Living in the shadow of Daesh, a group of stylish young Kurds from the Iraqi city of Erbil has defied the odds to made a splash on social media.
They might live only 85 kilometers away from Mosul where Iraqi forces are engaged in a fierce battle against ultraconservative Islamist militants, but the young men of “Mr Erbil” are unapologetically open-minded.
Donning clothing at the forefront of Western hipster fashion, they participate in regular photoshoots, styled as "gentlemen's gatherings", the results of which are posted to their successful Instagram and Facebook accounts. While they might be drawing on modern Western trends, the young men also seek inspiration from the style of the high-class Kurdish "effendis" of days gone by.
Having only hosted their first photo shoot last February, their online presence has rapidly grown to over 30,000 Instagram followers.
According to their Facebook page, the 30-strong crew organizes “local & international (near future) trade show[s] & cultural events to promote the FASHION system as the ae[s]thetic expression & evolution of taste.”
Mr Erbil also regularly posts about women’s rights, sharing a weekly “girl inspiration” story about the activities of local women.
More than just celebrating fashion, the group hopes to promote Kurdish culture internationally, giving a voice to the new generation of Iraqi Kurds. Having already featured in British and American publications, there is little doubt the guys of “Mr Erbil” are turning heads across the globe.
RA
