A popular Chinese clothing store sparked controversy by showcasing its products on female models walking on treadmills rather than old-fashioned mannequins.
You could say the marketing team at Chinese designer brand store ITIB was thinking outside the box when it decided to replace plastic mannequins with live models walking on small treadmills. The official explanation was that the new way of displaying garments really allowed customers to see how they fit when moving rather than in a stationary position, but few doubted that it was just an ingenious gimmick meant to draw attention. The plan worked perfectly, as videos of the young models mounted on small pedestals outside ITIB flagship store in Hangzhou spread like wildfire on social media, while crowds of people gathered to watch them walk on their little treadmills. However, what the designer collective brand probably didn’t anticipate was the wave of criticism regarding the “dehumanization” and exploitation of the young models.
Had ITIB opted to simply replace their old mannequins with human models, the backlash would have been mild at best, but having them walk on treadmills was apparently too much. While a few people applauded the idea, arguing that it was both ingenious marketing and healthy for the models, most of those commenting on social networks like Weibo accused ITIB of treating the young women like human hamsters on a hamster wheel.
“This is inhuman. I’m sure her feet hurt like crazy and when we have regular dummies why do we even need this?” one person asked.
”A workout for the models, but a concept to show the designs in action. They could accomplish a similar look by just having the models move around a bit and get rid of the treadmills. They’re treating the models like lab test animals…not good,” someone else commented.
@cctech100 Real models on treadmills instead of mannequins. Good idea? Chinese retail chain ITIB has swapped traditional mannequins for real women walking on treadmills, wearing their clothes. They believe this helps customers see how the garments fit and move on a person. #innovation #creativity #technology #future ♬ i like the way you kiss me – Artemas
It’s unclear how ITIB ultimately dealt with the criticism regarding its human mannequins, but the brand is still around so we figure they bounced back from it. It’s worth keeping in mind that although the clips of the treadmill-walking models resurfaced last month, they date back to December 2023 when they were first share don Instagram by China Insider.
