Page 1 of 1

infamous "personal" Neiman-Marcus mannequin

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:07 pm
by Corey Fantoccini
I had long heard about this as urban legend about the kinds of expensive strangeness you could obtain from the upscale department store, but today on my twitter feed (from a non-doller, no less), I finally saw visible proof.

In 1972, for a little over $1000, you could get a standing or seated mannequin made of yourself or someone else (with their consent of course, according to ad copy). Apparently it would even include a short voice recording. Behold!

Image

As I think about it, there is another urban legend about animation guru Jay Ward being notoriously absent from his daughter's wedding, sending a dummy of himself instead to greet guests as it played a recording of him complaining about how much the lavish function was costing him. I am putting it together that the old prankster bought one of these very items.

Re: infamous "personal" Neiman-Marcus mannequin

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:46 am
by mannequinmetallic
Seems interesting, but image isn't showing...

Re: infamous "personal" Neiman-Marcus mannequin

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:29 pm
by Leem
The trouble with "visible proof" these days can be summed up in one word, and that word rhymes with Coco-Pop...
If the mannequins are real, they're a bit Uncanny Valley for my taste.

Re: infamous "personal" Neiman-Marcus mannequin

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 6:26 pm
by zapped13
Cool "old school" find! :D

...Growing up in the 70???s, I remember one of us asking where mannequins came from. I vividly recall my mom warning us, ???Those mannequins are all people that got caught shop lifting and now they are being punished.??? She even pointed out the two-way mirrored windows near the ceilings from which they would be watching. I was terrified to go into a dressing room after that. The icing on the cake was when we were shopping at Britt???s (an upscale clothing store with four stories) and we were coming down an escalator. There were a group of mannequins posed in a row at the bottom, and I clearly saw one of them move her arm. I immediately pointed in alarm and asked, ???Did that lady get caught stealing too???? and she answered, ???Must be.??? I recall it was a brunette in a blue dress and she winked as we walked past. We never wandered off in Britt???s after that??? :lol: