The Colors of Humanity Reflected in the Skin Tone of Mannequins in a Museum’s Fashion Collection

Abstract

Since the turn of the twentieth century, when museums began to collect objects of dress in earnest, mannequins used in exhibitions of fashion have been predominantly white. Some may argue that white is colorless and provides a neutral base on which to display the objects. In the past several years, there has been much discussion regarding the collections of fashion in terms of the overwhelming lack of objects created by nonwhite designers. Left out of the dialog has been how the objects are displayed. Humanity’s true colors are varied, the color of mannequins should reflect this attribute that is as important as the diverse objects which they adorn. This paper examines skin tone, the mannequin project, designed to change the way in which fashion is studied, showcased, and exhibited through the transformation of four white mannequins. Using a mobile spectrophotometer, the skin tone of four individuals was objectively sampled to determine their true skin tone. The color measurements were then matched with paint swatches, the mannequins were painted, and the participants were photographed with their mannequin at the end of the process. The purpose of this project was twofold. First, to spark conversation, expand the narrative, and take action that leads to change in how fashion is exhibited. Second, for others to examine ways in which representational changes can be made that better include rather than exclude.

Presenters

Marcy L. Koontz
Curator, The Fashion Archive + Associate Professor, Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design, The University of Alabama, Alabama, United States

Shirley Foster
Departmental Chair and Professor, Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design, University of Alabama, Alabama, United States

Craig Graves
Manger - Creative Media, College of Human Environmental Sciences, The University of Alabama, Alabama, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

2021 Special Focus - Voices from the Edge: Negotiating the Local in the Global

KEYWORDS

Mannequins, Museums, Fashion, Color, Skin Tone, Exhibitions

Digital Media

Videos

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