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Why are mannequins of women in Kabul covered in black cloth?
In one shop, the mannequins’ heads were cloaked in tailored sacks made out of the same material as the traditional dresses they modeled.
The mannequins in women's clothing stores in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, which is currently under Taliban rule, were seen with their heads cloaked in cloth sacks or wrapped in black plastic bags. The Taliban authorities initially wanted the mannequins to be beheaded, news agency Associated Press reported.
Several pictures of hooded mannequins from shops in Afghanistan have surfaced on social media revealing the haunting sight of the Islamic nation. In pictures shared on Twitter, mannequins are kept with their heads entirely covered in aluminum foil kept on display inside shops.
In one shop, the mannequins’ heads were cloaked in tailored sacks made out of the same material as the traditional dresses they modeled. A mannequin in a purple dress beaded with cowrie shells had a matching purple hood. Another one, in a red gown elaborately embroidered in gold, was almost elegant in a mask of red velvet with a gold crown on her head.
To make sure the mannequins are either beheaded or covered, ministry of vice and virtue agents frequently check the stores and malls. “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 shop owner, Aziz was quoted as saying by AP.
According to local media reports, the Taliban ministry of vice and virtue ordered all mannequins in store windows to be removed or have their heads cut off after seizing power in August 2021.
The Taliban's attempt to keep women out of the public spotlight was taken into consideration when they created the decree, which was based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law that forbids statues and pictures of the human form because they could be worshipped as idols.
(With inputs from agency)
