Photos: Indian acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi walks the ramp at New York Fashion Week
The 19-year-old, who modeled for designer Archana Kochhar, has been campaigning against the open sale of the corrosive substance in the country.
Indian acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi walked the ramp at the New York Fashion Week on Thursday. In a white, floor-length gown – an Archana Kochhar creation – the 19-year-old was welcomed on the runway with a round of cheers and loud applause from the audience.
"People have a tendency to look at acid attack survivors from one perspective...I want to tell the world – do not see us in weak light; see that even we can go out and do things," she told AFP.
Qureshi, who has been campaigning to end the open sale of acid in India, was invited by FTL Moda, a fashion production house that challenges stereotypical notions of beauty. Last year, it had invited a person with Down's Syndrome to walk the ramp.
The Mumbai resident was attacked by her brother-in-law and his friends in 2004. The acid was poured onto her face from a cheap plastic bottle even as she struggled and fought against the attackers. Qureshi lost an eye in the incident, and her face was left disfigured.
