Two acid attack survivors walked the runway ahead of London Fashion Week
LONDON -- Two acid attack survivors have taken to the catwalk ahead of London Fashion Week to raise awareness about the lifelong impact of violence against women. Acid attack survivors Adele Bellis with Laxmi [who doesn't use a surname] graced the catwalk at the Waldorf Hotel on Monday 12 September at an event organised by the British Asian Trust and private family-run charity GMSP. The event marked the launch of the Give A Girl A Future campaign, which will support some of the poorest people in South Asia.
A spokesperson for GMSP told Mashable the event was a visual symbol of the impact of violence on a woman's life and the scars -- be they physical or emotional -- that many survivors live with for the rest of their lives.
"We know women across the globe face all types of violence. They cannot always be visually identified but their scars are as real and as deep as those of these brave acid survivors," said the spokesperson.
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"Adele and Laxmi are role models to women who face violence everywhere. They have shown incredible strength to stand up for this important issue," the spokesperson continued.
Adele Bellis is the survivor of an acid attack which was orchestrated by a former partner in August 2014. Laxmi was 15 when a man -- who had stalked her for 10 months -- poured acid over her face while she was walking in Delhi.
Designer Raishma -- whose designs were showcased on the catwalk and worn by Laxmi and Adele -- said she was honoured and privileged to have supported a charity that "improves the lives of vulnerable girls, women and their families in South Asia".
"As an Asian women myself, this is a charity very close to my heart and I will continue to champion their message about empowering women, as I believe this is an important issue that deserves recognition," Raishma said in a statement. The event comes days after after acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi walked the runway at New York Fashion Week. Qureshi was 17 years old when her brother-in-law threw acid over her. According to data acquired by The Guardian, the number of admissions to hospitals due to attacks using a corrosive substance has almost doubled in the past decade.
Topics Social Good
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
