Mannequins are something created by man in order to represent the human body, usually in order to display clothes and retail items that can only truly be seen when put on the human form. We see them as we walk in to Kohl's or Macy's, and we never think of what is a mannequin and how it came to be. They are constructs, sculptures, plastic and fiber glass bodies that call out to the masses in order to tell them the latest fashion statements and perfect physical forms.
The mannequin is only what humans portray as normal, or what best represents the human form. In the picture (above, right) the male body is portrayed has having high cheek bones, a pointed chin, short hair, a slender chest, and high, muscular calves. His body is tall, reflecting the body of the who or what it is modeled after. When we see the mannequin (the signifier) it signifies the human form to us, as the body "should" be, no matter how unrealistic it actually is and how such a little number of the population looks even close to the body of the mannequin. The mannequin makes the point that the human body should look like theirs, and that the clothes displayed upon them should be worn and have a look like theirs, and that if your clothes look differently on you, you are looking wrong, mistaken, and non-human; if you do not look like the mannequin, then you are thus something less than what humans wish to be, and that there is something wrong with you.
Though mannequins are anything but human, they are made by humanity to represent it. Though any particular mannequin is subject to the look of the model, the artist/sculptor/creator, and the look of the person who sees the mannequin, we all see them as what we should look like. The creators must sculpt a beautiful "human" to make consumers want to buy the clothes that we think we want. Mannequins are made in all races and ages, yet they symbolize the perfection of our race, something that most of us cannot, and will not, obtain.
Fashionistas and those of our race that are fashion-minded care about mannequins and what they look like because they must try to match the mannequins or try to beat them at their own game. We assume that mannequins are an accurate portrayal of us, that their clothes are in style, and the way they look is "correct."
Mannequins make us feel like we must buy the clothes on their bodies in order to look as good as they do, much like advertisements full of beautiful people, yet mannequins alter reality even more by comparing humanity to their plastic, perfect bodies.
History of the mannequin:
http://www.fashionwindows.com/mannequin_history/
Eric Best
This post was very interesting to me because I am completely behind your argument. Mannequins are the 3D model of what fashion magazines, and TV commercials are trying to portray to their buyers: that they should look like this in order to look good in the clothing. But what i think is really interesting, is that if you think about it, I question why manufacturers go through all the trouble of putting a six pack or a slender stomach on an object that is just made to be covered with the clothing anyway? Why go through the effort of sculpting a "perfect" figure of a person, that is just meant to be layered? Selling a thick snow jacket doesnt really look that much better just because there is a six pack underneath it.
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