Mahlagha Jaberi Left Iran At 19 And She's Not Staying Quiet About What She Left Behind

In May 2023, Iranian-born model Mahlagha Jaberi stepped onto the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in a black silk gown with a gold chain shaped like a noose draped across her neckline. The back of the dress, designed by Iranian designer Jila Saber, read “Stop Executions.”

Not surprisingly, the moment went viral. Some praised her, while others called it performative. But for Jaberi—who left Isfahan, Iran at 19 and built a modeling career with over four million Instagram followers—the dress was personal.

“I didn’t expect that level of reaction,” she told Evie. “I was unsure if people would understand the message behind the dress, especially since Cannes Film Festival security didn’t allow the back of the dress, which read ‘Stop Executions,’ to be displayed on the red carpet.” But the noose spoke for itself. “I think people felt something beyond the fashion. An unspoken emotion was evoked. For me, it was deeply connected to the Women Life Freedom movement. The noose-inspired design was intentionally subtle, a quiet way of honoring my people. Even when it’s not obvious, I carry my culture with me, always.”

That instinct runs through nearly everything Jaberi says. She’s not the type to pick a fight, but she’s also not the type to stay quiet when something matters to her.

"Truth becomes more important than approval.”

“My courage comes from knowing what it feels like not to have a voice,” she said. “Growing up in Iran, you learn very early what it means to stay silent… and what it can cost to speak. So, when you’re given the freedom to express yourself, you don’t want to waste it. Truth becomes more important than approval.”

What Americans Don’t Know About Iranian Women

When we asked Jaberi what American women might be surprised to learn about Iranian women, she didn’t hesitate.

“How strong they are. Despite being raised in a country where the environment constantly challenges them, diminishes their value, and tries to slowly strip away their dignity, the Iranian women have built a level of resilience, intelligence, and depth to rise above it all. There is so much strength behind their softness, so much fortitude behind their warmth. That quiet power from within them is unshakable.”

“I think people misunderstand Iranian women as just an oppressed group of humans. People from outside only see or hear about the constant protesting and demonstrations. The Iranian government’s restrictions and systemic patterns of mistreatment are undeniable. Through all the political, social, and psychological abuse, Iranian women are some of the most educated, aware, and powerful women I’ve ever known.” She paused. “When you grow up in an environment that constantly challenges and limits you, you can become weak. The Iranian women choose to become sharper, stronger, and more resilient. They don’t just shine, they fight to shine. Some have had to pay the ultimate price for that, but their hope, courage, and spirit are unbreakable.”

Femininity, Freedom, and What Makes a Woman Unforgettable

For a woman who has been photographed thousands of times, Jaberi has a surprisingly grounded take on beauty.

“Beauty may capture attention, but it doesn’t hold it,” she said. “What makes a woman unforgettable is her energy, and the way she carries herself. That kind of presence is often shaped by life, what she’s experienced and overcome. I think women who have faced challenges carry a certain depth you can’t replicate. You don’t always see it right away, but you feel it, and that feeling lingers. That’s what makes someone truly unforgettable.”

Her definition of femininity is just as measured. “Modern femininity, to me, is freedom. Because when you grow up in a place where freedom is restricted, it makes you realize that being able to express yourself, in any shape or form, is something sacred.” She continued, “Modern femininity is a quiet power, confidence, a presence, an energy of a woman who knows who she is, without needing to prove it. Perhaps that’s why I see it so vividly in Iranian women. Because when something as natural as self-expression is restricted, the desire for it becomes even more powerful. Their resilience, their courage, that is femininity in its most raw and meaningful form.”

Why She Voted for Donald Trump

In 2024, Jaberi publicly shared on Instagram that she had voted for the first time, for Donald Trump. For someone with a massive following and a career in fashion and beauty, it was a bold statement. But Jaberi doesn’t see it through the lens of American culture wars.

“Coming from Iran, I view leadership through the lens of stability, strength, and global impact. I believe the Islamic Republic of Iran has been one of the greatest threats, not only to Iranians, but to broader global peace. In my view, Mr. Donald Trump was the only candidate willing to confront Iran directly.”

