The majority of mannequins that are constructed are not based on the body dimensions of an average person. Usually, they are constructed for a body type that very few people can attain. Pro Infirmis, a Swiss organization that was founded in 1920, provides support for people with disabilities. They decided to build mannequins modeled after individuals who live with a disability but who don’t let their disability define who they are.
Their campaign was entitled “Because who is perfect? Get closer.”, and their goal was to bring awareness and acceptance of people with disabilities. The campaign is designed to provoke reflection on the acceptance of people with disabilities. The moment that the disabled models view their mannequins for the first time, it is very touching. Even more touching, is seeing the reaction of pedestrians outside the store window where they were put on display.
Between the perfect mannequins, there are figures with scoliosis or brittle bone disease modeling the latest fashions. Some have shortened limbs; others have malformed spines. The campaign has been devised for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities by Pro Infirmis, an organization for the disabled. “We often go chasing after ideals instead of accepting life in all its diversity. Pro Infirmis strives especially for the acceptance of disability and the inclusion of people with disabilities,” says Mark Zumbühl, a member of the Pro Infirmis Executive Board, in describing the campaign.
Watch the “Because Who Is Perfect” campaign by Pro Infirmis…
The figures are life-sized, three-dimensional representations of Miss Handicap 2010, Jasmin Rechsteiner, radio presenter and film critic Alex Oberholzer, track and field athlete Urs Kolly, blogger Nadja Schmid and actor Erwin Aljukic. Director Alain Gsponer has captured the campaign as a short film. A person’s true beauty is on the inside and these individuals have an incredible amount of confidence and are a true inspiration to everyone.
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