– It was strong. I sat and watched it with my family and we were moved to tears. This is deep within us. Over 40 years of oppression, says designer Leila Hafzi. On Saturday, she sat at home in Stavanger and saw her dress being used at an event 6,000 km away. Because on a stage in Central Park in New York, Sophia Kianni, a young Iranian climate activist, was cutting her hair in front of 60,000 spectators. In a dress made by Hafzi. – Today I join the thousands of women who have cut their hair in protest. Follow me and stand in solidarity, Kianni said from the stage before picking up a pair of scissors and cutting off some of her hair. On Saturday, the first anniversary of Jina “Mahsa” Amini’s death was marked, during Global Citizen in New York. Global Citizen is the world’s largest movement that works for lasting change in sustainability, equality and human dignity. HAIR CUT: After making an appeal on stage, climate activist Sophia Kianni cut off some of her hair. Photo: Getty Images for Global Citizen Hafzi, who grew up in Norway with a Norwegian mother and Iranian father, is strongly involved in the riots taking place in Iran. She therefore designed the revolutionary dress that symbolizes the old Persian flag. – The flag is an important symbol of great importance to Iranians, even if it also divides the people in which way they may go after the regime is abolished. She then contacted Livia Firth, founder of the sustainable concept “The Green Carpet Challenge”, to ask if she knew an activist who could wear the dress. This is how she came into contact with the climate activist Kianni. – It was a bit like hand in glove. It was nice to collaborate with someone else with a similar background from the outside and a burning desire for a free Iran. The revolutionary dress is from Leila Hafzi’s latest collection called Royaye Sefid XIV 2024 “Zan Zendegi Azadi” Woman Life Freedom. Photo: Nina Carlsen Design with a message After being active on social media and fronting the issue, Hafzi noticed that she was being heard. – It was precisely because our activity on social media worked that I decided to do my part to make the struggle in the streets of Iran as visible as possible. SYMBOLIC DESIGN: The dress has a hand-embroidered belt with the lion, the sun and other ornaments to represent a more neutral government. Photo: Erik Waage / news She believes that as an artist she also has a social responsibility. – Fighting for other people’s justice gives an enormous and burning power, and in the struggle there is hope and optimism. I think it is important to send signals that we, and especially our youth, can fight together for freedom for everyone. Hafzi has therefore dedicated her entire upcoming clothing collection to her cause: – The collection is about contributing to the fight for women, life, freedom – equality and the right to a full life, human rights and freedom for all.
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Hair cut in protest in a Norwegian-designed revolutionary dress – news Culture and entertainment
