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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
The art of making mannequins matter
Indian retail is experiencing a revolution, and it's happening right under our noses - or rather, right in front of our faces in every shop window across the country. Forget the days when mannequins were merely well-dressed scarecrows gathering dust; today's plastic protagonists are cultural chameleons, silent salespeople, and the unsung heroes of retail theatre. As the festive season unfolds like a colourful carpet across India, fashion brands are discovering that getting the mannequin memo right can transform window shoppers into wallet-openers faster than you can say "festival collection". This sentiment resonates across boardrooms from Mumbai to Bengaluru, where savvy leaders are reimagining how seasonal displays can capture both hearts and purchasing power - no small feat when your audience ranges from discerning aunties to Instagram-obsessed Gen Z fashionistas. The storytelling approach goes deeper for many brands. Manu Gupta, vice president & brand head, Jaypore, says, "Our mannequin displays are designed to narrate stories of Indian craftsmanship and cultural richness, tailored to the rhythm of the seasons." That includes regional customisation. "We treat our visual storytelling as an extension of local festivities. For instance, during Onam, our southern stores featured banana tree props. Each space is thoughtfully styled to feel rooted in its region because celebration, like craft, is never one-size-fits-all." This hyper-local strategy goes deeper than festival colours. Chetan Siyal, founding member & CMO, Snitch, notes how "Bengaluru responds more to minimal and experimental looks, whereas cities like Indore engage with bold, festive-forward expressions." It's rather like conducting a symphony orchestra where every city plays a different tune - somehow, it all needs to harmonise into a cohesive brand story that speaks to local sensibilities without losing national appeal. The approach is deeply strategic. Puneet Sewra, CMO, TCNS, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, reveals the cultural choreography behind their displays: "If you visit our Kerala stores right now, most mannequins are dressed in white and gold for Onam. Come Durga Puja season, our eastern stores will showcase red and white." This hyper-local strategy extends beyond festivals - even Independence Day gets the mannequin treatment with patriotic tricolour styling, proving that plastic people can be surprisingly patriotic. But not everyone's jumping on the localisation bandwagon. While Indian brands speak in regional dialects, international players prefer maintaining their accent, suggesting there's no one-size-fits-all approach to mannequin mastery. Debraj Sengupta, managing director marketing & sales, Victorinox India, takes a decidedly different tack: "We maintain a uniform global window display to ensure a seamless brand experience and reinforce the Swiss promise of quality." The business impact is measurable and robust. Anant Tanted, founder & CEO, The Indian Garage Co., reports significant sales boosts during their Onam and Eid displays in Kerala stores. "We observed that few brands were celebrating these events with such elaborate visual merchandising," he notes, proving that sometimes competitive advantage comes from simply showing up with bells on - quite literally, during festivals. Now, how is this silent styling translating to tangible business results? When asked, Deepak Aggarwal, managing director, Kazo, explains: "Seasonal mannequin styling acts in a silent manner, visually guiding customers and influencing purchase decisions," leading to higher basket values as "customers are more likely to buy full outfits or complementary pieces." It's retail psychology at its finest - the mannequin becomes the stylist you never knew you needed, silently suggesting combinations and inspiring complete looks rather than single-item purchases. "Our mannequins don't just wear sarees—they tell stories," explains Sujata Biswas, co-founder, Suta, highlighting how effective narrative-driven displays have become central to seasonal retail strategy . Technology is gradually entering this traditionally tactile space, bringing digital sophistication to analogue displays. Snitch integrates QR codes allowing customers to shop looks directly from mannequins to mobile carts. They're exploring NFC tags and motion-based displays too, creating more interactive shopping experiences . The future reveals trends that promise to make retail spaces even more immersive. Sengupta anticipates "visual merchandising becoming more immersive, sustainable and culturally attuned," with "tech-integrated elements—digital screens, motion sensors, and dynamic lighting." Meanwhile, Manjula Tiwari, chief executive officer, Cover Story, envisions "immersive storytelling—dynamic window displays, interactive digital elements, and sensorial in-store zones." The measurable impact extends beyond footfall into actual conversion metrics. Sewra observes that products displayed on mannequins consistently achieve higher sell-through rates - typically 15 to 20 per cent better than items displayed on hangers alone - particularly crucial for complex Indian wear where customers struggle to visualise the final look from hangers. After all, a lehenga on a hanger is just expensive fabric with potential; on a mannequin, it's a wedding guest's dream come true. These silent salespeople are proving that sometimes, actions - or in this case, poses - speak louder than words. The mannequin revolution is here, and it's dressed to impress.
Fashion Network
20-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Jaypore opens 32nd India store in Gurugram
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd's artisanal lifestyle label Jaypore has opened a new outlet at Worldmark in Gurugram, marking its 32nd store in India. The launch is part of the brand's wider strategy to strengthen its offline presence across key urban markets. The 2,000 square foot store offers a curated range of products spanning womenswear, menswear, jewellery, and home décor, Worldmark announced on Facebook. The apparel collections showcase traditional Indian textile crafts such as Kantha, Jamdani, Chikankari, Bagh, Brocade, Ikat, Gota Patti, and Kota weaves, reinterpreted through a modern retail lens. 'At Jaypore, our vision has always been to reimagine Indian craft for today's discerning consumer," said Jaypore's vice president and brand head Manu Gupta, Indian Retailer Bureau reported. "Our rapid expansion reflects a strong and growing appetite for authentic, design-led artisanal products. With every new store, we are not just expanding our footprint but also deepening our narrative- one that celebrates the extraordinary talent of Indian artisans. The Gurugram store embodies this ethos- rooted in tradition yet tailored for the modern aesthete.' Jaypore's jewellery section includes handcrafted silver pieces, featuring tribal and classical elements such as jhumkas and balis. The home category features items made using traditional materials and methods, including brassware, kansa, Dokra, and products with decal prints.
