Profiles of the Mannequin

They've been referred to as the quintessential silent sales force, but they are so much more than fancy clothes hangers. Mannequins breathe life, emotion, and animation into retail environments across the world. They are works of art that tap into the emotions and aspirations of all who engage with them. Profiles of the Mannequin tracks the history and evolution of these intriguing figures from the headless models of 1900 right up to today's virtual mannequins. Exploring shifts in representation of gender, race and body type, this study chronicles the connection between mannequins and movements in art, the humanities, current affairs, and fashion.Beautifully illustrated and engagingly told, fascinating in-depth interviews with creative professionals recount their experiences, philosophies, and stories of the mannequin and its impact on our culture as both a utilitarian object and as an artistic statement.
Interviewees include: -Carol Barnhart, former owner and CEO, Carol Barnhart Inc.-Harry Cunningham, former Senior Vice President Store Planning, Design, and Visual Merchandising, Saks Fifth Avenue-James Damian, former President of Hindsgaul Mannequins USA-Paul Olszewski, former National Director of Windows and Internal Flagship Marketing, Macy's-Barbara Paris Gifford, Curator, Museum of Art and Design (MAD), New York-Ralph Pucci, mannequin designer, gallery owner and entrepreneur-Rob Smith, the CEO and Founder of the Phluid Project, the first gender-neutral store in the retail industry

Eric Feigenbaum is a recognized leader in store design and visual merchandising. As a retailer, he served as Corporate Director of Visual Merchandising for Stern's Department Store. In design, he was the Director of Visual Merchandising for WalkerGroup/CNI, an architectural design firm in New York, and he is currently president of Embrace Design, a retail design consultancy. In education, he was the Chair of the Visual Merchandising Department at LIM College in New York, and he taught store design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He is also the Director of Workshops for WindowsWear. In the editorial sector, he serves as the New York Editor of VMSD (Visual Merchandising and Store Design) magazine where he has penned over 200 articles. Feigenbaum has lectured worldwide with presentations in Brazil, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany and many places in-between. In 2012, he was awarded the industry's highest honor, the coveted Markopoulos Award.

Introduction: Fantasy or Reality?
1. Actors on the Stage
2. Profiles, Body Type and Gender
3. In the Beginning: 1900 - 1930
4. Fashion, Art and Hollywood: 1930 - 1940
5. To War and Back: 1940 - 1950
6. Mid-Century, an Age of Awakening: 1950 - 1960
7. Counter Culture and the Age of Aquarius: 1960 - 1970
8. The Transitional Years: 1970 - 1980
9. Searching for Identity: 1980 - 1990
10. An Age of Awareness: 1990 - 2000
11. Composition and Movement: 2000 and Beyond
12. Mannequins and Museums
13. Materials: From Cobblestones to Cyberspace
14. Abstract, Custom and Unique Applications
15. Technology and the Face of Tomorrow
16. The Business of the Mannequin
Epilogue
Index