TEHRAN -- The Niavaran Cultural Festival is playing host to the Islamic-Iranian fashion show where 50 models dressed in a variety of costumes are offering new designs.

The show opened Saturday and was attended by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini, Isa Keshavarz, director of the committee for organizing costume and fashion, and members of the committee, the Persian service of Iranian Students NEWS Agency reported on Sunday.
“All the designs have been prepared and displayed for the first time”, Isa Keshavarz said, adding, “We are happy that the costumes and fashions have received significant attention from the Culture Ministry as the supervisor of the project.”
“We invited all the artists and designers to present their new designs. A collection of 50 samples were selected from the 500 submitted designs.
“The costumes in the show should be reviewed to achieve a comprehensive design. The favorite design of the guests will be given an award at the end of the show,” he added.
Minister Hosseini then talked about the designs and said the designers are able to produce costumes that go with our culture and traditions.
The selected designs must be reproduced in great numbers and be available for the people; the media can also help introduce these designs, the minister added.
Asked about the types of the costumes in show, the minister said, “There are two types in the show. The first is outdoor clothing; and the second type is good for attending parties, but we certainly do not focus on the second type.”
Photo: This combination photo shows mannequins at an Islamic-Iranian fashion show, which opened at the Niavaran Cultural Festival in Tehran on March 5, 2011. (Mehr/Mohsen Rezaii)