Press & Articles
Farnaz Abdoli photographed in Le Mans, France, for a feature article in Ouest-France, published on November, 2024.
The article recounts her story of artistic resistance, exile, and the years of repression she faced in Iran, after being sentenced to five years in prison for her fashion work.
Photo: Marc OLIVIER / Ouest-France
Portrait of Farnaz Abdoli featured in the French women's magazine Nous Deux, Issue No. 3991, published in November 2024.
The article, titled "Farnaz, iranienne, je continue de créer et de résister", presents her story as a designer and activist who fled Iran after being sentenced to five years in prison.
In this interview, she discusses exile, artistic resilience, and the symbolic role of fashion in reclaiming women's voices in Iranian society.
by Celine Jury / Nous Deux
Media Feature – Suomen Kuvalehti (Finland, 2019)
Cover story and multi-page feature on Farnaz Abdoli published in Suomen Kuvalehti, Issue No. 46, November 15, 2019 (Finland).
Photography by Marjo Tynkkynen, interview by katri merikallio.
The article focuses on Farnaz's escape from Iran, her imprisonment sentence, and the political context of her fashion work
Media Feature – Suomen Kuvalehti (Finland, 2014)
Cover story and feature article on Farnaz Abdoli published in Suomen Kuvalehti, Issue No. 37, September 12, 2014.
Photography by Marjo Tynkkynen, interview and text by Katri Merikallio.
The article focuses on Farnaz’s early work in Tehran and the cultural challenges of bringing color and individuality into Iranian womenswear
Media Feature – PRI (Public Radio International), USA, 2013
Feature story on Farnaz Abdoli broadcast and published by Public Radio International (PRI) on July 18, 2013, as part of their Human Needs series.
Titled “Designer Makes Fashion Statement in Iran”, the article was produced by Shirin Jaafari, and includes commentary by Azadeh Moaveni and Marco Werman.
It highlights Farnaz’s role in redefining Iranian womenswear through her brand POOSH, using color and contemporary design to challenge restrictive norms.
Includes photo from the POOSH website
Media Feature – Yacht Magazine (Brazil, c. 2015)
Cover story and multi-page feature on Farnaz Abdoli and Iranian womenswear, published in the Brazilian lifestyle and fashion magazine Yacht.
Titled "Nações Unidas da Moda" ("United Nations of Fashion"), the article explores the emergence of young female designers in Iran and how they bring color, creativity, and cultural identity into modest fashion.
Farnaz’s work was featured prominently as an example of bold yet locally rooted design.
Photography by various contributors
Media Mention – The Guardian (UK, 2016)
Farnaz Abdoli’s design featured in The Guardian (UK) on May 16, 2016, in an article covering Iran’s crackdown on the fashion industry.
Written by Saeed Kamali Dehghan, the report discusses the arrest of models and legal action against stylists and designers for “unlicensed” or “un-Islamic” activities.
Media Feature – Le Maine Libre (France, 2024)
Feature article on Farnaz Abdoli published in Le Maine Libre on November 13, 2024, authored by Théo Guitton.
Titled “Créatrice condamnée en Iran, elle s’exile au Mans” (“Designer sentenced in Iran, she exiles herself to Le Mans”), the article shares Farnaz’s testimony about her forced departure from Iran, where she was sentenced to five years in prison for creating designs deemed “immoral.”
Now exiled in Le Mans, she reflects on reclaiming freedom and beginning again.
Photo credit: Le Maine Libre
Major Recognition – CNN 10: Visionary Women (USA, 2013)
Farnaz Abdoli was selected as one of CNN’s “10 Visionary Women” in 2013.
The list, curated by journalist Sarah LeTrent, highlighted women from around the world whose work was reshaping their fields.
Farnaz was featured in the category of “Fashion Futurists” for her bold reinterpretation of Iranian womenswear, blending tradition with color, self-expression, and resistance.
She was 27 at the time and based in Tehran
Media Feature – Your Middle East (Sweden/MENA, 2013)
Farnaz Abdoli featured in a July 19, 2013 article titled “An Iranian Fashion Revolution?” published on Your Middle East, authored by Alice Curci.
The piece explores the rise of independent fashion in Iran as a form of social expression and resistance, highlighting Farnaz’s use of bold fabrics and colors in public streetwear.
The article frames fashion as a silent movement of agency among Iranian women.
Photo from POOSH collection
TV Feature – BBC World News (UK, c. 2013–2014)
Short feature on Farnaz Abdoli’s fashion designs broadcast by BBC World News, showcasing pieces from her label POOSH
The segment introduced international viewers to the emerging underground fashion movement in Iran and highlighted Farnaz’s bold and colorful approach to women’s clothing within the country’s limitations.
Exact air date unknown, estimated around 2013–2014
TV Interview – BBC Persian (UK, c. 2013–2014)
Televised interview with Farnaz Abdoli, conducted by BBC Persian, focusing on her fashion brand POOSH, the challenges of designing for women under Iran’s dress codes, and her personal journey as a designer navigating social and political pressure.
This segment marked one of her earliest televised media appearances, introducing her work to a Farsi-speaking global audience
Media Feature – The Guardian (UK, 2015)
Interview feature including Farnaz Abdoli, published on August 9, 2015 in The Guardian, titled “New model army: Iranian fashion revolution moves above ground”.
