We wrote about Reshma Qureshi when she was selected to walk at New York Fashion Week and now that she has walked down the Promised Land, the pictures and Reshma, look dazzling. FTL Moda informed her through this video that she would be walking for them in September and the dreams have turned into reality.
19-year-old Reshma was attacked by her brother-in-law and friends two years ago in Uttar Pradesh by an industry grade acid that burned her face arms and back. Reshma not just battled with the loss of her eye but resuming life like usual. Reshma has since worked to remove stigma around acid attack survivors with Make Love Not Scars. Her viral video on how acid is as easy to buy as lipsticks built up quite a response online. What really changed everything for her and her cause was the chance to walk to ramp for established designers. Modelling for Archana Kocchar and Vaishali Couture, she walked to #TakeBeautyBack for FTL Moda. “I feel really good and the experience was great,” she told AFP afterwards, speaking in Hindi through a translator. “I feel as though it has definitely changed my life,” she told AFP.
Walking in a white full length gown with striped panels and a delicate silver tiara, Reshma drove the point home of ‘leading a normal life for an acid attack survivor.’ New York Daily reported that, “Every day a girl becomes a victim of an acid attack,” Qureshi says in a series of tongue-in-cheek “Beauty Tips by Reshma” videos that direct viewers to sign the #EndAcidSale petition. About 1,000 acid attacks are reported in India every year, according to Fashion Week Online, and women are targeted the most. Make Love Not Scars reports that acid attacks increased 250% between 2012 and 2014.”
Reshma has flown out of India for the very first time and seems excited about her experience through the reports. The Supreme Court recently sounded alarm bells at the ‘over-the-counter’ sale of Acid and an India court gave an assailant death penalty for killing a girl by throwing acid at her in Mumbai. Reshma Bano Qureshi, daughter of a taxi driver has plans of finishing her education but in the meantime she is going to take a chunk off the Big Apple.
“FTL Moda has collaborated with Global Disability Inclusion and Fashion Week Online to represent women of all walks of life on the catwalk, including Madeline Stuart, a celebrated model with Down syndrome, and Shaholly Ayers, a congenital amputee, who also took the catwalk on Thursday. Past FTL Moda shows have included amputees and models in wheelchairs,” reported the NY Daily.