Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand, who won Tuesday’s election, once walked runways for Prada and other fashion houses while he was in college, according to Vogue.
Vogue reported the modeling past resurfaced on social media after his win, when a user reposted a video of Sand along with a caption expressing disbelief. When Vogue asked on Instagram whether followers knew Sand once modeled for Prada, a verified account for Sand replied, “Yes, I knew that.”
Sand’s campaign confirmed to CBS News that he “did some modeling while in college in the early 2000s.” On X, the campaign joked, “Audited: true”, a nod to his previous job as Iowa’s state auditor.
According to Vogue, Sand began modeling while attending Brown University. The side job took him to Milan, where he walked for Prada, the Japanese label Number (N)ine and Giuliano Fujiwara. He also appeared in editorial spreads, including a fall 2002 AnOther Magazine feature titled “Adolescents.”
The New York Times reported in a 2019 profile that Sand briefly modeled in Paris and Milan but does not like to talk about it. Sand also told Newsweek he missed the chance to caucus in his hometown of Decorah, Iowa, in 2004 because he was in Milan.
Fans online loved the reveal. “From runway to run USA,” one commenter wrote.
Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn in the governor’s race this week.
Sources: CBS News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
