Before entering politics, Rob Sand had a rather different career: walking the runways of Milan and Paris for some of fashion’s most recognizable names. Now, following his election as Iowa’s next governor on 3 November, photographs from his modeling years are circulating again, putting an unexpected fashion story into the political spotlight.
While studying political science at Brown University, Sand worked as a model in the early 2000s, reportedly using the income to help finance his education. His runway credits include Prada, the Japanese label Number (N)ine and Giuliano Fujiwara. He also appeared in AnOther Magazine’s autumn 2002 editorial, Adolescents. One of the images now attracting attention comes from Prada’s Spring 2003 menswear show, presented in Milan on 1 August 2002.
The modelling career was not entirely unknown. The New York Times mentioned it in a 2019 profile, noting that Sand rarely discussed that period of his life. He also spoke about it in a 2007 Newsweek interview, recalling that he missed the 2004 Iowa caucus in his hometown of Decorah because he was in Milan for work. “It had to be one or the other,” he said. “And I chose to go to Europe.”
What makes the story particularly interesting is that his fashion background was not always treated as an amusing detail. During the recent gubernatorial campaign, his Republican opponent, Zach Lahn, used Sand’s modelling past to question his authenticity, accusing him of “putting on a costume”. The suggestion was that a former model was somehow performing an identity rather than representing the state. Sand won the election regardless.
Following the victory, Vogue brought the story back into circulation with an Instagram post asking whether people knew the governor-elect had once modelled for Prada. Sand replied from his verified account: “Yes, I knew that.” His campaign also joined in with the response “Audited: true”, a reference to his previous role as Iowa’s state auditor.
There is an interesting contradiction here. Politics has become increasingly visual, with candidates carefully managing everything from their wardrobes to their social media presence. Yet a background in fashion was presented as a weakness, as though understanding image and presentation somehow undermined political credibility.
Sand’s runway years may have little to do with the responsibilities awaiting him in January. But they offer a reminder that careers are rarely as linear as public profiles suggest. And, apparently, even a Prada runway appearance can have an unexpected second life.