How to Style Mannequins for Sale

Styling mannequins for sale can be a challenging and intricate task. Hence, even though it might seem simple and straightforward, it’s not. In fact, mannequins as visual tools are an essential part of the visual merchandising strategy developed by popular and successful retail stores. They are a part of the story you’re selling to your customers. They are the well-dressed actors in your display and the magnetic force behind driving sales.

However, like any visual tool in marketing, mannequins exist to highlight and showcase items of value and influence the customer's purchase. Therefore, learning how to style mannequins for sale is a crucial skill, and if you work in retail, you should develop it as soon as possible.

In this section of the guide, Mannequin Mall is going to provide you with practical tips about proper styling and implementing a visual merchandising strategy. You can dress your mannequins for success, and use them the way they were meant to be used, to increase customer interest and improve sales.

The fashion industry revolves around impact, brand quality and visual attractiveness. Therefore pleasingly styling your mannequins increases the chance of people noticing your store and merchandise.

Once you start focusing on color, texture and height in order to create a realistic and appealing window display, odds are people will start recognizing your store. You will need mannequins to achieve that sophisticated look. Thus, they can make or break a perfect window display.

How to Style Sexy Mannequins

Creativity, imagination and a sense of fashion need to be your primary skills if you want to implement a visual merchandising strategy in retail. Plus, you’ll have to learn the basics of lighting, color and the use of space. The same goes for styling sexy mannequins with lingerie. You have to find a way to make the underwear appealing but classy, sexy and yet sophisticated, and then model the mannequin in a way that targets the largest number of customers.

As we said at the beginning of the chapter, styling the perfect mannequin is not an easy task. However, we do have a few tips you may want to try:

It’s not just lingerie, but a whole outfit!

When you’re styling a sexy mannequin, make sure you’re telling a story with the ensemble. Every piece of underwear needs to fit perfectly and create a mental picture for the customer before they decide to try it on. Use complementary colors, and combine pieces from the same collection.

Become a visual storyteller!

It’s no wonder that innovative window displays attract customers, and the reason for that is that people love to envision themselves in the displayed setting. Therefore, creating a whole scene by portraying a mannequin dressed in a lace robe looking in the mirror is far more interesting than just showing a mannequin that looks lifeless.

Keep it stylish!

When you’re displaying sexy mannequins in your store, keeping it stylish is the best way to attract a larger number of customers. Place the mannequin in a pose that breathes confidence and poise. That will give your customers a nudge in the right direction.

How to Style Your Store Mannequins for Maximum Effect

Another thing you should take into consideration is styling your store mannequins together to increase the effect on your customers. We already know from numerous studies done in the field of retail marketing that consumers are looking for more than items — they want an experience. Furthermore, they want that experience to be complete, unique and tailored according to their own needs.

The first step towards creating that is giving them undivided attention when they walk into your store; the second is making the space inviting and special. Hence, we circle back to the mannequins displayed in the window and throughout the store. You can use your decorating knowledge and some of our tips to optimize your retail space and accomplish your set goals.

Superheroes and Pop Culture Icons

Take a page out of Berluti’s marketing book. As a menswear retailer, Berluti decided to dress their mannequins in pieces from their latest collections and create a Batman shadow behind them. The result is rather obvious — the hero is an average person during the day (dressed in Berluti’s clothes) and Batman when duty calls.

The reason Berluti did that is to help their customers transcend their everyday roles and feel like superheroes. You can achieve the same effect and choose a pop culture icon that’s relatable to your target audience.

Use Props to Highlight the Mannequin

Hackett London, as a high-class fashion brand for men, decided to utilize the fact that their clothes are handmade. The brand convey its message by using props; specifically, little figurines that are diligently tailoring a Hackett London suit on the window display.

You have to admit that communicating the brand’s message through mannequins is quite innovative and creative. Plus, that’s the quickest way to turn a brand into a status symbol. You can use the same technique to emphasize an important feature in one of your collections.

A note of importance, choose one theme for every mannequin displayed in the store!

How to Style Realistic Mannequins

Realistic mannequins are the easiest ones to style, because of the way they “copy” the human body so appropriately. A high-quality, lifelike mannequin will help you create the ideal window display, and be the most believable “actor” in the story you want to tell.

If you have realistic-looking mannequins at your disposal, you should use them to evoke emotions in your customers. Choose your star pieces from the fashion collection and arrange the mannequins in an authentic life situation that conveys a message of happiness and success.

However, bear in mind that the highest quality mannequins for sale can be expensive. Our advice is to find a reputable mannequin store that can provide you with high-quality mannequins for the lowest price. You shouldn’t compromise on quality if you want to create the perfect window display in your store.