How Zambia’s Margret Chola grew to become a style icon

A grandmother in rural Zambia has turn into an fashion 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 thought to the world as “Legendary Glamma” – and adored by 225,000 Instagram followers for her hanging and playful style pictures.

“I really feel totally different, I really feel new and alive in these garments, in a method 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 is predicated in New York Metropolis.

She got here up with the concept when she was visiting Zambia to mark the second anniversary of the loss of life of her father – the particular person she says impressed her ardour for style as a result of he all the time 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 needed to attempt 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 once I die and no less than this fashion you’ll 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 assumed it will be good to decorate up Mbuya in excessive style after which take pictures 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 outdoors – typically sitting on a sublime wood 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 once 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 had been flying in and folks had been asking for extra.”

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

“It shocked me to listen to that so many individuals around the globe love me,” Ms Chola says – who doesn’t know her precise age as a result of she doesn’t have a delivery certificates.

“I didn’t know I may make such an affect 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 together 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 completely satisfied, 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 appears to be like mirror her maximalist-chic aesthetic – which celebrates the enjoyment of extra, eclectic combos, the large 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 immediately from her grandmother, who has “all the time been a lover of pearls and bangles”.

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

Different equipment additionally mirror Chola’s persona and story.

In some pictures 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” – an extended wood stick that through the years 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 tormented by extreme energy cuts.

Ms Kaumba hopes that the Granny Collection will spotlight that older individuals nonetheless have lots to supply – and making reminiscences collectively is a crucial technique to “go away footprints for the following technology”.

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

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

Ms Chola hopes that the Granny Collection will encourage individuals “to stay their lives and never fear about being judged by society”.

She urges individuals to “all the time forgive your self for no matter errors you made. You possibly can by no means change your previous – however you’ll be able to 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 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 sudden international 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 individuals around the globe like to see me,” Chola says.

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