4 Surprising Facts About Fashion Mannequins

In the world of retail fashion and apparel, mannequins are the single most effective marketing tool available. Their primary purpose is to convey how a garment or outlook will look on the human form rather than a clothes hangers. It's oftentimes hard, if not impossible, to judge how certain clothes will look once they are worn. Thankfully, mannequins are designed to tackle this problem thanks to their human-form construction. Here, we're going to reveal 4 surprising facts about fashion mannequins.

#1 - Invented In The 1800s

You might be surprised to learn that fashion mannequins were originally invented and used in Paris back in the 1800s. Shop owners would use mannequins made of paper-mache to display garments to customers. Although they certainly weren't as durable or versatile or the models seen today, they still offered an effective way for stores to display their garments. Paper-mache mannequins stuck around for quite some time before being replaced by higher-quality models made of various materials including Styrofoam and plastic.

#2 - Garments on Mannequins Sell 40% Faster

It's no secret that garments sell faster on mannequins, but most store owners underestimate just how fast they sell. According to a recent study, garments sold 40% faster when they were placed on a mannequin rather than a rack or shelf. This is a surprisingly high number that's hard for store owners to ignore. By displaying your garments on mannequins, you could essentially boost your sales and profits by a significant amount.

If there's a particular garment in your store that's simply not selling as fast as the rest, perhaps you should place it on a display mannequin to help push it. Even if it's out of season, garments will naturally sell faster when they are on a human form.

#3 - Not Limited To Women's Apparel

Some store owners are stuck in the mindset of only using mannequins to display women's apparel. While they are certainly effective at displaying and marketing women's clothing, they can also be used for men's clothing as well. Don't limit yourself to just one gender. Take full advantage of your mannequins by using them to display both women's and men's apparel.

#4 - Mannequins as Weapons

Would you have guessed that mannequins were once used as weapons in the military? The ancient Chinese military used them to draw the attention of their opposing combatants. Soldiers would see the mannequins from a distance and believe they were real people.