Almax

Almax was an Italian manufacturer of shop-window mannequins and so-called display articles, founded in the 1970s. The company employed around 150 people as of 2012 and was headquartered in Mariano Comense, Italy, with production also in New York City and Shanghai and branches in Milan, Paris, Stabio, Toronto, Mexico City and São Paulo. Over its corporate history it developed and designed roughly 800 original shop-window figures, working with a combination of artists, specialists and technicians. Beyond mannequins, Almax produced a range of decorative items: female, male and children's busts, as well as holders for shoes, gloves, watches or sunglasses, jewellery accessories and other display supports. Its products were used by fashion retailers and brands to present merchandise in shop windows and in-store displays. Almax became internationally known in November 2012 when media worldwide reported that several fashion chains were using its EyeSee mannequin, a series that embedded a video camera in the eye area. The EyeSee mannequin was sold globally for around 4,000 euros and used the Kee Square system, a spin-off of the Technical University of Milan, to gather details about the people looking at the mannequins. Combined with analytical software, the system could make statements about the age, gender and ethnicity of viewers and record how long people stood in front of a given figure. Data protection advocates raised concerns; Peter Schaar, then Federal Commissioner for Data Protection in Germany, told the Frankfurter Rundschau in 2012 that he considered the use of such mannequins legally more than dubious. Almax itself did not share the data protection concerns. In 2020 the company merged with Pop Mannequins to form Pop Milano. The Almax brand as an independent mannequin maker thus came to an end, with its legacy carried into the Pop Milano group.

Almax was founded in the 1970s as an Italian manufacturer of shop-window mannequins and display articles. The company grew to employ around 150 people as of 2012. Its headquarters were in Mariano Comense, Italy, and it also produced in New York City and Shanghai. It maintained branches in Milan, Paris, Stabio, Toronto, Mexico City and São Paulo. Over its corporate history, around 800 original shop-window figures were invented and planned, with artists, specialists and technicians collaborating on the development of the mannequins. In addition to mannequins, Almax produced various decorative items: female, male and children's busts, as well as holders for shoes, gloves, watches or sunglasses, jewellery accessories and other display supports. In November 2012, Almax became the subject of worldwide media reports when it emerged that several fashion chains were using its EyeSee mannequin, a series that embedded a video camera in the eye area. The EyeSee mannequin was sold globally for around 4,000 euros and used the Kee Square system, a spin-off of the Technical University of Milan, to gather details about the people looking at the mannequins. Combined with analytical software, the system could make statements about the age, gender and ethnicity of viewers and record how long people stood in front of a given figure. Data protection advocates pointed to problems. Peter Schaar, then Federal Commissioner for Data Protection in Germany, told the Frankfurter Rundschau in 2012: "Den Einsatz derartiger Schaufensterpuppen halte ich rechtlich für mehr als zweifelhaft. Auch bei entsprechendem Hinweis wäre solch eine Überwachung kaum zu rechtfertigen." Schaar referred to other electronic systems in stores: together with regular video surveillance, identification during electronic payment, purchasing behaviour known from customer cards and insights gained from radio tags, the video data could be used to create detailed and personalised customer profiles. Almax itself did not share the data protection concerns. In 2020 the company merged with Pop Mannequins to form Pop Milano. The Almax brand as an independent mannequin maker thus came to an end, with its legacy carried into the Pop Milano group.

• Almax founded in the 1970s as an Italian manufacturer of shop-window mannequins and display articles.

• By 2012 the company employed around 150 people and had produced roughly 800 original shop-window figures over its history.

• In November 2012, worldwide media reported on the EyeSee mannequin with embedded camera, sparking data protection debate.

• In 2020 the company merged with Pop Mannequins to form Pop Milano.

Italian manufacturer of shop-window mannequins and display articles, known for combining craftsmanship with technology such as the camera-equipped EyeSee mannequin.

• EyeSee mannequin

  A series of mannequins with a video camera embedded in the eye area, sold globally for around 4,000 euros, using the Kee Square system to gather details about viewers.

• Female, male and children's busts

  Display busts produced alongside mannequins.

• Holders for shoes, gloves, watches or sunglasses

  Display holders for various fashion accessories.

• Jewellery accessories and other display supports

  Decorative items and supports for retail display.

• EyeSee mannequin data protection controversy

Read more

1. 1Almax – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Almax – Wikidatawikidata.org