Video of Sophie talking about the Mannequal

Click on link above to watch

Interesting news article

Great little article in Cosmopolitan Magazine, here's to the future!

Longer Version of Nippon News Clip (Click here)

Nippon News Clip (Click here)

Nippon News Clip on the Mannequal

Nippon TV

Nippon TV, a Japanese news channel, filmed a feature on the Mannequal today. They were keen to find out the inspiration behind its design and how it will fit into the windows and instore displays of the world's retail giants.

Filming for the news channel with a white and red Mannequal in the background.

Filming for the news channel with a white and red Mannequal in the background

The team were keen to find out how the idea came about, how the whole project was developed and the idea taken to Debenhams as well as where the Mannequal hopes to go and how it will manage to benefit not only the customer but the retailer. The feature will air next week, and a video of it posted here soon.

DEBENHAMS LAUNCH

The launch of the product is finally here! Debenhams introduced the first mannequal into its Oxford Street window display this week. See it here being styled by the visual team (please click on the images to enlarge) - 

Photographs provided by Debenhams

The white Mannequal is seen here with a seated mannequin, dressed in clothes by Debenhams designers. The final images will soon be seen on the mannequal.com website but for now they will be shown here. Please click to enlarge.

Photography by Sophie Morgan

The beautiful Shannon can of course be seen in the background on the right. It is an exciting image all in all, Shannon in her chair looking incredible, and then a mannequin seated subtly in a mannequal. It is the first display of its kind in the world, let alone in the UK and to see it nestled amongst the vibrant and cutting edge displays that run the length of the busiest shopping street in the world is not only inspiring and exciting, it's a clear indication that the retail industry is beginning to change..for the better. In the 548 shops on Oxford Street, the most dense retail environment in Europe, this one window stands alone, turning shoppers heads as they go and leaving them questioning the way in which disability will be included in the future. Its a beautiful sight and we have Mark Stevens Debenhams Head of Creative, Channel 4 and Natasha Wood to thank. It's onwards and upwards!

Katie & Jo (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Katie & Jo

Blue mannequal & black mannequin. Kindly donated by Mannakin Ltd.

Mannequal has had a fantastic week this week. 'Katie & Jo' a beauftiul boutique in Parsons Green in west London have featured a striking blue version which is perched in their large shop front window, seating a mannequin kindly provided by Mannakin Ltd. The sales team at Mannakin Ltd have been incredibly supportive and unbelievably generous, donating the Schlappi female for the display and working with the Mannequal team to help create a head turning and eye catching shop window.

The professional images are yet to come but below are some of the behind the scenes pictures.

 

Jo helping create the display

Styling the mannequin

Silhouette against the street

The window display from outside

Blue mannequal and black mannequin

Patricia Rodwell photographer -  images coming soon!

Thanks in abundance to Katie and Jo, two of the kindest and most talented girls in London, whose support and time have been given so generously. Please visit the shop at 253 News Kings Road to see the mannequal in situ and buy some of their beautiful clothes!

 

Izovation!! (click here)

See the Mannequal in 'Flare' magazine, being used for Izzy's new line!

Cleo B Photo Shoot

Last week the first Mannequal arrived in the UK. Manufactured and packaged in China at Universal Displays warehouse, the chair was spotless and ready for a photo shoot.

Teaming up with Cleo B (Left) the beautiful and talented shoe designer and Richard Round Turner, Cleo's photographer, the Mannequal was rushed off to a studio in west London to take some highly anticipated product shots. 

The whole team come from a very artistic back ground so the idea was to take some shots intended for the mannequal website and brochure, and use it as an excuse to get creative. 

Styled by Cleo and directed by Sophie the shoot was to focus on Cleo's beautiful collection while at the same time portraying the various angles that make the Mannequal so unique. Every composition was styled to coordinate with the vibrant colours (For example Tribeca Wedge, above) of the shoes, and the stark background intended not only to draw the focus to the colours but extenuate the shape of the Mannequal, from its various angles.

It was incredibly exciting to finally seat a mannequin in the Mannequal, and see how the combination looked. The mannequins perched perfectly in the chair, the black contrasting brilliantly with the flesh and chrome colours of the mannequins and highlighting the beautiful colours of Cleo's shoes (Cleo and Richard styling the mannequin, left).

One of the most important features of the Mannequal is that it doesn't detract from the mannequin, as it is the clothing that is paramount. The Mannequal should be an extension of the mannequin it displays, and in situ should match aesthetically with the clothing that the mannequin is wearing. In this shoot however it was important that the chair stand out as these images are intended to show how the chair will work, so we had to find a balance between focusing on the shoes that the mannequins are wearing and the Mannequal itself. 

Our favorite image is below (please click to enlarge). The rest of the images are on the slide show below.

Please also vote on the poll on the right if you have time! x