The Mannequin Madness Blog

A Made Ya Look Window Display From West Hollywood – Part 2

bhupal medishetty — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:08:55 +0000

One surefire way to grab attention for your retail window displays is to have them either be controversial or about a current event. Here are examples of both from freelance visual merchandiser Chad Morrisette who is based in Southern California.

I think this window display is from (or at least I hope so) a client of Chad’s who sells products for adult sexual pleasure.

Look closely, notice what is cooking on the BBQ grill. And although this picnic scene from the 1950’s looks relatively tame, the garments underneath the female mannequins’s clothing are anything but.

I love the giant postcard that says “Wishing you a Saucy Summer.”

On the other end of the spectrum, here is Chad’s interpretation of “The Oscar’s. Complete with red carpet, camera’s and gold statuettes.

Thank you Chad for including mannequins of color in your window displays. Plus size mannequins and mannequins of color are virtually non-existent in window displays – but we do have them for sale at MannequinMadness.com

A Made Ya Look Window Display From West Hollywood – Part 1

bhupal medishetty — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:50:35 +0000

One surefire way to grab attention for your retail window displays is to have them either be controversial or about a current event. This is the first in a series of window displays by freelance visual merchandiser Chad Morrisette who is based in Southern California. Chad has a knack for creating window displays that “make ya look.”

This series of windows are ones he designed to celebrate fashion week. It was a very clever idea to simulate a fashion show, complete with runway and cameras.

Many of Chad’s retail clients are located in West Los Angeles, a predominately gay neighborhood area where many of the residents work in the entertainment or design field. So Chad has to work extra hard to get the attention of a crowd who has “seen it, done it” and onto the next trendy thing.

Here is another version of a “fashion runway” window display, this one is from a London retailer.

Thought Bubbles in Window Displays Create more Sales

Judi — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:43:44 +0000

Mannequins don’t always have to be silent salespeople. You can use thought bubbles in your window displays so the mannequins can “talk” or convey “emotions” like these displays we found on Pinterest.

An eye-catching window display in a formerly war-torn city

Judi — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:02:25 +0000

Beirut, Lebanon would probably not be on my list of cities with the most interesting retail window displays. That is until I saw this display by Shirley Wazen for the department store BH

Well, technically BHV is a French department store and this is their Beirut store. Factoid: Before the civil wars began there, Beirut was once known as the “Paris of the Middle East.”

We love the fact that this window display is combines clothing, accessories, shoes and home furnishings in one window, yet does not look overly cluttered.

It makes good use of color and budget friendly materials like balloons and old picture frames. The different size cubes are displayed in a way to give the eye plenty of places to travel. (Much better than everything placed on a long shelf)

Pillow fighting mannequins make an eye-catching window display

bhupal medishetty — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:46:29 +0000

Did you ever see two mannequins have a pillow fight?

Me neither until I was walking down the street in San Francisco and this window display with four mannequins stopped me dead in my tracks.

This window was UNLIKE anything that any other retailer in the area had in their window.

And that is what the savvy retailer wants to do – set themselves apart from the competition. Most are like lemmings and do what everyone else does.This window has all the elements of a Window with Wow/Made you Look!-it evokes emotions ( who doesn’t enjoy a pillow fight?)-it showcases the clothes (some window displays have so much going the clothes get obscured -it creates a strong identity for the store (based on the window display I would guess that the store is has a fun, unique, youthful energy -it is budget friendly to produce (nice mannequins coupled with inexpensive props, perfectly executed)

On Pinterest I saw a similar pillow fight window display from Bergdorf’s.

Goes to show that people from all income brackets can appreciate a good pillow fight!

Vintage Dress Forms – the latest trend in home decor

Judi — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:31:46 +0000

Trendy hotels like the Crosby in Soho were using dress forms as functional decor in their hotel rooms. We featured that trend in a blog post back in 2010. Now it seems this has caught on as the latest “must-have” in home decor.

This photo was in March 2013 issue of CovetGarden.com a Toronto based design magazine.

One would might think the the owner of the featured home must be in the fashion industry, since there are 4 dress forms in the living room. But no, he is a caterer. And there were more dress forms throughout the house!

In other design publications, dress forms are used as decoration that is also functional. For example when a dress form is used to display the owner’s jewelry, belts or purse.

Other times the dress forms are used as a canvas for an art project.

We first noticed this trend on Pinterest. Out of the 40 plus boards we have on Pinterest, we have two are devoted just for dress forms.

One board is Dress Forms as Decor and the other board is dress forms in sewing and craft rooms.

If you want to purchase (or rent) a new or used dress form, MannequinMadness.com has a wide variety of choices. We have miniature and size to life size in a variety of fabrics and colors.

