Under The Taliban: Even Mannequins Must Be Hooded And Masked
The Taliban follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that forbids statues and images of the human form since they could be worshiped as idols. Since seizing power in 2021, the Islamist group has also mounted a repressive campaign to keep women out of the public eye.
At first, the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue decreed that all mannequins must be removed from shop windows or have their heads cut off.
Vendors complained that they’d be unable to display their clothes properly, resulting in this compromise solution.
Shop owners must strike a balance between obeying the Taliban and trying to attract customers.
“I can’t cover the mannequins’ heads with plastic or ugly things because it would make my window and shop look ugly,” said one merchant, Bashir. Like other shop owners, he gave only his first name for fear of reprisals.
The restrictions have come amid hard times for shop owners. The economy has collapsed since the Taliban takeover and the ensuing cutoff of international aid.
Elaborate wedding dresses have always been popular in Afghanistan. Under the Taliban, weddings are one of the few remaining opportunities for dressing up. But with incomes strained, outfits have become less elaborate.
Bashir said his sales are half what they used to be. “Buying wedding, evening, and traditional dresses is no longer a priority for people,” he said. “People think more about getting food and surviving.”
Another shop owner, Hakim, shaped aluminum foil over his mannequins’ heads. “I made an opportunity out of this threat and ban and did it so the mannequins are even more attractive than before,” he said.
Another shop owner, Aziz, said agents of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue regularly patrol shops and malls to make sure the mannequins are beheaded or covered. He was dismissive of the Taliban’s justification. “Everyone knows mannequins aren’t idols, and no one’s going to worship them. In all Muslim countries, mannequins are used to display clothes.”
The Taliban initially said it would not impose the same harsh rules over society as the group did during its first stint in power in 1996-2001. But it has progressively imposed more restrictions, particularly on women who must cover their faces when outside.
“When I see them, I feel that these mannequins are also captured and trapped, and I get a sense of fear,” said Rahima, a woman who also only gave her first name. “I feel like I see myself behind these shop windows, an Afghan woman who has been deprived of all her rights.”