May 29, 2024
Our founder, Lillian Greneker, was a true visionary. Her trailblazing work changed the world of retail display and forever shaped the way brands connect with their customers.
A lover of art and sculpture at an early age, Lillian studied fine art, and developed a skill for sculpting human forms. Her attention to detail and eye for aesthetics would soon merge art and commerce in a way that revolutionized an industry.
When her husband Claude Greneker needed mannequins for a theater lobby display, he noted that current plaster figures were very heavy and difficult to work with. Lillian innovated, inventing lightweight, poseable figures with designs that she patented. Soon, her expressive, lifelike mannequins became a huge hit with retailers worldwide, and a company was born.
Lillian founded the Greneker Corporation in New York in 1934, and continued to flourish with techniques and innovations that positioned her company as a leader in visual merchandising.
Lillian was multi-talented and versatile: During World War II, her New York factory pivoted to the war effort. At the request of the US Rubber Co., Lillian successfully designed a self-sealing gas tank for Navy warplanes.
After the war, Lillian moved her business to Los Angeles, where she continued to work and create timely, beautiful mannequins, pushing boundaries and establishing trends in the world of retail display and merchandising.
Today, Greneker is proud to bring Lillian’s spirit of innovation, creativity and attention to detail to every project, working to transform customer experience while achieving the impact, style and grace she pioneered 90 years ago.
