Iran Khanoom And Family On Fashion, Feminism And Being Fearless
With a fearless approach to fashion experimentation and advocating for women’s rights and social justice, nonagenarian matriarch and style maven Iran Khanoom, the Middle East’s foremost senior influencer, has become a figurehead far beyond her family circle
When it comes to influential matriarchs, it doesn’t get more colourful than Iran Khanoom (@iran.khanoom). The Iranian answer to Iris Apfel, Iran moved to France six years ago. This month, she will celebrate her 93rd birthday while embracing her newfound status as a fashion influencer. Her window on the world? An Instagram account filled with shots of the young-at-heart style maven dressed in fabulous outfits cooked up with her designer grandson, Daniel Mirzapour, accompanied by captions co-written with her youngest daughter – her “partner in crime” – Faranak Assadian. Her messages mix empowerment, women’s rights and witty pearls of wisdom. One example: the adage “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter,” accompanied by a picture of Iran with her daughter, Farideh Assadian, wearing a printed dress accessorised with an ancient necklace. (For her part, Farideh sports a white shirt paired with a hot-pink skirt.) Then there’s, “What if you knew the exact date and time you would depart this life?” Such aphorisms have won her nearly 300,000 followers, among them fashion luminaries like fashion critic Sarah Mower and the Dutch-Iranian beauty entrepreneur and former Bazaar cover star Negin Mirsalehi. The account has also given Iran, who has Alzheimer’s, a new lease of life.
At a time of global outrage following the death while in the custody of the morality police of Mahsa Amini (who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory hijab law), seeing Iran radiate joy and confidence as the Middle East’s premiere senior influencer and being able to express herself freely through fashion is nothing short of a true revolution. A recent post on her Instagram page sees Iran in a wheelchair on the way to a protest in Paris, dressed in all-black ensemble by Louis Vuitton and a brooch by Iranian designer Azadeh Aiden. She holds a red sign marked, “Be the voice of Iran.”
A fashion lover for as long as she can remember, Iran moved in circles where chic dressing came with the territory. For years, her husband was a diplomat to the last Shah of Iran. When the Revolution came in 1979, all the family’s assets in their homeland were confiscated. In those bleak times, Iran turned to beauty and clothes as a way of embodying grace in the face of adversity. Then, as now, appearances are primordial for Iran – no matter what life throws at her.
“I remember, after the Revolution, when she had nothing, she didn’t have the money to buy creams, she would save peels of the fruit she ate to apply to her skin. Every night, as she watched the news, she would soak her feet in hot, salted water. She always took care of herself, even when there was nothing. It’s not about money, it’s about the spirit of self-care,” says Daniel. “Life changed after the Revolution, but she always maintained this image of being chic, doing the best she could, even with the minimum,” he continues.
Over the past two years, Iran’s Instagram account has become a full-blown family affair, with Faranak and Farideh – who have both inherited Iran’s joie de vivre and colourful fashion sense – making regular appearances. “It’s three visions, three generations: my mother is 54, my aunt is 74, and my grandma is 93, so there are 20 years separating them,” explains Daniel, who with “Maman Iran” launched a new site and account titled @TheTabooBreaker two years ago, selling T-shirts that, to quote Iran, “Are both fashionable and comical, embroidered with idioms and expressions that have long been rooted in the culture and heritage of Iran, but hold little value today as we find them hollow and unavailing.”
Adds Daniel: “Our mission is to tackle cultural issues and do away with discriminatory points of view that have plagued our country for decades. It is not just about the Islamic Republic of Iran. Women have been regarded as second-class citizens everywhere, throughout history. We are hoping to make a change, albeit small, and one that may not be instant but will certainly be felt in years to come.”
On a crisp September afternoon in Paris, as Queen Elizabeth II was being laid to rest in London, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia sat down with Daniel and Faranak to learn more about Iran and their fascinating family story.
How would you describe your family?
Faranak, speaking for her mother, Iran: A family that is simple yet very strong, where everyone is capable of being on their own and fighting for life.
Daniel: It’s a family of strong women. Throughout life’s ups and downs, we have always remained united.
Today is the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the matriarch par excellence. Tell us about Iran and her role as matriarch.
Faranak: Iranian women play a very important role in the family and society, even today. They are queens without crowns, in a sense.
What are your grandmother’s greatest qualities?
Faranak: Her love of life.
Daniel: She is fearless.
What are some of the life lessons Iran has passed down?
Faranak: Life has many ups and downs: don’t be too happy when you go up and don’t be too sad when you fall; everything is temporary. Also, to be kind to others, but above all to yourself.
Daniel: Sincerity. To always be yourself, to be strong and enjoy life, and to make the most of every moment, even during difficult times. My grandmother doesn’t believe in the afterlife; it’s about enjoying every moment of the present.
Would you call yourselves survivors?
Faranak: Absolutely, survival is the definition of our family history.
What has your mother taught you about staying positive in the face of adversity?
