“Zan-e Rooz” Show: The New Persian Social Media Trend
WANA (Oct 09) – After the success of the show Eternal Love, it is now time for another new and controversial phenomenon in Persian-language media: the show Zan-e Rooz (Woman of the Day).
The promotion for this show began exactly at the same time as the final episodes of the first season of Eternal Love, and its goal was clear—to fill the entertainment gap for Iranians during their leisure time, this time with a touch of fashion and style.
Zan-e Rooz is also produced in Turkey by the same production team behind Eternal Love, but this time its focus is entirely on the world of women. In this competition, Persian-speaking contestants compete in styling and choosing outfits suitable for various themes.
The presence of Mahnaz Afshar—a formerly well-known actress of Iranian cinema—as the host of this program has also contributed to its increased visibility.
Judges and Host of the Show Zan-e Rooz. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Mahnaz Afshar, due to her political views differing from those of the governors of the Islamic Republic of Iran, left Iran for Germany in 2019 in the hope of finding a freer and better artistic world. However, today she has no choice but to make a living by participating in superficial programs and shows of this kind.
After years of being away from the camera, she has now appeared in a new role, and this has aroused the curiosity of many Iranian viewers.
Why such a warm reception?
The widespread popularity of such programs is not limited merely to their visual appeal. The absence of an organized fashion industry—or even similar educational and entertaining programs—in Iran has caused any content produced in this field to quickly attract public attention, without the audience reflecting on its compatibility with Iranian culture and norms.
In fact, breaking through domestic restrictions and publishing freely on platforms like YouTube is the main reason for this popularity. The younger generation is seeking a space where they can experience the world of fashion and beauty without censorship, and Zan-e Rooz has provided exactly that space.
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Of course, it should not be forgotten that platforms such as YouTube—despite being filtered in Iran—still remain among the most popular content distribution platforms among Persian speakers. This fact shows that filtering has not only failed to prevent public access but has sometimes even produced the opposite effect.
Perhaps, instead of imposing restrictions, intelligent policymaking and regulation of cyberspace could be a more effective way to manage programs that may be considered culturally or morally harmful.
Mahdieh, an Iranian user, writes on Instagram in one of the related posts to this program:
“I really love fashion and style. I always follow those who are working in the modeling industry abroad, and I’ve always wanted to keep up with the trends and new things in this field because it gives me a good feeling—a sense of being modern. Now watching this show has made things a bit easier for me, helping me find the right outfit style and recognize the flaws in how I dress.”
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Behind the scenes: the economy of fashion and clicks
From another perspective, it must be said that behind the production of such programs lies an entirely economic outlook. The experience of Eternal Love showed that a Persian-language competition can, through YouTube advertising, generate multimillion-dollar revenues alongside high viewership and fame for its participants.
As a result, Zan-e Rooz is not merely an entertainment program but part of a major investment in the fashion and lifestyle genre—a genre that has a vast audience all over the world.
The Subtle Danger of Consumerism
But on a deeper level, the hidden message of this kind of content is dangerous. Girls and women, when faced with such programs, gradually become entangled in a consumerist and comparison-based pattern. Watching the competitions and the variety of styles strengthens the desire among viewers to buy more clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories — even when they do not actually need them.
An Iranian girl named Sara has written humorously on YouTube:
“Look, this show has made me want to keep going shopping all the time and have the right combinations ready for everything in my closet. I used to hardly ever worry about what to wear, but now I’ve added a bunch of clothes to my wardrobe that don’t even go well together unless I buy matching items for them.”
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This trend has turned the issue of fashion and beauty into the foremost daily topic for women and pushes more essential matters — such as social rights, education, or more fundamental concepts — to the margins. In the absence of a serious response from cultural institutions and society, this inclination toward outward appearance could, in the long run, turn into a dangerous social compulsion.
Of course, it should be noted that the very idea of holding a program about style and elegance is not inherently flawed; the problem lies in the cultural framework and the values that govern it.
Although the attention of young people to outward beauty and clothing is natural and undeniable, the main question here is: why must such concepts always be represented only through the lens of unveiling and Western-style clothing?
Is it not possible to present a model of elegance and beauty that aligns with Iranian culture and dress? Especially now, when the issue of hijab has become one of the most important social and legislative debates in today’s Iranian society.
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A user named Yekta has written in a comment on Instagram:
“This show is good, but I wish we also had a truly Iranian version of it. The outfits they wear in the show are often expensive and not really suitable for wearing in society — they’re only usable for certain occasions.”
It might not be a bad idea for Iran’s cultural institutions to produce a program in which style and elegance are reimagined based on historical and cultural Iranian attire from different eras, such as the Seljuk or Achaemenid periods, and others.
Such a program could both prevent the unchecked influence of Western models and, at the same time, acquaint viewers with the civilizational roots and aesthetics of Iranian culture — all within the framework of Iran’s Islamic social norms.
Ultimately, Zan-e Rooz should be regarded as a sign of the changing media taste of Iranian society — a change oscillating between the desire for modernity and the fear of losing cultural identity. Where this wave will lead depends on the awareness, choices, and reactions of society — and, of course, on the Iranian cultural policymakers themselves.
