Ghost Mannequin Photography and the Body Form: What Mannequin Shape is Best for Your Brand?

At the Los Angeles studio of StyleExpo Photography, we know a thing or two about styling and photographing denim. Clients like Frame Denim and Hudson Denim count on us to light consistently from season to season, but more importantly, to ensure each SKU is styled correctly to showcase for example the skinny, flared or boot-cut style.

But what about the mannequin shape? More important than the stylist ability to pin and nip the denim on the mannequin is the mannequin shape. When clients book our studios to have us shoot their samples as ghost mannequins, they rarely every ask about the mannequin shape. We think it is a critical question to ask.

As not all denim brands are the same, they should not all use the same mannequin shape. Some brands want a very womanly figure for their denim with a narrower waist and fuller hips. Other brands want to remove the curves of hips and have minimal difference between the waist and hips. If you use a studio to photograph your denim as a ghost mannequin, then make sure they have mannequins shapes that match your aesthetic for your brand. Below is an example of 3 different mannequin shapes. It is important to look at the shape of the waist and hips but also it is very important to look at the spacing in between the legs.

Parker Smith Skinny, FRAME Flared, and AMO Boot Cut

In the example below, you get the most curve in the hips and smallest waist but you also get a progressive narrowing of the legs. This results in very little gap between the ankles and it further extenuates the hourglass shape of the mannequin.

Barbie style

For the example below, the legs are straight and without the narrowing of the legs, you have no hour glass effect. Also the shape of this mannequin at the waist is less narrow than the above mannequin. For those clients that want a more gender neutral shape, this mannequin is a good choice.

Gender Neutral

With the last mannequin shape, it is very noticeable there is a much wider gap between the legs, but this is something that most evident when you have skinny/fitted denim style. If the denim shape was flared or boot cut, you probably wouldn’t think there was such a wide gap as you would want to have the extra space in between the legs to accommodate for the extra material. Also with the far right mannequin shape, there is a bit more curve in the hips than the gender neutral mannequin.

Side by Side

And that is just for women’s apparel. Brands have the same concerns and needs when it comes to men’s denim, especially since so many men’s denim designs are the super popular skinny style. Below are two images of the same SKU but different colorway of a men’s style of Hudson Denim.

Men’s examples

Like the women’s mannequins, there is a big difference in the spacing between the legs. But, were you to look at both of these mannequins naked, you might notice the wider gap between the legs but you probably wouldn’t realize the different hip shape and calf shape, which is why it is important to get a test shot of your samples on a mannequin before you progress with a photo shoot. The mannequin on the right, in my view, is closer to how the denim would look on a person, whereas the mannequin on the left is a neutral image with less shape and curves. Our contact at Hudson denim actually requested we switch from the mannequin on the right to the mannequin on the left, but this was after 2 years using the mannequin on the right. This switch was also after a change in personal, so it shows how it can be a very personal decision the shape of the mannequin. At StyleExpo Photography, we are happy to do a test shoot of your denim on our mannequins. This way you can be sure there are no surprises and the end images are consistent with the brand aesthetic.

StyleExpo Photography has 20 years of experience servicing the fashion, jewelry, beauty and homegoods industry. Studios in NYC and LA offer services ranging from one-hour table-top jewelry shoots to a full-day lifestyle model shoot on location. Rates are per-shot for send-in work, though we do offer hourly rates for clients wanting to participate at the shoot. Turnaround is 3-4 business days and all images can be resized and cropped ready to populate your website or linesheet. Call us today to discuss your shoot. 213.394.6307 or contact megan@styleexpo.com