In Kabul, stores have been instructed by the morality police to obscure mannequins’ faces and remove photographs of models. According to a local clothing seller, this directive has rendered displays less appealing but hasn’t significantly impacted sales.
The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 brought with it a stringent interpretation of Islamic law, including a ban on depicting human faces. “The environment must be Islamic,” said the salesman, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
Women’s evening dresses in vibrant colors, some with exposed shoulders or plunging necklines and adorned with sequins, are now intended for private settings such as gender-segregated weddings and engagement parties. Mannequin heads are covered with plastic, foil, or black bags, and there are concerns that the authorities might soon mandate covering the mannequins’ arms as well.
Traditional Afghan wedding dresses, featuring full skirts and intricate embroidery, are displayed alongside these modified mannequins. The Taliban has mandated that women fully cover themselves in public, with many in Kabul’s shopping district wearing abaya robes and medical masks.
Since the ban on depicting human faces was enacted in January 2022, religious police in Herat began decapitating mannequins, and this rule is now enforced nationwide by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Their teams, dressed in long white jackets, conduct frequent inspections of stores.
In a multistory shopping center in Kabul, mannequin heads are typically covered with plastic or foil. Shopkeepers like Popalzai, who uses a pseudonym, note that the inspectors are less harsh than before, visiting two to three times a week. “They are much softer than before,” he said, recalling the Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001.
At his store’s entrance, male mannequins dressed in Western attire, which the Taliban disapproves of, are also hooded, with one sporting sunglasses. Despite the surreal sight of headless figures, both customers and sellers seem largely unaffected.
“There are more pressing issues,” said another shopkeeper, referring to the economic difficulties and restrictions on women’s education and work. “This is not very important for Afghan people. We make do with it.”
