Traditionally, store mannequins have been designed with the sole intention of showing off a garment. These 5"10, size 0 shapeless plastic dolls used to represented a body shape that could only be ours with a bit of death-defying starvation and lots of white powder. Consequently, most women did not look to mannequins as a source of inspiration for an improved self esteem.
Female body proportions, however, have increased across the board and there’s a growing trend among clothes merchandisers to reflect that change in their mannequins. Subsequently, the shapeless dolls have become voluptuous, curvy and above all very, very chesty.
I can’t quote an specific number to illustrate the explosive growth in chest augmentation surgeries in the USA. But as everyone knows, boob implant procedures have become almost as commonplace as putting on makeup. Therefore, it would not be so far off the mark to say that mannequins’ breasts are growing to cater for the number of women who now have huge implanted racks.
Finally, I want to point out that the mannequin with those humongous boobs on the lead image is, to no one’s surprise, from a clothing store in South Beach, Florida.
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Trend Themes
1. Increasing Body Proportions - The trend of increasing body proportions among women is leading to the creation of more voluptuous mannequins, providing opportunities for disruptive innovation in the fashion industry.
2. Chest Augmentation - The prevalence of chest augmentation surgeries is driving the demand for mannequins with larger breasts, presenting opportunities for disruptive innovation in the cosmetic surgery industry.
3. Body Positivity - The shift towards more realistic and curvy mannequins is promoting body positivity and self-esteem, creating opportunities for disruptive innovation in the body positivity movement.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - The fashion industry can capitalize on the trend of increasing body proportions by designing clothing lines specifically tailored for curvy mannequins.
2. Cosmetic Surgery - The cosmetic surgery industry can innovate by creating mannequins that accurately represent the diverse body shapes resulting from chest augmentation procedures.
3. Body Positivity Movement - The body positivity movement can utilize realistic mannequins to promote self-acceptance and inclusivity in retail spaces.