How This Iranian-Born Designer Protested Denmark's Burqa Ban

Making a political statement on the runway…

Posted on

13 August 2018

Fashion's Protest on Denmark's Burqa Ban

Image credit: Getty images

Last week, Iranian-born, Danish designer Reza Etamadi, made more than a fashion statement on the runway at Copenhagen Fashion Week by dressing models in conservative hijabs and niqabs –in resistance to Denmark's much-debated burqa ban. Reza used his streetwear brand, MUF10, to oppose the law which bans full-face coverings worn by a minority of women in Denmark; the show also featured police officers in uniform as a symbol of support.

MUF10's Spring/Summer 2019 collection showcased unisex graphics, windbreakers and oversized garments in various neutral tones, which were also adorned in Arabic writing. However, Reza’s bold message outshone the new collection, as he told The Independent “I have a duty to support all women’s freedom of speech and freedom of thought.”

Instagram / @muf10

Under the new Danish law, those who wear facial coverings in public will be fined, as one Muslim woman has already been given an AED 500 fine for wearing a niqab. The Danish Government reportedly passed the regulation in the interest of public safety and insists that is not aimed at any religion.

However, by enforcing the ban, authorities are said to be violating women’s rights, as Reza used the fashion industry as a platform to protest the controversial law and display his desire for free choice for women, stating that “no man should decide what women should wear.”