Iran’s first fashion model and advertising face for many international brands, Ryan Baghdadi, speaks. In an exclusive interview, the details of his personal and professional life, his experience in the fashion world, and his personal experience
– You are model from Iran. You are so unique. No any model from Iran started to be famous. Do you think to make something special maybe your own blog or website?
– I am the first Iranian model as a man which started to be famous in Middle East. Surely I will do something good and all world will know me as a first Iranian man model and I am proud of it.
I am working in modeling more than ten years. I started in Iran and then moved to Italy.
– There is fashion shows or modeling in Iran?
– There is no actually modeling there. I was working with few magazines, I had cover in the magazine and the pages in magazine about me. And it was fashion week – Tehran fashion week. It was more than ten Iranian designers.
– As we know famous Iranian designers out of Iran, is not it?
– Yes it is. They made it because it was allowed. They got permission from the government to make this event. Actually it was for a man – male and female together. At that time Iranian designers had clothes for man longer.
– There is school for catwalk or modeling in Iran?
– Now it is getting much better. Honestly in 2014 this Tehran fashion week was first and biggest in Iran with a lot of designers. When they posted pictures they mentioned that its long dresses for man because they used to work in Milan. Now fashion industry in Iran starting to be much better because of the low and rules. Male and female they are working difference. A lot of designers make small fashion show – 5 years ago you will not find any fashion events there and now it is much better.
When I started to work ten years ago as a model in that time I was thinking to be as international model.
– You came from Iran and work as a model in Dubai but as we can see here a lot of competition in this field. Where you see yourself after few years?
– I love Dubai. Here a lot of opportunities. It is not depends of culture or type of skin. Honestly I feel Dubai it is my home where is very safety. I am happy here.
– You are 27 now. Do you have any plan to open school for modeling?
– I did not think about the school. I am thinking after few years to open fashion brand under my name. I have my own vision and goal and I go for it. I want to grow in this field. I am doing my best to make my dreams true. I read every day, one hour when I wake up and one hour before to sleep.
– People don’t believe in this profession as a model. What is your opinion about that?
– When I was young I used to play basketball and I was playing in the national team in my country. When I was 16 years old I was best basketball player there. But I got leg problems and I stoped play. I trained 8 hours per day to go back in the game but doctors said I will not play as before. Basketball was my life.
– What you will do after 10 years?
– During next 10 years I am planning to work as a model with brands. I have a lot of plans. One of my plan as well to try myself as an actor. I want to try it in USA. Now I am 27 and I have a lot of cover for magazines, a lot of fashion shows and photo shoots and to be honest its my first interview.