Ghost mannequin vs flat lay
Ghost mannequin and flat lay are two product-photo styles that often get conflated. Flat lay shoots the garment flat on a surface, top-down. Ghost mannequin shoots the garment on an invisible mannequin so it shows three-dimensional fit.
Flat lay: garment laid out on a clean surface, camera straight overhead. Cheapest and fastest. Shows shape and design but not how it hangs. Great for accessories, kidswear, and casual social.
Ghost mannequin: garment shot on a clear mannequin, then the mannequin removed and inside seams (neck label, sleeves) reconstructed. Shows three-dimensional fit and construction. Required or strongly preferred by most marketplaces.
Brands typically ship flat lay for catalog upload and ghost mannequin for marketplace-spec PDPs. AI tools generate ghost mannequin from a flat lay or from a real mannequin shot — saving the mannequin step entirely.
