothes without having to bother the monarchs with fittings.
In the 18th century, France was the fashion capital of the world, and "fashion dolls" were created to show off the latest styles. These dolls were sent abroad so people could see what the French were wearing and copy the styles.
During the Industrial Revolution, mannequins made a huge leap forward with the invention of large glass-pane windows, which every retail store wanted to display its wares. People began window shopping, gazing at the fantasy worlds displayed in the windows. The first mannequins created for this purpose were made of wax and wood. Weighing between 200 to 300 pounds, some had real hair, glass eyes, and false teeth. By today's standards, they were a little creepy.
In the 1930s, mannequins began to be produced with plaster and reached a new level of realism. Sculptor Lester Gaba even created a mannequin named Cynthia for Saks that became a pop culture sensation. He took her to nightclubs and the opera, Cartier and Tiffany lent her jewels, and Life magazine immortalized her in a photo spread.
By the 1950s, plaster mannequins were being replaced by plastic and fiberglass models. When women's roles started changing in the 60s, mannequins depicted the shift. The housewife mannequin with a bouffant was joined by the casual, confident woman.
The 70s saw the introduction of Black, Asian and Latino mannequins, reflecting the growing ethnic mix in the country. Today, mannequins are different colors, crystal clear, ethnic, headless, backless, and every form of abstraction. And those old, vintage mannequins? They're selling for thousands on eBay.
- Jonathan