"Mr. Donald Trump was the only candidate willing to confront Iran directly."

It’s a perspective shaped by lived experience under a regime that has executed hundreds of its own citizens, restricted women’s most basic freedoms, and destabilized an entire region. For Jaberi, the question of who leads America is inseparable from the question of what happens to her people back home.

Love, Marriage, and What Women Get Wrong About Men

When we asked Jaberi how she knew her husband was the one, her answer was disarmingly simple.

“Peace, since day one. That’s the best way I can describe it. With him, everything feels calm, understanding, and stable. It’s not confusing. It’s not inconsistent. It just feels right.”

And when it comes to what modern women misunderstand about attracting a high-quality partner, she said this: “I think sometimes there’s too much focus on chasing rather than becoming your best self. The right man is drawn to a woman who respects herself and truly knows her worth. Keeping him isn’t about constant effort to impress. It’s about consistency, respect, and emotional maturity.”

Building a Brand That Means Something

Beyond modeling, Jaberi recently launched a jewelry line; a move she says was inspired by what she saw behind the curtain of the luxury industry.

“After spending years in the luxury world, I realized that so much of what people pay for isn’t the true value of the piece itself. It’s everything built around it: the layers, the markups, the positioning. That inspired me to create my own line. To strip all of that away and focus on what truly matters: craftsmanship, quality, intention, and timeless design, offered in a more direct, honest, and personal way.”

She’s honest about what it takes. “People often think building a brand is about quick success or visibility. But a real brand is built slowly, through consistency, intention, and trust. It’s not just about selling a product. It’s about creating something people feel connected to, something they believe in. And that takes time. You can’t rush something that’s meant to last.”

Using a Platform Without Losing Yourself

For someone who has been both praised and attacked for speaking her mind, Jaberi has developed a careful framework for when to use her voice, and when not to.

“My platform is rooted in beauty and fashion, but I also try to use my voice in a meaningful way, supporting causes I care about and speaking where I feel I can make a difference. I care deeply about human lives everywhere. At the same time, I don’t believe every issue is mine to speak on publicly.” She added, “I try not to speak from emotion in the moment. If something still stays with me after reflection, I take the time to understand it more deeply and look at its roots. That’s usually when I feel it’s worth speaking on.”

When she does speak, it’s from experience. “When I speak about Iran, it comes from lived experience and personal understanding. I’ve seen firsthand how deeply the situation there shapes not only people’s lives, but also broader regional dynamics.” She added that she believes voices like Prince Reza Pahlavi’s are part of the conversation about Iran’s future—a perspective that carries weight coming from someone who grew up inside the system she’s critiquing.

“I believe it’s important to approach them with care, awareness, and a willingness to understand the complexity behind them. For me, it always comes back to responsibility, knowing when to speak, and making sure it comes from understanding rather than impulse.”

What’s Next

Jaberi keeps most of her life private, intentionally. “Even though I share a lot, there are still parts of my life and myself that I keep very protected. I think when your life is visible, you learn that not everything is meant to be shared. Some things feel more meaningful when they’re kept just for you.”

But when we asked what she’s most excited about, something shifted.

"For the first time, I feel real hope for Iran and for my people, both inside the country and around the world."

“Before the movement in Iran began, my excitement was very personal: the next chapter of my life, my work, my jewelry brand, and everything I’ve been building so far. But now, it feels much bigger. For the first time, I feel real hope for Iran and for my people, both inside the country and around the world. What once felt impossible is starting to feel real. And that excitement is something I’ve never experienced before.”

If there’s a thread running through everything Mahlagha Jaberi does, from the dress to the vote, the brand, the marriage, and the refusal to perform for anyone’s approval, it comes back to how she understands freedom. She understands it not as something abstract or symbolic, but as something lived, something felt in the body, something that can be taken from you just as easily as it can be given.

She knows what it costs because she has seen the absence of it, and that awareness shapes the way she moves through the world. The choices she makes, the things she says, and the things she refuses to say all carry that same underlying clarity.

When you have lived without a voice, you don’t spend much time worrying about how it sounds.