"Physically disabled" mannequins displayed in top department store

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"Physically disabled" mannequins displayed in top department store

December 5, 2013, 4:44 pm Penny Newton lifestylechannels

If you had the opportunity to have a mannequin moulded from your body shape and displayed in a department store, would you?

Pro Infirmis wants to help build awareness that 'no one has a perfect body' Photo: Youtube

That was the question posed to four people with physical disabilities – and their touching reactions to the finished mannequins have seen the Youtube video viewed more than half a million times in two days.
Pro Infirmis, a Swiss organization for people with disabilities, dreamt up the idea to help raise awareness, and worked with people suffering from a curved spine (scoliosis) shortened limbs and a woman in a wheelchair, who were all measured in detail before the mannequins were created.

The mannequins of the four volunteers, film critic Alex Oberholzer, Miss Handicap 2010 Jasmine Rechsteiner, athlete Urs Kolly, actor Erwin Alijukic and blogger Nadja Schmid, were then displayed in a high street store in Zurich’s main shopping street.

Photo: Youtube

Devised to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities this week, the story, called ‘Because who is perfect? Get closer’ has been developed into a four minute video.

The film then captures each of their reactions as they see their mannequin of the first time – with tear-jerking results.

Photo: Youtube

Photo: Youtube

Photo: Youtube

"It's special to see yourself like this,” said one women, “when you usually can't look at yourself in the mirror."
The video then cuts to the mannequins impeccably dressed and placed in the front window of a show in Zurich – eliciting astonished looks from passers by.

The mannequins attracted much attention at the Zurich department store Photo: Youtube