Iranian models first came to life underground, took their first steps on social media and now, under the administration of President Hassan Rouhani, are finally set to go mainstream through new “qualification cards.”
To receive these cards, which are issued by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance’s Fashion and Clothing Regulation Workgroup, aspiring models have to undergo 65 hours of training and take part in certain examinations. They are trained on issues related to “religious teachings, technical methods for displaying/presenting a product without adornment or showing off and analyzing international research on modeling.” If they pass exams on the latter, they also have to be approved in terms of their moral and legal standing. Those who receive a qualification card will come under the workgroup’s oversight and join the exclusive club of people allowed to work in Iran’s legal modeling industry. The types of activities they can engage in include live shows, being photographed for magazines and participating in television advertisements.
