No. 155 / Dec 6, 2021
ELAND decided to make a considerable change in the fashion industry with new mannequins for one of its brands, SPAO. The newly introduced mannequins, which reflect the average body shape of Koreans aged 25 to 34 for the first time in the domestic fashion industry, are respectively 17.2cm and 23.1cm shorter for men and women, and the waist measurements are 2.3in and 5.9in thicker than before. Compared to the previous mannequins, which were 190 cm tall for men and 184 cm for women, these can be seen as far more realistic figures.
The global “Body Positive” craze is having a significant impact on the fashion industry. The “Body Positivity” movement prizes the acceptance of all types of bodies as they are, regardless of size, skin tone, gender, or physical ability, and seeks to move away from existing aesthetic standards. In line with this movement, clothing focusing on comfort, such as loose tops and bottoms and wire-free undergarments, is popular because it matches the preferences of the Millennium Generation and Generation Z (Generation MZ), whose members typically value their health. In addition, Torrid, an American clothing company, has profited recently by “designing according to the human body, not mannequins.” The introduction of actual-sized mannequins can be seen as ELAND’s bid to target this aspect of social change.
ELAND posted a 227% return on funding under the slogan “Shake the frame. Every, Body” to shake up the aesthetic standards of society by producing the new mannequins as part of the “Every, Body” body positivity campaign of the nation’s leading natural size model “Cheedo” and “SANDBOX NETWORK”. These mannequins have been placed at the SPAO COEX branch, the flagship stores of SPAO, and the SPAO Starfield Anseong branch. Moreover, consumers themselves can participate in the campaign. If they upload their photo with a mannequin with the designated hashtag “to your eyes” on their social networking sites, they can receive an “Every, Body” removable grip for their phones after making a purchase.
In addition, eco-friendly clothing is being considered. SPAO’s eco-friendly denim products account for 40% of all denim products, and it is said that their denim products will all be made of eco-friendly materials by 2023. This plan reflects the interest of consumers in the social impact of the products they buy.
The mannequins are currently only available in two stores; plans will be discussed to introduce them to more stores after considering customer reactions, an ELAND official said. There are conflicting opinions among consumers, ranging from “It looks handy because you do not need to try the clothes on” to “I see the point, but I do not think anyone will buy it if they do that.” The public as well as ELAND itself will have to wait and see if these mannequins will be popular.
By Park Se-jeong, AG Cub Reporter
summer06@ajou.ac.kr
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