Margret Chola, the 85-year-old fashion icon breaking stereotypes

Margret Chola has conquered the world of fashion and social media thanks to the original and daring photos of her niece who asked her to wear her clothes

Meet Margret Chola, alias “Legendary Glamma“, who has taken the world of fashion and social media by storm at 85 years young. Living in a rural setting outside Lusaka, Zambia, she has grown into a style icon, amassing over 225,000 followers on Instagram owing to her daring, innovative shots developed with her granddaughter, Diana Kaumba, a New York-based fashion designer.

How it all began: the birth of the “Granny Series”

Margret’s journey into modeling began almost as a playful experiment in 2023. Diana visited Zambia to commemorate her late father and proposed to her grandmother that she wear her stylish clothes. Margret, with humor and curiosity, agreed, and thus the “Granny Series” was born.

The first photo showed Margret in a glittering, silver outfit against the backdrop of her farm: cornfields, mango trees, and red brick buildings. The jarring juxtaposition of high fashion against the rural backdrop made for an instant hit, and Margret an enchantress, modern and global.

Grandmothers from all over the world contacted Diana

In 2024, the series went viral with an image of Margret in a red Adidas dress, with a sparkling crown on her head and gold necklaces. Since then, her outfits have generally embraced a “maximalist-chic” aesthetic-celebrating bold colors, daring contrasts, and quirky accessories like oversized hats, statement necklaces, and quirky sunglasses.

Margret especially likes trying on appearances she has never had, like jeans and wigs. They make her feel “alive and ready to conquer the world“. But beyond the fashion was how the project has bound granddaughter and grandmother even closer. Diana learned about Margret’s struggles throughout her life including an arranged marriage to a man she didn’t love, economic hardships and the courage it took for her to leave that unhappy union.

A second act of inspiration

For Margret, this new chapter represents a personal renaissance. She inspires others to live boldly, free from the fear of societal judgment. Her message is clear: while the past cannot be changed, the future is yours to shape.

Through this series, Diana has also received requests to transform other grandmothers into models, proving that fashion can celebrate beauty at any age.