A bridal designer in New York went viral on Tuesday after she sculpted an elegant, life-sized dress form entirely out of snow in Central Park, a piece she fittingly named the “Snowmannequin.”
Working on the south side of Terrace Drive just west of Bethesda Fountain in New York, the designer began piling snow in the late afternoon before carefully carving out the shape to resemble a flowing gown. She said she used a 12-inch serrated bread knife, the same tool she uses for slicing large loaves of sourdough, to sculpt and refine the details of the dress.
She later returned the next day to refine the hem with a 9-inch knife. According to her, she let the skirt hang overnight before shaping it so it would appear as though the figure was “spinning around in a circle.”
The Design Drew Many Admirers
The artist also invited New Yorkers to see the temporary artwork before it melted and asked visitors not to “hurt her,” referring to the sculpture she had painstakingly carved for hours.
The design drew many admirers to the park, including a police officer who approached to take a photo and called the piece “awesome,” “amazing,” and “incredible.” According to the designer, more than 50 people stopped by to see the sculpture.
Good Things Never Last
Like many works made from snow, the sculpture did not last long. When the woman returned on Thursday with a printed sign to place before the mannequin, she noticed that its torso had melted. Instead of discarding the sign, she took it home and turned it into a headstone, later returning to the park with flowers to mark the sculpture’s “grave.”
The printed sign read “RIP Snowmannequin,” and listed the dates February 24 to February 25, 2026. She also included an FAQ explaining that the figure had been created as part of an art project to keep her “sane” during the winter.
After she shared clips of her journey carving out the snow dress on TikTok, netizens were clearly moved by the New York sculpture and praised her for it. One person commented, “This is so beautiful 😍,” while another marveled, “How are people so talented.” A third said, “She is fabulous. The best thing I’ve seen out of snow in ages.” A fourth even suggested that she should “make a print and put it on your wall.”
