"Growing up in an Islamic country, I constantly had to cover up and felt like a carbon copy of every woman around me. I've always felt that a woman should embrace her body and show their personality through fashion," says Tala Raasi, an Iranian born designer and owner of Dar be Dar, an infant U.S. label which launched with a line of swimwear. Tala has a unique perspective on fashion and perhaps understands it's constructive powers better than some having faced a Totalirian regime and the fine lines of what is and is not acceptable within such a government as far as self-expression and self-awareness goes through fashion, and having spent so much time exploring abroad and viewing the world and its simplicity and splendor like a philosopher looking for truth hidden amidst symbolism, tradition, evolution, and layers of fabric.
"During my first trip to Brazil, I was overwhelmed by the sense of style and sexiness of the culture. I realized a woman's body is a work of art and should be celebrated. I felt like I was finally seeing what it meant to be a confident, independent woman." Tala' travels extends to her labels launch, "Exploring the exotic beaches of South America, I was inspired by the bright colors and various styles of bikinis which is why I decided to launch Dar be Dar with a line of swimwear," she goes further to explain, "On my travels to Brazil, New York, and Florence I met with designers to discuss different trends, patterns, and silhouettes. I spent countless hours testing out different fabrics and cuts to seek out what works best. I want my clients to enjoy their clothing and exude confidence in Dar be Dar." Her aesthetics as a designer is best defined by her admiration of Brazilian designers for taking risks in their designs and being truly attentive to a woman' body, and her recognition of Victoria Beckam as a style icon of our times, "She's edgy, sexy and sophisticated in her clothing," explains Tala. Not designed for the wallflower, Dar be Dar is the manifestation of Tala' feminine freedom, one that might have in some ways taken shape as a result of spending so much time dealing with a lack of freedom and true equality which is an ideal of social balance.
Many Islamic countries still allow for a sense of self-expression which abide by Islamic rule of dress and of course this is more lax for men, but in Iran this allowance seems to be more muted as young people, especially women, are threatened by possible persecution by the special police called Gashteh Ershad. Nonetheless, many young people have developed a sense of style and are eager to have a sense of fashion. Why do you think that in some countries self-expression through fashion is seen as dangerous?
Self expression is viewed as a threat because it encourages freedom of thought. This thought may weaken the willingness of people to follow or tolerate the extremist views of those that have forgotten that Islam is a religion of beauty, love, and forgiveness. The young people of Iran dream of this freedom to be oneself, it is only natural for them to seek ways to express their individuality however it can be expressed.
Why do you believe that no matter how harsh the penalties have been in the past the younger generations have continuously defied the rules and struggles to gain freedom even if it's not by Western standards?
The soul yearns to be free, to be true to itself, harsh penalties just make that yearning stronger.
As a young woman living under the rule of a government which projects such importance on the chastity and purity of women, do you believe that the Islamic dress code actually helps or hurts these moralities?
I believe that the dress code actually hurts, the Western world struggles with balance as does the Islamic World. Beliefs and practices must evolve from the past, reflecting a respect for the thoughts of others. In today' world we need peace, love, and respect. Morality diminishes as an issue where morality is followed out of respect and love rather than the boundaries of arbitrary and severe rules.
Many Muslims claim that women are celebrated in Islam but not sexualized. However, this is often lost upon us by the images we see of countries ruled by Fundamentalists and the rantings we hear which declare women to be one half of men. Which do you believe reigns truer in Iran?
If you look at the problems in the world as a whole they almost always rise from one group of people trying to remove the rights of another. Muslim women are treated poorly in many countries but the truth of the way they should be treated can be found in a loving home where the bonds of family stand as the pattern for how a family should treat each other. Where love and respect rule these things do not happen.
Do you think that by covering women up it helps keep them from being sexualized in the minds of men?
Even in the history of the West sexualization has been shown to be completely unrelated to the dress of women. When Americans used to cover themselves up the literature of the day talks about men waiting to glimpse the sight of a woman' ankle as she got into a trollie. The sexualization comes from de-humanization of women and their representation by some men as sex objects. The failure to respect women as free individuals with rights of their own is what causes these to be excused. The Muslim world will someday recognize the truth that all people have a right to their own private beliefs and that women are truly equal to men.
Before the revolution Iran was also considered a Muslim country but the people were free to dress and live as they willed. Many Iranians have expressed to me that in those times people believed more wholeheartedly in Allah and the teachings of the Koran than many do now, even though at first glance by an outsider the opposite might seem true; do you find this statement to be true or false, and why?
The past is very complex and defies a simple answer as it reflects a number of complex social movements amongst students, nationalism, and religious revival. The fervent desire to be free from the oppressions under the Shah combined many of these forces but then the revolution lost its roots as it turned on many of its own people.
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