You see them every time you go to the mall. Walking past the windows of every store, they’re standing there in their fashionable clothes and lifeless faces. Then you go in the store and look around, only to find that when you walk around the back of one of them, there are clips pulling their clothes tighter around their too-small bodies. Mannequins. They’re what nightmares are made of, whether you think so because of their stone-cold faces or impossible bodies. Or maybe you’re actually afraid of them.
But now mannequins don’t have to be the things of nightmares. Long Tall Sally has created the first mannequin based on the exact proportions of an actual customer. Using 3D printing technology, the company created a mannequin to the exact likeness of actual customer Harriet Winters of London who stands at 6’0 and wears a US size 10.
A typical mannequin is 5’9 and a US size 4 and measures 34”, 24” and 34” in in the chest, waist and hips, respectively. This new mannequin measures 38″ – 31″ – 40″.
June Rowe, a fashion expert who specializes in the history of mannequins, believes that this type of personalization is what the future of the fashion industry holds.
“The mannequin has always adapted with fashion, and new digital technologies have seen the industry embrace cutting-edge and dynamic forms—such as holograms and mannequins that move,” says Rowe. “The 3D scanning of a customer meets the new demand of consumers that are looking for a more ‘real’ reflection of themselves in their shopping experience, as well as a more inclusive and forward-thinking fashion industry.”
We would sure be happy to see mannequins of our likeness in stores! How easy would it be to plan outfits and get ready in the morning with your very own, personalized mannequin?