As a result people from all over the world email us photos of the projects and films that they have created so that we can post them on our blog and Pinterest boards.

John Breed, an artist based in Netherlands (one of my favorite countries) sent us these photo’s of an art project he created for an installation on display in a warehouse in Stuttgart, Germany.

John used 145 mannequin legs and painted them all in a slightly different colors.

The result was a “rainbow” effect which we think is fantastic and symbolic.

We love all the different styles of shoes that he put on the legs as well. Great job John – we need to see more projects like this in the United States.

If you are looking for mannequin parts for your art project, we have a mannequin boneyard  at Mannequin Madness with an ever changing selection of items at discount prices.

Step 1. Remove the metal fixture used to attach the arm to the body of the mannequin.

You should see the culprit once you’ve removed the metal. Lets fill in those loose holes

Step 2. Fill the holes with a polyfiber putty. (The one used here is by Soudal)

Be sure to use enough polyfiber.

Step 3. Now put the metal piece back into place and  affix it  firmly with a ratchet belt. Allow to full dry .

(Dry times depend on the polyfiber directions)

Step 4.  Once it dries, fill in any remaining spaces with polyfiber and allow to dry again

(Step. 4.5 Sand smooth so the arm will fit well when placed back on the body of the mannequin)

Now for the rest of the mannequin. The following are great if you have an old mannequin with defects or if you want to update your mannequin with new paint.

Step 1. Sand down the whole body of the mannequin.

After sanding, wipe the mannequin clean of any particles

Step 2. Once the mannequin is clean and dry, it’s ready for the first coat of paint. The paint used here is a water-based paint.

If there is enough original paint left on the mannequin after sanding you will not need to prime the piece.

Step 3. Allow the first coat of paint to dry before adding the second coat. (At least 2 hours)

The finished product!

These steps were found on youtube and if you would like further details on how to repair your mannequin, watch the video here.

Congratulations on repairing your mannequin!

]]> http://blog.mannequinmadness.com/2013/06/how-to-paint-and-repair-a-mannequins-broken-arm/feed/ 0 http://blog.mannequinmadness.com/2013/06/think-globally-merchandise-locally-on-earth-day/ http://blog.mannequinmadness.com/2013/06/think-globally-merchandise-locally-on-earth-day/#comments Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:30:31 +0000 Judi http://blog.mannequinmadness.com/?p=9281 We regularly feature guest blog post from Visual Merchandisers around the world. This one is from Allison Levy in Vermont, she write a column for the SnowSportsIndustries of America, visit their site here. 

Waste. Rubbish. Junk. Don’t worry this isn’t another article on the high art of dumpster diving (although some scavenging may be required on your part.) In honor of Earth Day which marks its 41st anniversary this Friday, April 22nd, we challenge you to look beyond the trash and see the discarded for the trees. Great merchandising ideas lurk behind and within receptacles full of someone else’s unwanted stuff each and every day.

All you need is some ingenuity, something to haul it in, and a passion for innovative design. Here’s how to get started. For the sake of timing, let’s focus on spring deliveries. You may be executing big floor changes anyway so why not use this opportunity to highlight bright colors and new styles with some home spun creativity. Begin with a game plan for a specific display. This could be shoes, packs, (a hiking story? a sportswear color story incorporating footwear and accessories?)

Maybe there is a specific event you’re store is hosting, say a race or community event. Start by sketching out the space, including additional props and materials you may need, where product will go and signage appropriate for the display. This
may require a tape measure and definitely a pencil and eraser. Recruit one of your staff or a friend with a flair for displays to help you out.

Together use this as your road map to execute your incredibly brilliant installation. Allow a full day to focus on completing the project. Most importantly, however, is to have fun. Below are some ideas that are wide open to interpretation presented to inspire and unleash the DIY/trash loving warrior within!

If I had a hammer……… 

Anthropologie NYC – How easy is this? Take scrap pieces of wood, paint and nail together to create an interesting collection of shapes and colors.

Anthropologie Denver – Another idea is to paint one side of the wood and hang them from the ceiling with colorful yarn

Anthropologie NYC – Furniture bargains can be found at yard sales, The Salvation Army or
discarded on a street corner. Disassemble, paint and decide how you want to arrange them.
What do chair parts have to do with my store you ask? Nothing, but you’ve created an eye
catching display. That could mean new customers.

