Game on

Hans Boodt Mannequins’ new sports ranges feature the latest 3D technologies and reflect the rapid expansion – and transformation – of the activewear market.

Words: Jane Szita   

Since 2010, the global sportswear market has grown by an average of 6 per cent a year. By 2020 it will have reached a total value of over US$365 billion. Athleisure wear continues to dominate casual clothing styles, while mainstream fashion brands scramble to produce their own in-house sport ranges.

The influence of sport is now inescapable in fashion retail, says Marco Ouwerkerk, CEO of Dutch mannequin maker Hans Boodt. ‘The big brands are all involved, with H&M among the major retailers that now have a sports line,’ he says. ‘The trend goes from the high to the low end of market, from Dior to Primark. The traditional performance-sports brands need to come up with an answer to this evolution.’ He believes his company’s mannequins have a key role to play. Sensing increasing opportunities, Hans Boodt has launched three new ranges of ‘sports’ mannequins. The trio of collections – Performance, Athleisure and Outdoor – comprises 40 sports positions that communicate the movements of sprinters, footballers, yogis, hikers, fitness buffs and many more.

Hans Boodt positions itself as something of an authority on sports mannequins, having worked with a global sports brand to develop 25 athletic models last year. ‘The brand is rolling these out all over the world as we speak,’ says Ouwerkerk.

For us, the collaboration was an intense experience – in terms of timing and of learning about the demands of sport. We are from the world of fashion, after all.

From his fashion-orientated perspective, he notes that sports brands are only just waking up to the importance of having the right mannequins for their products. In the past, they tended to display their clothing using ordinary models that were superficially altered to approximate a runner, a tennis player or another type of athlete. ‘That never looks quite right,’ he says. ‘But sports brands didn’t really invest in producing more appropriate mannequins or in creating experience-based marketing. Now that sport has crossed over into all segments of fashion, however, brands need to hold their own. They need the right mannequins to show off their products and to get experiences into stores.’

Sports brands demand an approach that’s different from that of fashion labels. The emphasis should be on the technical quality of their products in use. ‘Fashion is about setting the scene,’ says Ouwerkerk, ‘whereas sportswear needs to showcase the practicality and performance power of the product.’ In terms of visual merchandising, he believes sportswear is still underdeveloped, although he concedes that performance brands are starting to catch up.

For Hans Boodt’s new sports mannequin ranges, the company conducted extensive research with a major sportswear brand, establishing the physical types associated with various kinds of activities and identifying the essential components of the required poses. Each mannequin was then 3D sculpted from scratch, a process that took around a month to complete.

Unlike traditional fashion mannequins, the finished pieces have a more muscular, shapely look, thanks to anatomical research. ‘We had to get the muscle toning right for each sport,’ says Ouwerkerk. ‘You’ll notice that the yogi’s body is softer than the sprinter’s body, for example.’ The muscular appearance of the mannequins also reflects consumer aspirations: ‘Today, people embrace fitness as part and parcel of a healthy lifestyle.’

Some technical adjustments were necessary for the sports ranges. ‘Because sports poses are dynamic, making them harder to work with in displays and windows, the mannequins need to weigh less,’ he explains. ‘To achieve this goal, we used different materials and fabrication methods. We also added easy-to-use magnetic fittings, because sportswear retailers don’t necessarily have experienced visual-merchandising staff on hand.’

Fashion is about setting the scene, whereas sportswear needs to showcase the practicality and performance power of the product.  

So far, the formula has proved a success. ‘Since launching the range at EuroShop earlier this year, we’ve had a huge amount of interest from clients,’ he says. ‘They love the wide range of sports poses, and they also like the fact that we can customize models by adjusting the details – changing the head position, for example, or producing a different yoga pose not included in our stock range. With the use of our 3D software, we can make any adaptation. The possibilities are endless. I would estimate that 70 per cent of our business is custom now. Clients want something unique.’

He expects athletic mannequins to become an increasingly significant part of Hans Boodt’s business. ‘Let’s just say I have an optimistic feeling about the new ranges,’ he says. ‘I would expect them to account for 10 to 15 per cent of our turnover over the next three years.’ For the future, he predicts more differentiation in the sports models – ‘extra finishes, colours, and so on. But we’ve completed the foundation, and I’m curious to see what retailers do with it, especially the performance brands, who need to change their game.’

Meanwhile, Hans Boodt would seem to be onto a winner with a product line that reflects a consumer trend while appealing to both specialised and mainstream brands. ‘Mannequins can play an important role for traditional sportswear brands in explaining why their product is better and more technical,’ says Ouwerkerk. ‘For fashion brands on the other hand, sports mannequins can help differentiate between their fashion and sportswear collections.’

In House, On Demand

Located in Hans Boodt’s Rotterdam headquarters, the company’s 3D Studio facilitates the production of mannequins, from sculpting to printing. Custom-made rendering software allows the designers to digitally explore countless body positions and finishes prior to selecting a physical model that will form the basis of a final mould. The speed of the process – an average of eight life-size models can be printed per day – eliminates the need for large stocks. Hans Boodt mannequins can be created and customised directly on request.