In Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, the streets are lined with shop windows displaying dazzling ball gowns and three-piece wedding suits. However, there is a unique twist to these displays – the faces of each mannequin are covered. This unusual sight is a result of the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law, which prohibits the depiction of human faces.
According to a clothes seller in Kabul, the morality police have asked stores to hide the mannequins‘ faces and photographs of models. Despite the somewhat eerie appearance of the covered mannequins, the 22-year-old salesman mentioned that it hasn’t affected sales. „It makes the display a bit ugly,“ he said, „but it doesn’t affect sales.“
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, they have imposed their austere interpretation of Islamic law, including a ban on depicting human faces. „The environment must be Islamic,“ said the salesman in Kabul, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.
Women’s evening dresses in the shops come in bright colors, some with exposed shoulders or plunging necklines, all adorned with sparkling sequins. These dresses are typically bought to be worn in private, at gender-segregated weddings or engagement parties. However, the heads of the mannequins modeling these dresses are wrapped in plastic, foil, or black bags.
In addition to modern ball gowns, some shops also display traditional Afghan wedding dresses with full-bodied skirts and intricate embroidery. The Taliban government has mandated that women must completely cover up in public, leading to women in Kabul’s shopping district wearing abaya robes and covering their faces with medical masks.
After the ban on depicting human faces was introduced in January 2022, religious police in Herat went as far as decapitating mannequins by cutting and snapping off their heads. This rule is now enforced nationwide by teams from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, who visit Kabul’s stores multiple times each week.
At a multistory shopping center in Kabul, the mannequins‘ heads are mostly covered by plastic bags or wrapped in foil. Shopkeepers have adapted to the situation, with some covering and uncovering the faces of mannequins based on the visits from the ‚Vice and Virtue‘ teams. Despite the eerie sight of headless mannequins, customers and sellers seem unfazed, focusing on more pressing issues such as the tough economic climate and restrictions on women’s education and work.
In conclusion, the covered mannequins in Kabul’s shops serve as a stark reminder of the Taliban’s strict enforcement of Islamic law. While the sight may be unsettling, for many Afghans, it is just one of the many challenges they face in their daily lives. As one shopkeeper aptly put it, „We make do with it.“