‘Legendary Glamma’: How Zambia’s Margret Chola has become a fashion icon

A grandmother in rural Zambia has turn into an unintended model icon and web sensation – after agreeing to play dress-up and swapping outfits together with her fashionista granddaughter.

Margret Chola, who’s in her mid-80s, is understood to the world as “Legendary Glamma” – and adored by 225,000 Instagram followers for her putting and playful vogue images.

“I feel different, I feel new and alive in these clothes, in a way that I’ve never felt before,” Ms Chola tells the BBC. “I feel like I can conquer the world!”

The fortnightly Granny Series was created in 2023 by her granddaughter Diana Kaumba, a stylist who is predicated in New York City.

She got here up with the concept when she was visiting Zambia to mark the second anniversary of the dying of her father – the particular person she says impressed her ardour for vogue as a result of he at all times dressed properly.

During that go to Ms Kaumba had not worn all her rigorously curated outfits, so she requested her grandmother – or “Mbuya” within the Bemba language – if she wished to strive them on.

“I wasn’t doing anything at the time, so I just said: ‘OK. If that’s what you want to do let’s do it – why not?'” Ms Chola mentioned.

“You will miss me when I die and at least this way you will be remembering me.”

Ms Kaumba wore Mbuya’s prime and “chitenge” – a chunk of patterned material wrapped across the waist. And Mbuya’s first outfit was a silver pantsuit.

“I thought it would be nice to dress up Mbuya in high fashion and then take photographs of her in her natural habitat,” Ms Kaumba tells the BBC.

That pure habitat is a farm within the village of 10 Miles, simply north of the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

Most usually Ms Chola is photographed in all her glamour outdoors – usually sitting on a sublime wood chair or lounging on a leather-based couch.

In the background are uncovered brick buildings with corrugated iron roofs, ploughed fields, mango timber and maize crops.

“I was so nervous when I posted that first photo. I left my phone for 10 minutes and in those 10 minutes there were 1,000 likes,” Ms Kaumba says.

“My mind was blown. The comments were flying in and people were asking for more.”

It was in April 2024 that the Granny Series actually took off – after Ms Kaumba posted a sequence of pictures of her grandmother in a purple Adidas gown, a number of chunky, golden necklaces and a glittering jewelled crown.

“It surprised me to hear that so many people around the world love me,” Ms Chola says – who doesn’t know her precise age as a result of she doesn’t have a start certificates.

“I didn’t know I could make such an impact at this age.”

Ms Chola poses in garments which might be a mixture of vibrant colors, textures and types.

From a inexperienced American soccer jersey, mixed with a layered frilly purple gown styled as a skirt – within the colors of the Zambian flag to pay homage to 60 years of independence.

To a blue, black and inexperienced sequined prime, full with a golden snake necklace and bracelet.

And Mbuya’s private favorite – denims, a graphic T-shirt together with her picture on the entrance and a blonde wig.

“I had never worn jeans or a wig before – so I was happy, and I was dancing.”

Ms Kaumba, who has been a stylist since 2012, says that her grandma has “courage, grace – and nails every look”.

All the seems replicate her maximalist-chic aesthetic – which celebrates the enjoyment of extra, eclectic combos, the large and the daring, and clashing patterns and hues.

At the center of all of it are eye-catching equipment – daring sun shades, outsized hats, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, rings, gloves, baggage, blonde wigs, crowns.

That affect has come immediately from her grandmother, who has “always been a lover of pearls and bangles”.

In one notably playful scene referred to as GOAT – brief for best of all time – Ms Chola seems with a goat – that’s decked out in Mbuya’s beloved pearls.

Other equipment additionally replicate Chola’s persona and story.

In some photographs Mbuya is holding the beloved radio that she carries round all day and takes to mattress together with her.

Or she’s clutching an “ibende” – a protracted wood stick that through the years she has used to pound millet or cassava or maize.

She is smoking a pipe or holding a steel cup filled with tea, and hanging off the sting of the chair arm is an “mbaula” or charcoal brazier that Zambians usually use for cooking – particularly now that the nation is suffering from extreme energy cuts.

Ms Kaumba hopes that the Granny Series will spotlight that older folks nonetheless have lots to supply – and making reminiscences collectively is a vital strategy to “leave footprints for the next generation”.

“Do not write them off, love them just the same till the end because remember we will be just like them one day.”

As a results of Mbuya’s photograph shoots, Ms Kaumba’s been employed by 4 granddaughters to model their grandmothers – aged between 70 and 96.

Ms Chola hopes that the Granny Series will encourage folks “to live their lives and not worry about being judged by society”.

She urges folks to “always forgive yourself for whatever mistakes you made. You can never change your past – but you can change your future”.

The photograph shoots have introduced granddaughter and grandmother nearer – and thru their particular bond Ms Kaumba has learnt a lot extra about her Mbuya’s usually tough life.

Ms Chola was raised by her grandparents, went to highschool till she was 12 or 13 after which, due to financial causes, was pressured to marry a person in his 30s.

She had three youngsters, ended up ingesting closely and ultimately escaped the wedding.

That trauma nonetheless haunts her – however her surprising international fame has given her a brand new lease on life.

“I’m now able to wake up with a purpose knowing that people around the world love to see me,” Chola says.

Penny Dale is a contract journalist, podcast and documentary-maker based mostly in London.