Carhartt Store, Murray, UT – Old ladders make great use of floor space and provide a different way to display items like pants, sweaters and belts.

Burton Booth SIA – Wooden pallets are generally easy to find. Big box stores like Home Depot
or grocery store chains may have these at their back delivery bays. See if they are willing to part
with a few. Also local breweries that ship their product may be a good source. They can be
used in window displays or stacked on the floor to create an interesting platform for product
presentations.

Another way to use wood pallets – instant shelving.

Carhartt Store, Murray, UT – This is a great use of an old hardware store nail bin. Used here to display hats and accessories.

Anthropologie Denver – Same concept except these bins have been painted and hold cabinet hardware such as doorknobs.

Things to consider when turning trash into display treasure:
• Only use clean items. Be sure to remove rusty nails, etc. Wear and tear is great – splinters not so much.
• The displays you create can be repainted and reused each season. This can save you some money in the long run. On the other hand, some displays are one hit wonders and that’s ok too!
• If your store has a website, post your creations on line. Give yourself some credit for finding new ways to use old items.
• Create a Visual Merchandising/Display calendar for the year. Make note of holidays, specials, sales, back to school promotions, etc. This helps to keep the merchandising momentum moving forward and on track.
• Create a Merchandising supplies line item for your yearly budget. That way you can buy paint, glue guns and other essential craft supplies that will come in handy and are already accounted for.
• Plan field trips with your staff. It’s essential to get out of your retail bubble and see what’s going on in the world besides specialty and big box outdoor. It helps get the creative juices flowing when you are stuck for ideas. Hit up hardware and grocery stores. Go to J.Crew, the Gap and Old Navy. My motto is “never let the competition get in your blind spot. Always keep them in the rearview mirror.”

Links and Resources
• www.designspongeonline.com – This is one of my favorite sites. You can sign up for a newsletter. It has fantastic DIY projects, before and after’s, links to cool design ideas from small companies. You could spend hours at this site. I do!
• www.readymade.com – Thrifty, urban design on a dime ideas that even come with a shopping list of materials you will need plus skill level required getting crafty on a budget.
• www.factorydirectcraft.com – Factory Direct is a good source for inexpensive craft supplies.
• www.dornob.com – This design site is fun so check it out. Lots of great ideas on how to repurpose everything from old street signs to creating living room furniture out of old shopping carts. www.growfurniture.com – While their website is currently under construction, this Jackson, WY based company specializes in shelving systems made from reclaimed and sustainable wood. Contact Ned Hutchinson at ned@growfurniture.com for images, pricing and custom inquiries.
• Want to take a stab at making your own cardboard furniture and accessories? Check out www.instructables.com for step by step instructions, including videos on how to create a masterpiece of out recycled cardboard.

If you’re going to sell clothes on eBay, you need to take the best pictures possible to make the apparel appealing and attract eBay bidders; this involves a bit of preparation on your part.

The figure below shows the results of an eBay search for the keyword dress. Which of these items looks better — the ones laid out on the floor or those on a mannequin

or model? A designer dress in this search probably would have sold for twice the amount if it had been on a mannequin!

Before you photograph your clothing, make sure the clothing itself imparts the image you want your buyers to see. For example, remove any loose threads and lint that have accumulated on the fabric.

Have the following items handy to help you with the cleaning and pressing chores:

• Garment rack: When you unpack your merchandise from the carton it was shipped to you in, it can look pretty ragged. And if you’ve purchased some hanging merchandise and it’s in tip-top shape, you’ll want to keep it that way. Hanging the merchandise on a garment rack keeps it fresh-looking so it looks great when you get ready to ship.
• •Garment rack, with clothes to list on eBay.
• Steamer: Retail stores, clothing manufacturers, and dry cleaners all use steamers. Why? Because steaming the garment is kinder to the fabric and takes wrinkles out in a hurry. Steam penetrates the fabric (not crushing it, as does ironing) and makes the fabric look better than before.
• Dryel: A popular, reasonably priced, home dry-cleaning product you use in your dryer, Dryel can be used with almost any type of garment (be sure to double-check the packaging before you use it). After going through a Dryel treatment, clothes come out of the dryer sweet and clean. The starter kit even comes with a spot remover. You can buy Dryel at your local supermarket.
• •According to eBay rules, all used clothing must be cleaned before it is sold on the site. Even if the vintage garment you have up for sale is clean, it can always benefit by a roll in the dryer with Dryel. New garments also benefit; Dryel removes any smells that have clung to the garment during its travels.
• Spot cleaners: You should use spot cleaners only if you know what you’re doing. Some really great ones out there will remove a small spot, but you’d best practice on items that you’re not selling first.

