Mannequins of Two Worlds

I have been photographing mannequins for many years now. Why do I do that? A simple answer would be because they look just like humans and what a great way to photograph the human form without bothering any living being. Another reason is they somehow reflect the people who dress them or for whom they are dressed for.

Mannequins had been used for centuries by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and clothing retailers. Even though they were used for many things that need a human form they are mainly used and are still being used to show clothing. They had been for a long-time a copy of an imaginary perfect human figure that society envisions in an era. For this reason, mannequins look like the time, place, and people that use them, making them more interesting. It is as if mannequins have their own character shaped by their owners and their culture.

I have photographed mannequins in two different parts of the world Africa and North America trying to capture their hidden unique characters continents apart. Two worlds that are different in culture and economic status. They may have been both manufactured in the same country most probably China but they take the culture and norms of their hosts immediately as soon as they start getting used.

Mannequins had been used in Ethiopia for nearly a century imported to show European clothing at high-end stores frequented by the rich elite and the diplomatic community but gradually became a fixture into each neighborhood’s boutique which sells cheap Chinees imports to traditional dress and anything in between. They are now getting close to look like the country and the people. Shop owners are using more and more mannequins that look African rather than European.  They are dressed and carried out to the front of shops (often they have to be tied to post and doorways so that the wind doesn’t make them fall) by their owners every day who hope that they bring good business. In another part of the world in the US mannequins are dressed by a professional stylist which not only select the outfit they wear but also design a perfect backdrop to reflect the season and the style. They are perfectly displayed to attract customers to buy more even if they don’t need to because that is what drives the consumer economy.  

It is strange that a simple object like a mannequin can tell so much story which makes it fun to capture their story in pictures.