Pierre Imans was a French mannequin manufacturer. Who in the late 18th century began producing unconventional mannequins in wax. Iman’s unlike other mannequins of the time he decorated the faces in a realistic fashion. Lifelike wax, human hair, glass eyes, make-up to as look as real as possible. They have a daunting nature about them, always watching but never moving. Even going as far to name the mannequins, Roberta, Elaine and Nadine.
Depicting his ‘perfect’ image, flat chests, wide hips and middle-aged faces. Trying to suit the image of the period as best as possible. Reflecting diverse shapes of women for all customers. In refusing to call his wax figures mannequins their realism made them adopt a personality of their own. In a strange sense they became individualistic. Their poised elegance, standing still for all time. Never moving.
The detail and scariness of the realistic nature with the mannequins, have a sense of art in themselves. They show the raw artistic nature for the period, the ability to have things stand for that period. Everything from the ability to create the mannequins to the fact of their existence and their sophistication. All of it drawing you in, closer to why they were created. A sense of them being real, it’s unusual. Not just how they look but their very concept.
A way to bring customers in, seeing how clothing would look on you. A way to make the whole concept of clothes shopping easier, something to provide a sense of comfort. With something so unique for the period, it certainly raised a high profile. With a waxwork museum having opened in Paris in the mid-1880s, this association with the waxwork made him only want to distance himself further. Blanding the museum-style waxworks as “banal and grotesque.”
Long eyelashes enhancing the female features, bringing in a sense of hope to a false reality. With clear skin, tight curls neatly pinned in with red lips, posed, looking over the customer, drawing you in. Poised with her body facing away from you, while you are still able to get a sneak preview of the dress. Not showing you the whole outfit draws you further into the shop. With accessories, shoes, a pearl necklace you have to go round to each department to see everything. Meaning, you will probably leave the shop with more than one item.
The waxwork he created was done so as a way to preserve the body without touching a human. It’s a strange concept. But it shows beauty in its individual state. However, many may say beauty comes in all forms no matter the age. When beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s down to the individual creating the object to decide. With every mannequin having a sense of individualism they all still manage to look the same. They are all still wax. They are no more real than pain in a wall.
Come 1925 Iman’s company produced a life-like wax skin, covering then hands of St. Bernadette of Lourdes. A new variety of materials, cerolaque and carnasine which was a mixture of plaster and gelatine. These new materials meant that the finishes were lighter and resistant, bringing in a finish that were to enhance the luxury status. Ensuring the seamless context of a window display.
It’s strange to understand how the simple mannequin could hold such an effect onto the shopping experience of many. Imans didn’t see the mannequins as wax figures, instrad they were “masterpieces of modern sculpture”. Others would say they look scary and are very much weird, aiming to turn you off shopping rather than enhance it. However, for the time period they were very much aimed for the customers of the period. Before this there wouldn’t have been a mannequin or anything like this.
In addition, unlike today where shopping assistants all wear clothing within the stores as a sales tactic. The saleswomen in clothing stores would be required to wear a uniform, something black or an inconspicuous colour. There wasn’t any thought that they too could see the clothing by simply wearing the clothes. Therefore, making a mannequin as lifelike as possible seemed like the best option.
Male mannequins too were required. And much like the female wax figures they had to look as real as possible. Without holding a particular age, they were all shapes sizes, age, body types and so on. Wearing new clothes and styles to fit current trends for the shop windows. The show window was the key part to draw in customers. That’s the one thing Iman’s saw. No matter how peculiar and attached he was to these mannequins he brought in a new level to the shopping experience. Even if they do look odd.