It goes without saying that we only like Gay Pride window displays that feature two or more mannequins. Even better if the mannequins we purchased from us!

Here is our list:

1 – Child mannequins holding gay pride flags at camping window display at a Marc Jacobs store.

2 This Ralph Lauren window display stays true to the Ralph Lauren aesthetic – understated and aspirational.

3 Believe it or not this “brief encounter” window display is from a retailer in Moscow! They get bonus points for including a reclining male mannequin as well as a mannequin of color – something you rarely see in window displays in the states.

4 This window display at Levi Strauss was to celebrate same sex marriage. Most of the time when retailers have gay pride windows they only feature male mannequins as if lesbians don’t exist.

5 This “boots and briefs” display is from a Diesel store in San Francisco – the gay mecca of the world. This display might get another retailer in another city arrested.

A more G rated version of this window, is this one from Aussie Bum in West Hollywood.

For more ideas, see our Gay Pride Window Display board on Pinterest.

Here are her measurements:

Bust 38″

Waist 24″

Hip 37.5″

Foot 9″

Height 5′ 11″

Our Marilyn’s don’t have the beauty mark Marilyn had on the side of her face, but for the $500 difference in price, you can put your own beauty mark on her don’t you think?

Here are photo’s of yarn bombing projects that involve a mannequin or statute as well as a little history (in italics) about yarn bombing courtesy of Wikipedia. 

1  Love this mini-cooper being driven by a mannequin!

While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing was initially almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.[2] It has since developed with groups graffiti knitting and crocheting worldwide, each with their own agendas and public graffiti knitting projects being run.

2 This is a statue of Albert Einstein which was yarn bombed.

Yarn bombing examples have been recorded as early as May 2004 in Den Helder, Netherlands. One year later in the U.S., Texas knitters used their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide with custom pieces being created by artists.

3 This is one of our wire dress forms that many knitters use to store their yarn for their future yard bombing projects.

The start of this movement has been attributed to Magda Sayeg, 37, from Houston, who says she first got the idea in 2005 when she covered the door handle of her boutique with a custom-made cozy.Though artist Shanon Schollian was knitting stump cozies in 2002 for clear cuts in Oregon.The Knit Knot Tree by the Jafagirls in Yellow Springs, Ohio gained international attention in 2008.

4 These plus size dress forms were used to decorate the entryway of a venue at a knitters convention where yarn bombing was one of the topics. By using plus size forms it provide a large canvas in which to display the yarn.

The yarn bombing movement moved on from simple ‘cozies’ with the innovation of the ‘stitched story’. The concept has been attributed to Lauren O’Farrell(who creates her street art under the graffiti knitting name Deadly Knitshade), from London, UK, who founded the city’s first graffiti knitting collective Knit the City.

5 This is a mannequin we have in our garden holding a Christmas ornament made out of yarn that we recycled from department store. We put the rest of the yarn ornaments in the fig trees in our backyard and the look really cool.

This blog post has examples of ambitious yarn bombing projects from all over the world like this bus which was done by women in Dubai. And of course there are a ton of yarn bombing boards on Pinterest.

We love these yard bombed benches.

And unfortunately, often we we don’t see in retail windows is diversity of mannequins. The vast majority are all tall, thin, young and Anglo. And on tv what we don’t see are interracial families. Neither of these represent the society at large.

I know it is a little dangerous for a small business to use their social media outlets as a forum for their political or social views. But today I am taking a risk.

I haven’t purchased a box of Cheerios since I was a kid (I’m over 50 so it’s been a while). I’m more of a granola girl. But today I went out and purchased several boxes of Cheerios – some for my pantry for breakfast food and some to use as a visual merchandising prop in my mannequin warehouse. Why?

Because of this commercial.

