By In the rural village of 10 Miles, just north of Zambia’s capital, an unlikely fashion star has emerged. Margret Chola, an octogenarian grandmother known as “Legendary Glamma,” has captivated 225,000 Instagram followers with her striking blend of high fashion and rural African life.
The transformation from village grandmother to global style icon began in 2023 when her granddaughter Diana Kaumba, a New York-based stylist, proposed an impromptu wardrobe swap during a visit home to commemorate her father’s death anniversary.
“I feel different, I feel new and alive in these clothes, in a way that I’ve never felt before,” Chola tells the BBC, her weathered face breaking into a smile. “I feel like I can conquer the world!”
The “Granny Series,” as it’s known, exploded in popularity in April 2024 after Kaumba posted photos of her grandmother wearing a red Adidas dress accessorized with chunky golden necklaces and a jeweled crown. The images, set against backdrops of exposed brick buildings, corrugated iron roofs, and maize fields, create a striking juxtaposition of haute couture and rural African life.
Chola’s fashion evolution spans everything from American football jerseys paired with frilly dresses in Zambian flag colors to sequined tops adorned with golden snake jewelry. Her favorite ensemble features jeans, a graphic T-shirt bearing her own image, and a blonde wig – all firsts for the grandmother who doesn’t know her exact age due to lack of a birth certificate.
“I had never worn jeans or a wig before – so I was happy, and I was dancing,” Chola says.
The photographs often incorporate elements of Chola’s daily life: her constant companion radio, the wooden stick she uses to pound millet, and the charcoal brazier that’s essential during Zambia’s frequent power cuts. In one particularly memorable shot dubbed “GOAT” (greatest of all time), even a goat sports Chola’s signature pearl necklaces.
Behind the glamorous images lies a poignant personal story. Chola was forced to leave school at age 12 or 13 for an arranged marriage to a man in his 30s. After having three children, she struggled with alcoholism before eventually escaping the marriage.
“I’m now able to wake up with a purpose knowing that people around the world love to see me,” says Chola, whose unexpected fame has given her life new meaning.
The series has sparked broader impact, with Kaumba now being hired to style other grandmothers aged 70 to 96. “Do not write them off, love them just the same till the end because remember we will be just like them one day,” Kaumba says of the project’s message about aging and intergenerational bonds.
Chola hopes her newfound platform will inspire others to “live their lives and not worry about being judged by society,” adding, “You can never change your past – but you can change your future.”
The phenomenon has transcended simple fashion photography to become a celebration of aging, cultural fusion, and the power of intergenerational creativity, proving that style knows no age or geographical boundaries.
bbc.com
