Working On The High Street

Visual merchandising is an important part of retail. The way we present and display our merchandise is an important ingredient for attracting cutomers into the store and for our brand recognition. Whether our line of business is fashion or not, mannequins can play a very important role in either showing off latest collections or to demonstrate an idea.

Mannequins are models and they communicate visual imagination to our customers in a way that words could not. They are part of an art installation – the shop window – which if done well, should turn the heads of passers by.

Using mannequins as silent sales people, they will happily highlight the latest collections and quietly influence our customers to buy. They can increase revenue and profit as part of an overal design scheme instore and even upsell on items such as accessories. Most consumers just cannot decide what would look good on them without trying it on. A mannequin can really help us and our customers by 3D demonstration. It is therefore important that our mannequins relate to our customers.

When dressing the mannequin – use this activity to help our customers understand what would look good on them. To maximise sales further it would be proactive and helpful to put those items in one area of our store. GET THIS LOOK as a slogan (whether written or not) springs to mind. It is the job of the visual merchandiser to organise this and make it easier for our customers. This applies to both on and off line retailing.

If you would like our advice on the right mannequins for you, your brand and most importantly your customers – please do get in touch. We have hundreds in stock and are able to adapt both new and recycled mannequins to your requirements. And we offer a unique Mannequin Hire opportunity for UK retailers to chop and change mannequins and window schemes to reflect trends, new collections and seasons. With the high street being a valuable point of sale, albeit competitive, let the mannequins give you a helping hand. Prices start from just £3 a week.*

*12 month contract. Prices from £3 per week per mannequin. Additional costs include renovations and resprays according to your needs, plus shipping and VAT. Please contact us to discuss this opportunity further.

Mary Queen of Frocks

Launching a retail outlet in a recession would be a major issue for anyone creative or indeed any retail creative team. Whilst the financial investment is large – the emotional termoil is even more demanding. But as Mary Portas starts her new series on Channel 4 – Mary Queen of Frocks – we get a unique chance to grab a peek back stage and watch Mary achieve the dream of her own shop.

Here are the key things from the first episode:

1. Identify the gap in the market. Mary has clearly done this by analysing what the high street offers her. She has put herself as the centre of her target market.

2. Vision. Mary demonstrates this of course through her experience, but by knowing what she wants and what it looks like – she demonstrates a really important ingredient for any business: ‘don’t settle for anything less than brilliant’.

3. People. If you were not inspired by Mary’s methods of recruitment then you clearly have missed the most important point and perhaps even the plot itself. Happy staff = happy customers. In Mary’s own words – ‘this is where it starts to get different.’

Congratulations to the show producers for managing to diplomatically demonstrate some key ingredients needed in order for retail to survive. We will of course be watching the series with a really excited pair of eyes.

Watch the series on Channel4.com

Why Headless Mannequins?

There are many reasons why you might choose a headless mannequin, but the biggest reason should be that whatever trends in fashion come and go, headless will always present clothing without distraction.

Headless mannequins are probably the most popular and easy choice of mannequin available. They do not reflect any kind of style and are therefore versatile and timeless. Whilst they provide a contemporary upbeat feel for modern fashion they also provide a perfectly plain background for older, vintage style clothing. Highly recommended to complement any brand. Use a headless mannequin to display menswear, womenswear, lingerie, swimwear and probably just about any other item of clothing that you can think of. In a world of ‘RENO’ all mannequins can turn headless.

New Girls On The Block!

We are going to call these the FAB4 – three are from the same manufacturer and one is a Rootstein (second from left). Now all we have to do is find them a theme tune…

Mannequin Trends at Euroshop

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Euroshop in Dusseldorf last month and have finally got round to telling you all about what I saw.

My first visit was to the Museum Kunstplast where Bonaveri had opened its showroom. I admire and respect this brand with great interest. I jumped off the plane with my little wheelie bag and made my way directly there – before even checking into my hotel. I am quite sure that I was part of a pilgrimage to the Rolls Royce of mannequins! The collection from Bonaveri and of course Schlappi was inspiring to say the least. As I stepped into the showroom I was in mannequin heaven. Beautiful collections using natures colours, textures and materials were very grounding and luxurious as one would expect from an Italian manufacturer of note. I was pleased also to see some of those mannequins that I have in my collection that are available to hire – you can view them here.

Having been in retail for many years, the actual whole fair was absorbing but my primary objective was to see what the scoop was in ‘Mannequin City’.

The trends on display were very interesting. Bustforms with articulated arms ranged from the cheap and average to the really inspiring and beautiful. I bought ten of these mannequins to add to my ever growing collection. We are  now promoting them on Mannakin.Com – click here to see the male articulated mannequin or the female articulated mannequin.

A trend of note for retailers of denim clothing products was the use of raw almost unfinished mannequins. Great! I have lots of these by Ralph Pucci. (Who incidently started this trend a long time ago!) See our stone range – suitable for denim – here.

But the poses of mannequins were really bought to light with these fantastic figures. If fashion is all about attitude, then you will want these to showcase your designs.

Plastic mannequins I have regarded in the past as quite ‘naff’ with facial expressions that suggest an overdose of botox but I did buy into an interesting range that will hit our webshop very soon.

Overall the fair was an interesting glance into this specialised world of silent salespeople but I did feel that Bonaveri and Schlappi created the biggest impression of trends to aspire to. And with that note I was very pleased to buy a new set of three Schalppi girls that will be available to hire only very soon. Watch this space! Roz x

Happy New Year

Mannequin Hire, Sales, Care & Recycling Specialists 0800 328 5316 International +44 (0) 1636 610033

Jeremy Helps The Aged

We often work with the producers at Top Gear and we can safely say that they are always among our favourite mannequin challenges. Although this video is an old one – we recently found it on the Top Gear website and are now sharing it with you. (We never did shout about it, so better late than never!) Just another use of a mannequin. It got great laughs from the audience and Jeremy Clarkson was even told off in a newspaper called the Daily Star. The feature is proudly framed in our office. Enjoy the video! Click here to view it.

Cool Fashion Shoot

This video has a bit of a title that would suggest it is not for viewing by the under 18′s and I have no idea why because this video has no explicit content at all. What it does suggest though is how we used to do things and I don’t think any budget was spared – what with the helicopters in the background..

The mannequins (of which one wonders how they didn’t blow over) would now be considered true vintage gems. An interesting glimpse into how the mannequins have changed through time. The music is incredibly fantastic.

Clip features a fashion report from 1970 with clothing by OSSIE CLARK (from german tv show LONDON AKTUELL).