Written by Saeed Kamali Dehghan, the article explores Iran’s growing underground-to-surface fashion scene.
Farnaz shares her perspective on the risks of designing women’s clothing in Iran and reflects on the wider shift in public visibility for fashion professionals.
The piece also covers emerging male model training and the evolution of local fashion platforms.
POOSH: A Streetwear Breakthrough”
In December 2013, Russian fashion platform Fashiony.ru published an article titled “The Transformation of Iranian Street Fashion: POOSH Design,” calling Farnaz Abdoli a talented, smart, and inspiring designer. The piece highlighted POOSH as a central streetwear brand in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. Originally focused on women’s fashion, the article noted that due to its growing popularity, the brand began attracting male audiences as well.
Source: Fashiony.ru – December 2013
Media Feature – The Atlantic (USA, 2013)
Farnaz Abdoli’s designs from her label POOSH featured in an article in The Atlantic on July 9, 2013, titled “The Fascinating Fashion Evolution of Iran’s State-Imposed Modesty Garments.”
Written by Elspeth Reeve, the piece discusses how Iranian women — including independent designers — creatively reinterpret restrictive dress codes through fashion.
A prominent photograph from POOSH accompanies the article, visually anchoring the discussion on aesthetic resistance
Photo Feature – Al-Monitor (USA/MENA, 2013)
Farnaz Abdoli’s Spring 2013 collection featured as “Iran Photo of the Day” on Al-Monitor, a prominent Middle East-focused news platform.
The image shows four women dressed in bold interpretations of the manteau, symbolizing a new visual language within Iran’s imposed dress codes.
The accompanying text highlights the political resonance of Abdoli’s designs, with a link to a full report by Azadeh Moaveni on IranWire
Profile Feature – Casa Jurnalistului (Romania, 2014)
In a personal and analytical profile titled “Iran’s Velvet Revolution”, Romanian journalist Vlad Andriescu introduces Farnaz Abdoli as the face of a new form of resistance through clothing.
Published on January 17, 2014, the article traces her creative path, her confrontation with Iran’s morality police, and her bold reinterpretation of Islamic fashion as a tool for visibility, identity, and defiance.
This in-depth piece positions Farnaz as a cultural pioneer reshaping how Iranian women appear in public
Visual Feature – Your Middle East (International, 2013)
Farnaz Abdoli’s designs from POOSH are prominently featured in this article titled “An Iranian Fashion Revolution?”, published on July 19, 2013, by Your Middle East and written by Alice Curci.
The piece explores how Iranian women, through colorful reinterpretations of the manteau, are quietly reshaping public visibility and resistance.
The image from POOSH anchors the piece, representing the symbolic shift in Iran’s fashion language
Republished Feature – ExpokNews (Mexico, 2014)
Farnaz Abdoli was featured in a translated and republished version of CNN’s 10 Visionary Women list, published by ExpokNews in October 2014.
Her work is described as transformative for Middle Eastern fashion, offering bold, colorful designs that challenge conventional images of Iranian women.
The original CNN feature had listed Farnaz under “Fashion Futurists
Breaking Boundaries with Fabric and Form
These photographs were published on October 15, 2015, in a feature article by Lenta.ru, a major Russian news outlet. Written in Russian, the piece was titled “The Indiscreet Question: How Iran’s Fashion Industry Coexists with the Power of the Ayatollahs.”
Shot in Tehran and Isfahan, the images highlight Farnaz Abdoli’s work with Pooshema, a womenswear brand that challenged the visual norms of public dress in Iran. Through bold silhouettes and unexpected colors, her designs redefined the manteau — transforming it from a symbol of control into a form of creative resistance and female visibility
Published in Suitcase Magazine (UK) on 13 October 2016, these images feature designs by Farnaz Abdoli (Poosh) and Anousheh Assefi (Anar Design), two of the leading figures in Iran’s underground fashion movement. Abdoli’s bold silhouettes and vibrant styles reflect a rebellion against restrictive dress codes, while Assefi’s contemporary take on the traditional “manteau” merges Persian aesthetics with modern tailoring. Together, their work exemplifies how post-revolution Iranian women have redefined modest fashion through creativity and resistance.
Source: suitcasemag.com/fashion/global-style/irans-fashion-beat
Published in Radikal (Turkey) between 2014 and 2015, these images document a pivotal era in Iran’s underground fashion movement, focusing on the visibility of female designers, public fashion shows, and digitally-driven defiance of state-imposed dress codes.
The articles explore how designers like Farnaz Abdoli (POOSH), Shadi Parand, and Salar Bil pushed the boundaries of what was possible in public dress, using bold colors, layered silhouettes, and street photography aesthetics. One photo captures a POOSH campaign styled and shot in Tehran streets, while another presents Shadi Parand’s urban layering approach. A third image shows male and female models walking together at the Fajr Fashion Show held at Sam Center, marking a rare officially sanctioned fashion event. The final photo features Salar Bil’s futuristic white cloak ensemble, presented at Tehran Fashion Week, symbolizing a visionary break from conservative codes. These visuals were published alongside critical commentary on the Ministry of Culture’s censorship, legal restrictions on “Western” hairstyles and styles, and the quiet resilience of Iranian creatives navigating repression with style.
Source: Radikal.com.tr (archived)