Iowa Governor-elect Rob Sand Walked Runways in Milan and Paris During College
The incoming governor confirmed his past as a model for Prada and other fashion houses on Instagram after a viral post resurfaced his 2002 career.
By Rafael Delgado ·
Rob Sand, the incoming governor of Iowa, walked the runways for Prada, Number (N)ine, and Giuliano Fujiwara while attending Brown University. The fashion career, which took him to Paris and Milan in the early 2000s, resurfaced on social media following his victory in Tuesday's election.
The story gained traction after a user reposted a video of Sand with a caption questioning whether he had modeled in the early 2000s. Vogue reported that a Google search confirmed the details. Sand’s verified Instagram account, @robsandia, responded to a post from Vogue asking if followers knew about the past. The reply read, "Yes, I knew that." The comment accumulated more than 700 likes within 20 minutes, with many users offering congratulations.
One user commented, "From runway to run USA," while another wrote, "THE biggest flex EVER for a politician plus 2 words: Italian Vogue. YES SIR!" Vogue noted that Sand described the modeling work as a successful side hustle during his college years. He appeared in editorial spreads, including a fall 2002 feature in AnOther Magazine titled "Adolescents."
Sand previously served as Iowa's state auditor before winning the governor's race. The New York Times reported in a 2019 profile that he briefly modeled in European fashion capitals but did not like to discuss the experience. In an interview with Newsweek, Sand stated that he missed a chance to caucus in his hometown of Decorah, Iowa, in 2004 because he was in Milan at the time.
Sand's campaign has been contacted for confirmation of these details but has not yet responded. The modeling history dates back to when he was a student at Brown University, a period that preceded his long career in public service and business.
