One New York Fashion Week model has us especially inspired: Reshma Quereshi. The 19-year-old survived a sulfuric acid attack two years ago in India, leaving her with a disfigured face and blind in one eye. Since then, she's worked to empower other victims and recently challenged beauty standards by walking down the runway at Indian designer Archana Kochhar's show. Wait until you see the pics–this girl slayed!
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Two years ago Quereshi survived an acid attack by her brother-in-law. The attack left her so depressed she even contemplated suicide. That was before she found her purpose working with Make Love Not Scars, an organization that has been working towards banning over-the-counter acid sales in India.
She has even created beauty videos raising awareness about the acid attack issue in India, which have since gone viral. But if you would have told Quereshi a year ago that she would have walked down the runways at NYFW, she would have never believed you. She cried when she was asked to open for Indian designer, Archana Kochhar's show.
"This walk was important to me because there are so many girls like me who are survivors of acid attacks, and this will give them courage," Quereshi told the Associated Press. "And it will also go to show people who judge people based on their appearance that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover–you should look at everyone through the same eyes."
Quereshi also modeled for Vaishali Couture later that day, as part of FTL Moda's campaign #TakeBeauty, an organization committed to challenging beauty stereotypes. Having an acid attack survivor walk in a NYFW show is huge. Hopefully it will not only bring awareness to the acid attack problem in India, but also help teach individuals that beauty goes past one's physical appearance.
"People have a tendency to look at acid attack survivors from one perspective," Quereshi told Agence France-Presse. "I don't want them to look at them like that anymore."
Images via theforeigndesk/Instagram, spottedinindia/Instagram, and lelaedgar/Instagram