Normally I don’t fall easily prey to the influence of tv ads. Actually I rarely see tv ads because I use my cable DVR to record my favorite shows and then zip through the commercials. But because of social media I hear about ads that are noteworthy, like the Cheerios ad.

This one caught my attention because of the interracial family.  An interracial family is historic on tv. Can’t believe I am saying this in 2013.

Granted I live in the SF Bay Area and when I go to the local farmers market it is rare to find more than a handful of kids under the age of 6  who are NOT “mixed” with two or more combinations of Pacific Islander, Asian, Hispanic, Black or White heritage.

So an interracial family (or a gay family) is almost the norm to me.  Also cross-racial adoptions were happening here long before celebrities like Sandra Bullock and Charlize Theron started doing it.

When I spent some time in London two years ago I watched a little tv when exhausted from sightseeing. It caught me by surprise to see so many programs and ads featured interracial and interfaith families. That’s when I realized that these images were missing in action on American tv.

And when I heard that Cheerios had to close the comments section on their YouTube page because of racist comments they received from some segments of the population I wanted to use my blog as a forum to support them. While most of the comments on their YouTube page were positive, there were far too many comments laced with  words  like “monkey,” “Nazi,” “racial genocide,” and “troll,” “n*gger”.

I sent the ad to a friend who is in an  interracial marriage. She said:  ”No more generic O’s for us…strictly name brand from now on. Yay for Cherrios–they left out the hip-hop beat, the urban style, and just made it about a girl and some cereal instead of hyper-glamorizing an “exotic” couple. Thanks guys. Today, I feel hella normal. lol”

This interracial issue is personal for me too. I have a cousin (I am African American) who married an Iranian man – over 20 years ago, in the south (Tennessee). The fact that he was a non-black foreigner was bad enough. But this was shortly after the Iran hostage situation and everyone in the family thought she was marrying a terrorist, religious zealot or someone scary. Publicly we all smiled at their wedding, but behind her back we were alarmed, concerned, taking bets on how long the marriage would last.

She is still living in Tennessee (not the most liberal place in the US), still married and has two wonderful sons who are attending college. All of my other cousins who married “within the race” are divorced.  Not to say that interracial couples don’t get divorced, just saying that I learned from her a different perspective about love and race.

Some of the complaints about the Cheerios ad are not about the interracial family but the fact that General Mills uses genetically modified ingredients. Which is NOT good for the heart like the ad infers. While this might be true, I bought the boxes of Cheerios anyway. I don’t intend to eat them all, but by purchasing them, I am showing my support of Cheerio’s bold step in advertising.

I suggest you do the same.

The fashion industry has always had a narrow standards of beauty. I am reminded of this every day when I go the warehouse full of mannequins my company has recycled from upscale retail chains. 95% of the mannequins are tall, waif-thin, young and Anglo – clearly not representative of the population in the US.

But perhaps social media is fueling a “beauty revolution” signaling a change in what we define as beautiful. Two significant shifts have happened in the less than five months.

First, this photograph of a plus size lingerie-clad mannequin went viral. It was from a Swedish department store called Ahlens, (not H&M as falsely reported in many media outlets).

It had originally appeared on a blog post almost two years ago. But when it was reposted in March of this year  on the Women’s Rights Facebook page, it caused an avalanche of media attention on the subject of body image.

As of today over 64,000 people made mostly favorable comments about it on the Women’s Rights Facebook page. We still don’t see many plus size mannequins in retail stores, but at least people know that plus size mannequins do exist. (We have over 6 different styles for sale at Mannequin Madness)

Secondly, a six year old interview with the Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch recently went viral. BTW, can you believe he is 68 years old?

Mr. Jeffries comments not only re-ignited the discussion of body image and the fashion industry, but caused it to explode. I think part of the reason the topic is so hot now is because his comments were so mean-spirited his comments AND because A&F sells men’s clothing.

Men now get to experience what women have been dealing with since forever – being judged on unrealistic standards of beauty. And when men get in the mix, it makes a difference.

