The Taliban requires that all mannequins' heads be covered or cut off. Interviews with locals and eerie photos of storefronts offer a glimpse of Afghanistan's new reality.

Marielle DescalsotaJan 31, 2023, 10:41 IST

A mannequin's head is covered in a dress shop in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022.AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

Veiled and headless mannequins are a ubiquitous sight in fashion shops across Afghanistan.
A shop owner says the Taliban's restriction has affected the psyche of female shoppers.

Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have been forced to cover up. Now, the faces on mannequins of all genders must be hidden, too.

A mannequin's head is covered in a dress shop in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022.AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

In Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, mannequins were once a symbol of fashion and culture. But in the past year, shop owners have resorted to displaying them headless or covered in cloth, just to keep their stores open.

Black plastic bags cover the heads of mannequins displayed in evening gowns in Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022.AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

In Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, mannequins were once a symbol of fashion and culture. But in the past year, shop owners have resorted to displaying them headless or covered in cloth, just to keep their stores open.

Shop owners now use various materials to cover the faces of mannequins: lace, cloaks, and even black plastic bags.

Hooded and cloaked mannequins in Afghanistan.Stringer/AFP via Getty Images

For many Afghan women, shopping in itself is a difficult experience under the Taliban. Like the mannequins, they too are subjected to many rules.

Tape wrapped around the head of a mannequin in Afghanistan.Nava Jamshidi/Getty Images

In an effort to keep female employees protected, Azizi often has them act as shoppers during spot checks by the Taliban.

The heads of mannequins at a clothing store in Afghanistan.Stringer/AFP via Getty Images

Several of Azizi's female employees are widows. He explained that many of their husbands died while serving in the now-defunct Afghan National Army.

Veiled mannequins in an apparel shop in Afghanistan.Courtesy of Faisal Azizi

The future of the mannequins — and women — under the Taliban continues to look bleak.

A close up of traditional Afghan clothing.Courtesy of Faisal Azizi

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The Taliban requires that all mannequins' heads be covered or cut off. Interviews with locals and eerie photos of storefronts offer a glimpse of Afghanistan's new reality.

Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have been forced to cover up. Now, the faces on mannequins of all genders must be hidden, too.

In Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, mannequins were once a symbol of fashion and culture. But in the past year, shop owners have resorted to displaying them headless or covered in cloth, just to keep their stores open.

Shop owners now use various materials to cover the faces of mannequins: lace, cloaks, and even black plastic bags.

For many Afghan women, shopping in itself is a difficult experience under the Taliban. Like the mannequins, they too are subjected to many rules.

In an effort to keep female employees protected, Azizi often has them act as shoppers during spot checks by the Taliban.

Several of Azizi's female employees are widows. He explained that many of their husbands died while serving in the now-defunct Afghan National Army.

The future of the mannequins — and women — under the Taliban continues to look bleak.