Fashion Forward?

While social media has often been seen as a cause of unrest with the people and the government in Iran, it is being used positively by female fashion designers to share their work with the world. The Fajr Fashion Festival was a big event held at a local concert venue as a way for people to buy clothing at more reasonable prices. This along with 400 other venues across the country had these opportunities for the Iranian people. Clothing is priced to a point that most middle class families are able to afford it and it is a sign to the rest of the world that Iran is doing its best to keep up fashion wise and doing so in a way that is practical for the people. These exhibitions are home to around 35,000 different manufacturers, who often start small. They are able to find success from humble beginnings often through social media that quickly spreads the word of who they are and what they create. There are a number of "maisons" that provide quality and custom-made clothing for people without being too overly priced as boutiques are. These have become quite popular throughout Iran for the middle and upper classes and have also used social media to advertise safely. While Iran is often seen as closed off from the West and backwards in their way of doing things, this is a great example of how they have combined both Western practices with their own traditions and customs and been very successful with it.

For more information, click here.