Leaving Chapati Crumbs To Find Their Way
"Don't worry. I've left crumbs to help us find our way home."(Do not attempt Everest behind this numbnuts)
I was out running an errand last night and walked by an emporium that sold saris. Let's call it...Singh's Sari Palace... with signs that proclaimed, "You Won't Be Sari About Our Prices," and "Think Twice About Zippers." Actually I made most of that up.
What made me halt in my tracks were the mannequins. On March 30th, The Washington Post had an article entitled, "The Mannequin: More Than Just An Empty Face." It quoted the chairman of Pucci as saying, "If it's the right mannequin for the right merchandise, the mannequin will sell the clothes." Clothier Chico's recently introduced a new mannequin for their stores, and the article quoted Claire Brooks (president of brand consulting company, Model People) saying, "I think they've made a smart move. Chico's is about a fun dreamland of upscale resort wear. The new-and-improved mannequins "have that fun, full-of-personality vibe." Personally, I thought Chico's vibe was "mom jeans" and "Oprah weepers," but what do I know.
Obviously someone needs to talk to Singh's Sari Palace about the marketing impact their mannequins are having on the buying public, because the vibe I picked up was "Who kidnapped these white children and took them to Calcutta?" "....and do Hansel and Gretel need to leave chapati crumbs in their wake to find their way home?"
Why do you keep pulling my finger?
Labels: Chapati, Fashion, Hansel and Gretel, Mannequins, Marketing, Sari, The Washington Post
posted by Washington Cube at 11:54 AM
13 Comments:
I'm sorry, I got lost somewhere between the words "Chico" and "fun dreamland." I'll never be the same.
I see your "mom jeans" and I raise you one "upscale knockoff* of Kathy Ireland chez Kmart."
*I do recognize the diametric opposition of the words I chose, similar to describing someone as skinny fat, tall short or asshole nice. But in this case, yes, I make a case for the upscale knockoff and I'd go to court to prove it.
Velvet: You made me laugh, and I appreciate it even more, knowing your background in the fashion industry...and all of it's dirty little Kenneth Cole secrets. Hugs.
those children in the window are scary... couldn't the store at least dye their hair?
Ms. Pigtown: Did you ever see the original version of the movie, Village of the Damned? Those kids? Yeah. That's what it reminded me of.
Gretel really does seem to be just about the right weight. A few more gingerbread men perhaps.
Creeeeppy.
Phil: I am sure this shop bought these things used and cheap, hence the discrepancy. I should have put up another shot. There are two adult women behind these child figures, both wearing saris, both obviously Caucasian, but one of them has this brunette wig askew and she is really stacked. You know how most mannequins have that slouch and concave to their abdomen and pubis with a barely there chest? This is va va voom chaiyya chaiyya Bollywood time. The whole display window to that shop is "off."
Sorry, did you just say "pubis"?
That's it. I'm going home.
Perhaps the store is trying to market to some new small freakishly pale buyers?
M.A. I doubt it. They are busy pushing ghee and yak soap or something.
We have a weird mannequin in a shop about 10 minutes away. I pass it often and photograph it. She is kind of a freaky girl with strange high hair--like a very high crew cut. Sometimes she wears bizarre clothing. she has another mannequin friend near her who is odd too-- but who gets nearly lost in the reflections in the glass window because she has been spray painted flat black. they both have an unhappy "My life is so empty" vibe, but they are slightly haughty just the same. The Sari shops in Little India have odd window displays too-- but beautiful wares. It's one of my fave Manhattan neighborhoods.
"Children of the Corn Couture" popped into my head.
They are Hansel and Greta-ish, but so cool looking. I own three saris, which is plenty, I think, but based on the pics, I want another one.
So I guess for very odd ducks like myself, these mannequins are perfect. Where is the store? I don't have a deep blue sari, though I've always wanted one. And I could wear it to ... uh ... hmmm ... well, I still want one!
Reya: You need to get out to the Langley Park, Maryland area of Washington. I don't have the exact names and addresses, but there is this Indian section of a few sari fabric shops...three or four?....and two highly rated Indian Vegetarian restaurants. I would bet there's something similar over in Arlington, but I never go over there anymore.
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