Fusion Specialties
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mannequin manufacturing |
| Founded | 1986 in Huntington Beach, California, United States |
| Founder | Jim Talaric, Jim Barber |
| Headquarters | Westminster, Colorado , United States |
Area served | United States, China, Mexico, Spain |
Key people | Jim Talaric (founder) |
| Products | Mannequins |
Number of employees | 110 (2006) |
| Parent | Noa Brands |
Fusion Specialties is a U.S.-based manufacturer of mannequins and has been a subsidiary of the Spanish firm Noa Brands since 2013. The company operates production facilities in Westminster, Colorado, as well as in China, Mexico, and Spain. By 2019, Fusion Specialties had developed custom mannequins designed specifically for particular clothing lines, enabling large department stores to lower expenses and driving industry changes that have made the role of specialized mannequin dressers obsolete. The firm employs sculptors with fine arts backgrounds to craft these bespoke figures for a variety of retail clients.
History
Established in 1986 in Huntington Beach, California, by founders Jim Talaric and Jim Barber, Fusion Specialties was among the first to utilize polymer urethane elastomers instead of traditional fiberglass. During the 2010s, the company also adopted trends favoring more natural and fuller body shapes. Jim Talaric has been acknowledged as an innovator in manufacturing and product durability, following in the footsteps of earlier pioneers like Adel Rootstein. Industry commentators have compared Talaric’s impact on mannequin production to that of Henry Ford’s influence on automotive manufacturing.
The firm gained its initial significant retail partnership with The Limited in 1990 and moved its operations to Colorado in 1991 with a team of 35 employees. By 2006, Fusion Specialties was producing more than 50,000 mannequins annually and had expanded its workforce to 110 staff members. Its clientele included prominent brands such as Victoria's Secret, Banana Republic, REI, Chico's, The Gap, and Old Navy. According to DDI Magazine, Fusion Specialties ranked among the largest manufacturers within the sector.
In 2007, Fusion Specialties was acquired by Blue Sage Capital, a private equity group. Subsequently, in 2013, Noa Brands Global—based in Barcelona, Spain—became the new owner after acquiring Visual Merchandising Inc., which previously held ownership of Fusion Specialties.