What started as a fun clothes swap with her granddaughter has given Margret Chola, in her mid 80s, a whole new lease of life - and inspired a host of fashion fans.
Margret Chola, in her mid 80s, has become an internet sensation and accidental fashion icon after she agreed to swap clothes with her New York-based stylist granddaughter, Diana Kaumba.
Photos of Chola dressed in wildly exotic clothing and funky accessories went viral when Kaumba posted them on her Instagram account in April last year. This swiftly prompted Kaumba to set up a dedicated Instagram account for her grandmother, or Mbuya in the Bemba language, titled Legendary Glamma. It currently has 144,000 followers including a host of celebrity fashion icons from around the globe.
Kaumba, who spends her time between the US and Zambia, hires a small team, which includes her nephew, to help her style and shoot Chola. She posts a new picture of her grandmother in a different outfit every other week as part of her granny series.
The photos have changed people’s perception of ageing. In Zambia, as in other countries, older people are often overlooked and maligned; and society dictates they should dress a certain way - by Margret Chola is being described as bold and inspiring. Women in their 60s have explained that the photos have made them feel as if they can live again. Indeed, Chola’s view of herself has also changed. “She told me it has given her a second chance at life,” says Kaumba.
All photos credit: Legendary Glamma | Instagram