In a world of Facetune and Photoshop overload, any honest, unretouched depiction of beauty, fashion and women’s bodies deserves to be applauded. That’s why we – and most of the nation – are seriously impressed with Nike’s new Women’s floor at its NikeTown London flagship store.
Quite rightfully celebrating diversity and inclusivity in sport, the space shows Nike plus size and para-sport mannequins for the first time.
Considering that the average mannequin measures around 6ft tall, with a 34in bust, 24in waist, and 34in hips, according to The Guardian, Nike’s new mannequins are a much-welcome addition to the store.
“With the incredible momentum in women’s sport right now, the re-designed space is just another demonstration of Nike’s commitment to inspiring and serving the female athlete”, says Sarah Hannah, Nike’s GM/VP for Women in EMEA.
“This is more than a shopping experience, it’s a destination to celebrate sport just in time for an incredible summer of football, netball, athletics and more.”
Nike isn’t the first retailer to offer more ‘realistic’ mannequins. Missguided, which opened its first physical store in London in 2016, celebrated a more inclusive vision of beauty, with ‘real-life’ mannequins that are based on how their customers actually look, rather than a perceived ideal shape or look.
The brand created ‘a diverse mannequin army’ of different ethnic backgrounds, including ones with vitiligo, stretch marks and freckles, while Debehnams has been using size 16 mannequins for several years.
There’s still a long way to go before depictions of different body shapes, ethnicities, gender identities, age ranges and disabilities become the norm in fashion but with each major player that makes a stand for body positivity, we get a little closer to a broader definition of beauty. And that’s definitely something to be celebrated. Bravo, Nike!