The subject of body image is no longer just a woman’s issue, discussed primarily in fashion and lifestyle magazines/blogs. Almost every media outlet is covering it now thanks to A&F, even Forbes.com

Private individuals are using social media to wage their own campaigns protesting the fashion industry’s beauty bias.  Whether it is posting videos on YouTube or comments on Facebook and Twitter. Change.org has started a petition to get A&F to make plus sizes. A boycott has not only been started, but is gathering steam. A scathing article on Elite Daily, “The Voice of Generation Y,” has fueled the discussion with its 1.6 million followers. ”

Greg Karber posted a YouTube video entitled “Abercrombie & Fitch Gets a Brand Readjustment #FitchTheHomeless,” which asks the public to go to their local thrift shops and purchase all of the Abercrombie & Fitch they can possibly grab and distribute the clothes to the homeless. “Together, we can make Abercrombie & Fitch the world’s number one brand of homeless apparel,” Karber says in the video.

Jes Baker (aka the Militant Baker) is a size 22 blogger did these spoof’s on the Abercrombie and Fitch ads. Her version of A&F is “attractive and fat” and her images have appeared all over the internet.

Although Mannequin Madness has been blogging about harmful impact the fashion industry has on a woman’s self esteem for years, it seems like this subject is finally starting to reach critical mass.

We’ve seen an increase in the sale of our plus size dress forms. Maybe one day – people of all sizes, colors and ages – will be well represented in the fashion industry.

One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that you need to display your items on something – not just lie the goods flat on a table or even worse, on the floor.

And hanging clothes on a hanger, while convenient, doesn’t give you a competitive advantage is another vendor is selling the same or similar item on a model or mannequin.

Here is a sampling of the range of opinions on mannequin versus live model comments on Etsy. The photos are the most popular items that Etsy buyers have purchased from Mannequin Madness.

1 From Ashley:

 I like the idea of live models, but it might make it harder for people to see it on themselves as opposed to the person it’s on in the photo. On the other hand, a model is always more interesting than a mannequin and can show a piece in more situations or positions than a mannequin could.

 2 From Kim: Some people are weird about items having been worn, especially in the hair or ears, of another person.

3 From weezieduzzit:

I’ve never bought anything pictured on a live model. I find them distracting and sometimes off putting. I love the neutrality of a mannequin or dress form.

4 From Hard Candy Gems: Either/or works for me as a buyer. As a seller, I could never gain the patience to deal with photographing stones like moonstone & labradorite on a live model. It would end badly but I do use my own hand for my rings..

5 From MerryMaenad

For me, it depends on the item. Some really need a live form to show how they drape the body, others need an inanimate form you can get to stay still and shoot in tight angles.

 I would never buy earrings pictured on a person, which I know is rather silly since I always sanitize earrings when I buy them anyway. But such is my quirk. I know people have similar issues with headbands and choker necklaces…perhaps anything they think a live model might sweat in and stain?

  6 From FawnDoeVintage

I go for the mannequin and don’t pin, personally. A lot of models you see on here look like they are extremely skinny and tall, so something that might be fitted on a size large looks totally different on the model, pinned or not. A good camera, photographer, and stylist has a way of making any kind of garment look fabulous on a person, even if it doesn’t fit. Then again, those same things can also make a garment look fabulous on a mannequin.

As for working more on your product photos, it does take a lot of time to work with a model, but not all of us sellers have those resources. I can’t afford to pay someone for their time so I have to make do with a mannequin (I wouldn’t feel right asking someone to do it for free). I spend an insane amount of time on my photos! Everything from painting the studio room specifically for a photo backdrop, to setting up lighting, and styling the mannequin. It might actually be MORE work to use just a mannequin because you have to make the garment look good and wearable, when a person is wearing it, half the job is done

7 From Black Sheep Designs

Ii’ve used both, but as a buyer i’d personally prefer to see something on a real person as mannequins don’t always have very realistic proportions (although neither do some models!). also having an actual person wear the clothes can bring much more life (no pun intended) and character to an outfit, and give the photos a completely different feel.

 8 From RacyStacyDesigns

My experience with models hasn’t been so good. If you do use them make sure you get model releases!! Also never use a model that outshines the item you are trying to sell

9 From crochetgal

If you’ve got access to a good model then go with it. But if you can get just as good a photo with a mannequin, then use that. Both can work extremely well.

10 From ButterflyFeetDigital

Ever notice the Coldwater Creek catalog by any chance? They don’t use live models and their clothing looks fabulous!