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Dressed to sell
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Mannequins are not mere dolls used to attract customers to the shops. They are indicators of fashion trends and even divulge to the window shopper the nature of the showroom. SAVITHA V. says that, with competition and customer service reaching new heights, it will not be long before live models will take the place of these dolls.
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TAKE A walk down the busy M.G. Road, and what does one see - young children ready for a picnic, silent young men clothed in formals, brightly dressed young women in rich silks and beads, all standing along the pavement. No, we are not talking about real people, but of mannequins. They are a presence to reckon with at almost every textile shop, by the door, inviting customers with folded hands and welcoming smiles. By far, the slim beauties outnumber the tall, grim men. And of course the children - they stand in groups, in party frocks or school uniforms.
These mannequins are not natives of Kerala. They come with the fashion and sophistication of big cities. Most of the textile showrooms bring the dummies from either Bangalore or Delhi, which, along with Mumbai, are the favourite markets for buying mannequins. Their prices range from Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000, depending upon the material and size.
Punjabi Libas, an exclusive shop for salwar kameez and lehengas boast of a breathtaking array of beauties lined up along the pavement, by the door. "They help attract the customers; they are quite a pretty sight," says manager Mr. Rajesh Manchanda. And indeed they are, dressed in the brightest of colours and the best of silks.
The new generation of textile showrooms go for "theme dressing" for their mannequins. The themes are mostly based on colours, though sometimes they also go by the season. At present, the mannequins at Punjabi Libas are dressed in bridal wear - lehengas targeted at the Muslim customers. "The customer should know what products we have," said Mr. Manchanda, adding that the mannequins were always dressed in the latest product, the unstitched lehengas, with prices ranging up to Rs. 12,000. Dressing up the mannequins comes as a very important part of window dressing. "Some shops employ specialists to come and dress up the mannequins," says Mr. P M Antony, the manager of Manavatti Textiles. But here, the staff does it, adding that a specialist is not required since "these are things everyone knows." The proprietors of the Louise Philippe showroom seem to differ on this point of view. The interior designer in charge of the shop either sends an assistant or goes himself, once a week, to dress the mannequins. "The experts give the dummies a classic touch", said an employee.
While most shops change the clothing of the mannequins once a week, there are showrooms where it is changed everyday. For Mr. Manchanda, it means a fresh display everyday, whereas for Mr. Antony, it means that the mannequins will be cleaned everyday. He says that if maintained well, and painted once a year, they can last long with minimum damage.
The life size dolls are not the only ones used for the display of wares. A whole variety of dummies adorn various shops - from hanging ones with no limbs to just the feet or the head. The latter are seen in shops selling jewellery or shoes. There are dummies to please all - from the traditional stately women clad in Kanjeepuram silk to the slim, unbelievably tall slim girls in spaghetti-sleeved dresses. The former are seen in the older shops of Kochi, while the latter in the more recent ones.
The fast changing trends in fashion have affected not only the clothes, but also the mannequins. If one remembers Parthas, one of the big names in textile business in Kochi, as it was 10 years ago, it will not be difficult to recall the array of huge female mannequins (womannequins, would be better) that lined the shop window. Now, they have become more life like in size and postures, and younger.
These models also tell the window-shopper the nature of the shop. A couple of male dummies would mean it is an exclusive shop for men's ware. A row of women in sarees would tell you it is a saree shop. A group of children, with one or two male and female mannequins, for a family shop.
A century ago, a mannequin meant a person employed to display new styles of clothes by wearing them. Or rather, what we know today as models. With competition and customer service reaching new heights, it is a possibility that in the years to come, shops may return to this ancient practice and have models displaying clothes in the shops. Wait until you see them.
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