Under Taliban Rule, Mannequins Hooded And Masked In Afghanistan

Under the Taliban's rule, the mannequins in women’s dress shops across Kabul, Afghanistan, are a haunting sight. The mannequins' heads are cloaked in cloth sacks, aluminium foil, or wrapped in black plastic bags. The bizarre mannequins are a symbol of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. In a way, they are also a small act of resistance and creativity by Kabul’s dress merchants. Initially, the Taliban wanted the mannequins to be outright beheaded.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021. According to local media reports, the Taliban ministry ordered that all mannequins be removed from shop windows or their heads be cut off. They based this order on a strict interpretation of Islamic law that forbids statues of human form because they could be worshipped as idols. Although, according to reports, this coincided with the Taliban's campaign to keep women out of the spotlight.

While some dress shop owners complied, others spun. They complained that they would be unable to showcase their dresses properly or would have to damage valuable mannequins. Then the Taliban amended their order and allowed the merchants to cover the mannequins’ heads instead.

Afghanistan Mannequins Hooded And Masked

Merchants had to strike a balance between adhering to the Taliban order and attracting customers to their shops. The creative solutions they came up with are displayed on Lycee Maryam Street, a middle-class commercial street lined with dress shops in the northern part of Kabul. The windows of the showrooms are lined up with mannequins in designer evening gowns and dresses. All the mannequins have their heads covered in different materials.

One of the shops has covered the heads of their mannequins with customised sacks made out of the same material as the dress. One wore a purple dress beaded with cowrie shells and a matching purple hood. Another mannequin in a red gown embroidered in gold looked almost elegant in a red velvet mask with a gold crown on the head.

"I can't cover the mannequins' heads with plastic or ugly things because it would make my window and shop look ugly," said Bashir, the shop owner. Like many others, he too spoke to the Associated Press on the condition that he be referred to only by his first name.

Weddings were usually gender-segregated even before Taliban rule, so weddings gave women a chance to dress up in their finest clothing. Since the Taliban took over, weddings have become more simple due to income restrictions and fewer opportunities to gather socially.

With the economy collapsing since the Taliban’s rule and the entire population being thrown into poverty, shop owners need to be creative to attract customers. Bashir reportedly said that his sales are half of what they used to be. Buying wedding clothing and traditional dresses are no longer a priority for people because now people are fighting for basic needs like food and survival.

Another shop owner, Hakim, used aluminium foil to cover the mannequins' heads. He reportedly claimed that it added a flash to his shop. "I made an opportunity out of this threat and ban and did it so the mannequins are even more attractive than before," he said.

In another shop, the mannequins' heads were covered in black plastic sacks. The owner said that not all can be so elaborate, and this is all that he could afford.

Aziz, another shop owner, reportedly said that the agents of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue regularly patrol the shops and malls to ensure that the mannequins in all the shops have their heads covered. Reportedly, he was dismissive of the Taliban’s apparent justification for the rules. He said, "Everyone knows mannequins aren't idols, and no one's going to worship them. In all Muslim countries, mannequins are used to display clothes."

A few male mannequins were also seen with their heads covered, implying that the Taliban was applying the ban uniformly.

During their rule in the late 1990s, the Taliban said that they would not impose harsh restrictions. However, their rules have been very strict, especially for women. Girls in the sixth grade are barred from attending school, and young women are barred from attending universities. Most jobs ban women, while a few demand that they cover their faces while stepping outside.

Recently, a woman shopping on Lycee Maryam Street reportedly said, "When I see them, I feel that these mannequins are also captured and trapped, and I get a sense of fear." "I feel like I see myself behind these shop windows—an Afghan woman who has been deprived of all her rights," added the woman.

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