How Zambia’s Margret Chola has grow to be a style icon

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

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

“I really feel totally different, I really feel new and alive in these garments, in a manner that I’ve by no means felt earlier than,” Ms Chola tells the BBC. “I really feel like I can conquer the world!”

The fortnightly Granny Collection was created in 2023 by her granddaughter Diana Kaumba, a stylist who relies in New York Metropolis.

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 style as a result of he at all times dressed properly.

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

“I wasn’t doing something on the time, so I simply stated: ‘OK. If that’s what you need to do let’s do it – why not?'” Ms Chola stated.

“You’ll miss me after I die and no less than this fashion you can be remembering me.”

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

“I believed it could be good to decorate up Mbuya in excessive style after which take images of her in her pure 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 frequently Ms Chola is photographed in all her glamour exterior – typically sitting on a sublime picket chair or lounging on a leather-based couch.

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

“I used to be so nervous after I posted that first photograph. I left my cellphone for 10 minutes and in these 10 minutes there have been 1,000 likes,” Ms Kaumba says.

“My thoughts was blown. The feedback have been flying in and other people have been asking for extra.”

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

“It stunned me to listen to that so many individuals world wide love me,” Ms Chola says – who doesn’t know her actual age as a result of she doesn’t have a beginning certificates.

“I didn’t know I may make such an influence 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 costume 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 high, full with a golden snake necklace and bracelet.

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

“I had by no means worn denims or a wig earlier than – so I used to be blissful, and I used to be dancing.”

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

All of the seems mirror her maximalist-chic aesthetic – which celebrates the enjoyment of extra, eclectic combos, the massive and the daring, and clashing patterns and colors.

On the coronary heart of all of it are eye-catching equipment – daring sun shades, outsized hats, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, rings, gloves, luggage, blonde wigs, crowns.

That affect has come instantly from her grandmother, who has “at all times been a lover of pearls and bangles”.

In a single notably playful scene known as GOAT – quick for biggest of all time – Ms Chola seems with a goat – that’s decked out in Mbuya’s beloved pearls.

Different equipment additionally mirror Chola’s character and story.

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

Or she’s clutching an “ibende” – an extended picket stick that over time she has used to pound millet or cassava or maize.

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

Ms Kaumba hopes that the Granny Collection will spotlight that older folks nonetheless have so much to supply – and making recollections collectively is a crucial strategy to “depart footprints for the following era”.

“Don’t write them off, love them simply the identical until the top as a result of bear in mind we shall be identical to them in the future.”

On account 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 Collection will encourage folks “to stay their lives and never fear about being judged by society”.

She urges folks to “at all times forgive your self for no matter errors you made. You possibly can by no means change your previous – however you may 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 typically troublesome life.

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

She had three youngsters, ended up consuming closely and finally escaped the wedding.

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

“I’m now in a position to get up with a objective figuring out that folks world wide like to see me,” Chola says.

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