The Powerful NYFW Moment When an Acid Attack Survivor Took the Runway

Reshma Qureshi was 17 when she was doused with acid by her sister's estranged husband in a town in Northern India. After receiving corrective cosmetic surgery thanks to a crowdfunding effort, Reshma, now 19, has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the horrific practice.

Reshma had previously appeared in a powerful beauty tutorial that garnered much attention. Now, her advocacy brought her to New York Fashion Week, where she just walked the runway for FTL Moda, a fashion production company focused on spotlighting diverse women. Just last year, Madeline Stuart, a model with Down syndrome, made headlines when she walked in the same show.

In the show, Reshma wore a printed gown from Indian designer Archana Kochhar. Of the experience, Reshma told The Guardian, "Why should we not enjoy our lives? What happened to us is not our fault, and we've done nothing wrong and so we should also move forward in life."