Displaysense already supplies a large variety of male and female mannequins ranging in age, size, abstract and stylistic. In the past 6 months alone, the company has noted the increasing rise in demand for female mannequins with larger posteriors brought on by the changing ethos towards weight and the growing trend against "size zero".
Although the supplier already has female mannequins in stock which are designed around a size 10 body, it's been noted that with a growing population there is a definite need to supply larger mannequins to the UK, a move which has proven popular in the US with their range of larger mannequins.
James Crawford, sales Director at Displaysense was reported to have said "We are developing the larger mannequins due to the change in society's perception of weight." He also said, "This time last year everyone was obsessed with the sight of size zero models on the catwalks, but now it seems that curves are back in. It is quite amazing how much power a mannequin can have over the weight conscious people of this country."
Widespread social acceptance of a more curvaceous woman started back in 1992 with the song "baby got back" by the hip-hop artist Sir Mix-a-lot who brought forward the idea that large posteriors were actually an asset rather than something to be ashamed of. Although there is less of a stigma attached to being over weight, there is still a growing problem of anorexia amongst adolescents where approximately 1 in 150 people will suffer from this psychiatric condition and that women are 10 times more likely to have the condition than men according to a recent study on anorexia by easyweb.
The average dress size of a woman in the UK is a size 14 and it is on the increase, but with the change in views on "skinny equals successful" and the growing acceptance from the high street that anything other than a size 10 shouldn't be alienated against; people are feeling better about their weight and new mannequins should be made to welcome these changes.
The first large bottomed mannequins are expected to be exhibited early in the New Year with the hope that mass distribution can begin during the second quarter. It is expected that these larger female mannequins will create quite an impact and if the market research is anything to go by, sales of large size jeans, trousers and shorts are set to go through the roof. Depending on the success of the female mannequin, Displaysense has announced that a male mannequin would be a natural progression for the product later in 2008.
Source: eMediaWire.com