Faranak: To be patient, courageous, positive and a fighter, with perseverance, and to do it with love. Also, to keep a sense of humour, and to encourage others to laugh at life.
Daniel, you moved to France with your family at age 12. Can you share some of your memories of growing up with your grandmother in Iran?
Daniel: My grandmother had a big influence on me as a kid as she was always so well-dressed. She’d wear headscarves, but they were always colourful. She taught me about etiquette, how to sit, how to eat, which was rare in our country.
Did her life as a diplomat’s wife influence her style?
Daniel: Yes. She travelled a lot. They lived in Paris before the Revolution, as well as in Turkey and on the Russian and Iranian border, which is where she learned to read coffee grounds. She would do that for all of us.
What made you decide to launch an Instagram account dedicated to your grandmother? You originally called it Sweet Sixty, right?
Daniel: Exactly, it was linked to age. We were drinking tea with my grandmother one evening and we were talking about Iranian women and how many of them feel insecure about their age, and she said: “I always think I am forever young!” So, we thought it would be great to find a way to share this attitude with others. My grandmother wanted to show that there are no limits, that age is just a number, and we can still experiment with clothes and enjoy life.
So, I proposed this project and she agreed, she found it fun. She would go out with me two or three times a week, for photo shoots. She would do her make-up and I think that allowed my grandmother to dream a little, and to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s. It has given her a new lease on life.
What kind of fashion direction were you going for?
Daniel: We wanted it to be really colourful and daring. And we like to be a bit provocative, sometimes – either through the pictures, like the time I put my grandmother in a look with a décolleté, or with the descriptions. To say, it’s not the end of the world, you have to have fun. But there isn’t really a direction, a lot depends on gifts she receives. And she receives a lot – from Gucci, Lanvin… Marc Jacobs sent her some gifts. And we did a thing with Dior. Many designers in Iran want to work with her now because she’s an icon. She likes to support Iranian designers because they don’t get much visibility.
How would you describe Iran’s sense of style?
Faranak: It reflects her, it’s very personal. She doesn’t choose a style or a direction: she finds that choosing a specific style is very limiting. That’s no fun at all!
What do you see when you open her wardrobe?
Faranak: An explosion of colour. Daniel: It’s a bit over the top. [Laughs]
Does Iran attend any fashion shows?
Daniel: The thing is, the Covid pandemic hit just as she was becoming known, and now there’s the Alzheimer’s. But yes, she is invited to events.
Does she enjoy being photographed?
Daniel: She loves it! She loves having her make-up done and being pampered. She loves going to restaurant openings with me in Paris, and I ask my photographer to come and take photos. My grandmother’s account isn’t a moneymaker, it’s just a hobby. So, sometimes I’ll be tired and say, “No, I can’t come over this week,” and she’ll be like, “Oh, we’re not going out? We’re not doing a shoot?”
How has Iran embraced her newfound fame as an influencer?
Daniel: It’s given her strength. She’s very proud.
Does she get recognised in the street?
Daniel: She is very well known in Iran, everybody recognises her. Recently, I heard from a brand that wants to launch a perfume named after my grandmother.
For this shoot, there was a big focus on Gucci. Is that one of the family’s favourite brands?
Daniel: Yes. I’ve loved Gucci since Alessandro Michele took over as artistic director. I love the mix of Italian culture and motifs with fashion, as well as these details in his collections inspired by Roman architecture. It’s very colourful and maximalist, which is the image I really wanted to create for my grandmother.
Does Iran like to follow what’s happening in fashion?
Daniel: Yes. We used to go to the boutiques, but now I’ll show her pictures of looks on the iPad. Sometimes she doesn’t agree, but I usually manage to convince her. [Laughs]
Tell us about the The Taboo Breaker project.
Daniel: We do these T-shirts embroidered with sayings that are embedded in our culture, such as “No fool like an old fool,” or “تریغ هتشاد شاب) “be zealous), things mothers tell their sons to keep an eye on the women in the family, like, “You’re the keeper of the house.” And so it creates the idea that this man has the right to tell his sisters what to do, what to wear, and so on. It’s this macho mentality, but it’s the mother who is perpetuating it. We also do symbols, such as a symbol that represents disgrace, like a stain on the family. All the proceeds go to charities in Iran.
Are you a family of taboo breakers?
Faranak: We are indeed, and we’re passionate about becoming even more so.
Is this something that you inherited from Iran?
Faranak: Yes. Along with her skin and stubbornness!
What is Iran’s approach to beauty?
Faranak: The criteria of beauty may vary from one culture to another, but for Iran, beauty is a reflection of the soul – and for that, you need to have inner peace.
Photography: Raffaele Marone. Styling: Anna Castan.
Editor in Chief: Olivia Phillips. Hair: Anastasiia Tymoti. Make-Up: Walter Denéchère. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Executive Producer: Jean-Marc Mondelet. Stylist’s Assistant: Samia Kanaan. Set Assistant: Noémie Defever
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s October 2022 issue.