- Title: GERMANY-IRAN/FASHION Underwear made in Iran sold as part of German art project
- Date: 26th July 2015
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JULY 24, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF TEMPORARY STORE SET UP IN BERLIN'S WEDDING DISTRICT WHERE GERMAN ARTIST OF IRANIAN DESCENT ANAHITA RAZMI IS SELLING "UNDERWEAR MADE IN IRAN" FOR THE DURATION OF ONE MONTH SIGN READING "DO FARD" (TWO INDIVIDUALS), THE NAME OF HER BRAND EXTERIOR OF STORE VARIOUS OF MEN'S UNDERWEAR ON DISPLAY RAZMI SHOWING MEN'S UNDERWEAR
- Embargoed: 10th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7RTDU71GTVL3NKPOAZD4LONJ3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German digital and performance artist Anahita Razmi has turned a studio in Berlin's working-class district of Wedding into a temporary underwear store specialising in products made in Iran.
Razmi, who is of Iranian descent, said she had grappled with the question of what people associate with Iran.
"I asked myself 'what kind of Iranian products do we know in Germany? Do we know any at all?' If you ask people, they will mention Persian rugs, Iranian saffron, pistachios but not much else."
According to Razmi, "underwear is not really an oriental product but this one is actually a classic Iranian, Tehran product. This underwear has been around for 75 years at the bazaar and I found it exciting to see what perceptions people have and how these perceptions change when I show up with this underwear in Berlin."
After a trip to Iran, she returned with six suitcases of "do fard" (meaning "two individuals") underwear and explained that "before the Iranian revolution, the brand was called 'Deux Freres' (two brothers), so it had a French name although it was already an Iranian brand at the time."
"But before the revolution, the ties to the West and to Europe were different. It's pretty interesting that the crossed out name on the back of the label still exists, along with the German slogan 'made from first-class yarn," Razmi said.
Although her one-month-long art project comes days after Iran and the West agreed on a framework nuclear deal on curbing Iran's nuclear programme, the replenishment of her store so far is not ensured.
The underwear she sells in her Berlin store is made in Iran and Ramzi said once Western sanctions are lifted the Tehran-produced items could be replenished.
"Because economic sanctions have not yet been lifted, I would have a problem ordering more articles. Right now, if one model is sold out, it's sold out. But if the sanctions are softened, there would be other possibilities so I might have to reconsider whether to abandon my artist job and enter the underwear business," Razmi said with a smile. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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