Roz Edwards, a Mannequin Lady from Lincolnshire, England is well-known. She has amassed a remarkable collection of around 15,000 human-like forms over the past 15 years. They are often rented to her for shows like Top Gear and X Factor, but the majority of them now form a mountain. The 150-foot-tall, 20-foot-tall mountain that extends over 150 feet was once called Dollywood. Edwards jokes that it is now Mannakin Hall. The mannequins are used as backdrops for film, photography and music videos.
Edwards offers the most unusual souvenir in the world: You can fill your car with as many mannequins you want for as little as $70.
Roz Edwards claims that counting the mannequins on the mountain is like shedging cats. She estimates it to be around 15,000 Paul Greeves
What was it that inspired you to create Mannakin Hall?
After 10 years living in Malawi, I had a breakup and returned to England with nothing. I wanted to start a business. I was an African artist and thought I would be a consultant in retail. While I was building the website I thought, What else could I write about retail? So, I wrote everything that I knew. Then, I realized that I didn't know much about mannequins. So I took pictures from the internet and wrote: These mannequins for hire. Here is my number. Within 24 hours, people started calling my phone asking for them. But I didn't have any mannequins so I replied, "Oh, terribly sorry, they are all available for hire at the moment."
How did you get from zero mannequins into a mountain?
It was around this time that the credit crunch began in 2007. Many shops were closing down, particularly those who owned clothing businesses for many years and still had old mannequins. They were scattered all over the country. They take up much space. There were mannequins throughout the house. I then moved them into a shipping container and rented a warehouse. After the business was growing, I purchased a property. We said to the truck drivers, "Well put the men and women there, as well as the children and the legs there. After that, four trucks would be coming every day." Then it was just a matter of emptying them there. There are about 3,000 available for rent. I'm not sure how many people are renting the mountain because it is like counting cats.
Edwards says that people who visit during the day say it is scary at night. She also offers Halloween tours of this haunting property. Roz Edwards
What is it that makes mannequins so appealing?
They are very rare and beautiful. As human beings, we are geared up to react to the human body. Because we can see the human form in mannequins, our survival instincts will be activated. When they are used in creative settings, they can be so unique visually. X Factor rented 10 mannequins and 10 dancers for a Halloween-inspired performance. The mannequins had plain white faces, and the dancers wore white suits. They moved, but not the mannequins. It was amazing.
Also, you are a specialist in obscure mannequins. What are the most fascinating?
Audrey Hepburn is the name we gave our Audrey. Christies is one my clients. They were selling all of Hepburn's clothes so they needed the right-sized model with a 21 inch waist. Bertie, a full-sized artist mannequin, is also available. Artist mannequins can be articulated so you can customize them to your drawing. He is very rare. Sizing is also important: Most mannequins range between 8-10 years old. There are larger ones, 16-18 for plus-sized fashion. However, they are very rare.
Edwards says that hands are a popular item in the Body Part Heist. Edwards said that people would just fill their cars with their hands. There is now a limit of five pairs. Paul Greeves
Who is involved in the Body Part Heist
Someone just built a Halloween set in their backyard. They will probably also put a bucket outside to raise money for charity. A university tutor in fine art collected pieces for his students to use as blank canvases. People have made props for movies. One person built a robot. It was so adorable. There are many people who have a side hustle or small business. These people make lamps and planters from the body parts, then decorate them and sell them on Etsy. It really caters for everyone.
What would happen to these mannequins, if they were not part of the mountain?
They are usually crushed and thrown away. It is heartbreaking. While the new ones are made from hard plastic resin, the old ones are made from fiberglass which is not recyclable. There is nothing wrong with mannequins that are being thrown out. They could use a little bit of maintenance.
This interview was edited to be more concise and clear.