While we don’t have any vintage dress forms like in the first photo, we do offer this tutorial so that you can make a new dress form look vintage.

Post It Notes, Mannequin Madness and your chance to win a $200 Amex Gift card

bhupal medishetty — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:34:26 +0000

PostIt notes have come a long way.

There was a time when the only style available was this:

But now you can find beautifully illustrated ones like these from Jenn Sprinkle:

Don’t you just love having your “to do” list written down on something attractive?

3M Corporation (the company that makes PostIt Notes) has a series called the “signature series” you can buy a wide variety of beautifully illustrated post it notes. There are unique styles that you won’t find at Staples or Office Depot, like these.

The signature series of post it notes are created by a carefully selected group of designers. One of which is a Texas based designer named Jenn Sprinkle.

I Jenn is one of the four judges in our “Craft Room of your Dreams” contest that we are sponsoring on Pinterest. We are offering a $200 Amex gift card and other prizes to the winners of the contest.

We liked the profile of Jenn on the PostIt website especially when asked about her design trends, she said: “I am fascinated by well designed small spaces and products designed for simple living. Also neon colors paired with navy”

We love that she appreciates small spaces because we realize that not every crafter has the luxury of having a craft room in their home. Lots of crafters carve out space in a closet,

under the stairway

or even just have a hutch to work on.

We wanted a judge who would understand that, and Jenn does. And she is extremely talented. Jenn’s company offers these services:

Design

logos, branding, business cards, website collaboration, postcards, brochures

Invitations & Event Design

social & wedding invitations, programs, placecards, save the dates, napkins, menus

Printing

great quality and pricing on postcards, business cards, brochures, etc.

Gifts & Paper Happies

notepads, posters, greeting cards, notecards

Licensing

print and pattern design for license on products

Need a road map for your mid-life career change? Read this Encore Career Handbook

Judi — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:52:57 +0000

When I made an unconventional mid-life career change 10 years ago, I didn’t realize I was on the cutting edge of a growing trend called Encore Careers.

An Encore career combines purpose, passion and a paycheck in the second half of life.

Until recently, most Americans equated the end of a successful career with the beginning of retirement. No more. Now they want to stay in the game (or better, change the game). They want to leave a mark. Make a difference—and continue to make money.

Marci Alboher (a lawyer turned journalist wrote a book called Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and Make a Difference in the Second Half of LIfe. The book is a virtual road map to help mid-lifers determine their next career path.

I wish this book had been available when I was making my career change. (I am briefly profiled in the book)

Here is a brief description of it:

“A comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts guide, filled with inspiring stories and answering—in extensive FAQ sections—the concerns of its readers, this book is everything you need to help you strike a balance between doing good and doing well–in a way that will sustain you through this new stage of life.

The pros and cons of going back to school. When to volunteer, and when to intern. How to network effectively and harness the power of social media. Who’s hiring and for what jobs? (Check out the Encore Hot List of 35 viable careers).”

Marci can be seen discussing the book here on The Today show and in the Huffington Post.

Over 50 and starting a business? Get Inspired by this PBSnewshour segment

bhupal medishetty — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:29:35 +0000

Apparently people age 50 and over are not spending their retirement on the golf course,

but starting businesses. And they are starting business at a rate much higher than in the
20-35 age group.

PBS newshour produced a series about this trending topic. They interviewed seniors
who started businesses by force (job layoff and age discrimination) or by choice – such
as following a passion which unexpectedly led to a business venture.

The latter is what happened to me. And as “young senior” I was included in this PBS
segment.

That is me in the photo above ﬂanked by Paul Solman, the economics host on
PBSnewshour and Lee Koromvokis a producer on the show.

I was also asked to co-write a post on the PBS blog on 10 tips for senior entrepreneurs.

A “deathly gorgeous” Window Display about Alexander McQueen.

bhupal medishetty — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:02:33 +0000

A funeral scene is not something you are likely to see in a window display. But this memorial tribute to Alexander McQueen is simply stunning and worth noting and copying.

It is everything a good window display should be – dramatic, emotional, realistic feeling and perfectly executed. Great signage and I love the single flower in the mannequin’s hands as well as the poses of the mannequins. Their outfits are perfect!Once again, kudos to one of our favorite visual merchandisers, Chad Morrisette of West Hollywood.Compare his window to other window displays that done in memory of Alexander McQueen when he died a few years ago.

Bergdorf’s did this window, which is also dramatic – and much more costly to produce than Chad’s.

And I saw this other window display on Pinterest, not sure where it is from.

The colors running on the flag remind me of tear drops versus rain, given the occasion.