Capturing the Mystique and Cultural Relevance of the Mannequin
Mannequins are more than anthropomorphic clothes hangers.
They’re embodiments of femininity, brand touchstones, silent selling associates and, ultimately, reflections of culture and society — and they’re portrayed as such in “Profiles of the Mannequin,” a new book written by Eric Feigenbaum.
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“In a way, they are a snapshot of life. They give us hope. They allow us to dream. They permit us our aspirations, and from my point of view, they are an art form, just as much of as the great works of art,” Feigenbaum said in an interview Wednesday.
There’s a certain mystique to mannequins and a universal fascination. “People have always been enraptured by representations of the human body,” Feigenbaum said. “Whatever is happening in the world, mannequins really capture that.”
On Thursday, Feigenbaum will hold a signing for his book at the Ralph Pucci International showroom at 44 West 18th Street in Manhattan. The tome was released by Bloomsbury Publishing on Sept. 5, but due to positive initial response, it’s currently out of stock. A second U.S. printing has been ordered and will be available on Oct. 10 from Bloomsbury, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other book dealers.
“There have been books written about mannequins, but this book is also about the history of us. It goes beyond the history of mannequins. The book is really an anthropological study of our culture,” Feigenbaum said. “If you hold a mirror to the face of the mannequin, the reflected image would be us.”
The 233-page “Profiles of the Mannequin” is filled with pictures of iconic mannequins but is by no means a picture book. It’s rich in research, tracing the evolution of the mannequin through the history of the department store, the Industrial Revolution, world wars when rationing led to the creation of shorter mannequins, the rise of ready-to-wear and art movements such as Surrealism and Cubism. Also covered are the celebrities and models who became inspirations for mannequins, most notably Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn and supermodels Twiggy and Christy Turlington. “Mannequins are representative of our culture,” Feigenbaum said.
Feigenbaum, an editor at Visual Merchandising and Store Design magazine, president of Embrace Design, a former educator at LIM College and the Fashion Institute of Technology, and former corporate director of visual merchandising at the now-defunct Stern’s department store, spent four years and conducted more than 30 interviews for the book project.
He puts the origin of the mannequin at least as far back as ancient Egypt and the tomb of Tutankhamun, which included mannequins used to drape the pharaoh’s robes when it was unearthed by Egyptologist Howard Carter. The book also covers L. Frank Baum, who was best known as the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” but in the late 1800s operated a store called “Baum’s Bazaar” in South Dakota and wrote “The Show Window” and “The Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors” where he advocated the use of mannequins.
Feigenbaum said mannequins first hit their stride during the Industrial Revolution when the mass production of goods meant they had to be displayed in more theatrical and sophisticated ways to draw the attention of shoppers. “In the early 1900s, there were two innovations: cast iron and plate glass. Putting the two together allowed for a large open expanse and the first ‘show windows’ and the star of the window became the mannequin.”
Later in the 20th century, “Adel Rootstein really elevated the mannequin to an art form,” Feigenbaum said. “Rootstein was the Mercedes-Benz of mannequins.”
He also credited Ralph Pucci for mannequin innovation. “Always driven by the arts, Ralph turned to the likes of Michelangelo and Rodin for direction and inspiration,” Feigenbaum writes. Pucci also tapped designers and artists including Ruben Toledo, Andrée Putnam, Kenny Scharf and Rebecca Moses to create “mannequin magic.”
Mannequin production thrived through most of the 20th century with the growth of malls and the national expansion of department stores, until the 1980s when retailers, en masse, began merging, consolidating and cutting costs. Mannequins were often among the first to go.
While there are fewer mannequin companies still operating — Pucci reinvented his gallery to showcase high-end home furnishings, lighting, art and photography — Feigenbaum’s point is mannequins continue to evolve.
“You are starting to see AI mannequins now. But even with technology, there still has to be a balance and a place for the real traditional, tactile mannequin. Mannequins are not going away. If you go into Uniqlo on Fifth Avenue, you can count 400 mannequins. I personally counted them.”
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