NEW YORK: Amid cheers and applause, young Reshma Qureshi, an acid attack surviver, walked the ramp at the New York Fashion Week.

Brimming with pride, the 19-year-old girl opened Indian designer Archana Kochhar’s collection, titled, “A tale of two travels” at the fashion week.

Reshma stunned in an ivory gown, which was offset with digitally printed motifs. “I was very excited. This was my first time at New York. I am hoping that my participation in this runway will inspire hope and confidence in other acid attack survivors, that they can lead a normal life,” Reshma said in a statement post show. Reshma, who was attacked by her brother-in-law in 2004 and lost one eye in brutal incident, has become the face of a campaign to end the open sale of acid in India. A court in Mumbai recently sentenced a man to death for murdering a 23-year-old woman by throwing acid on her face. Archana, whose collection was inspired by her travel to the Taj Mahal and the village of Banjara tribe, said she was honoured to have Reshma walk the ramp for her. “I am honoured to have Reshma Qureshi walking the ramp and showcasing different facets of beauty to the world. Beauty should not be affirmed by a certain height, colour or size, it is beyond that. It should be an all-inclusive concept,” Kochhar said. Sunny Leone was the showstopper for the collection, becoming the first Bollywood actress to walk at the New York Fashion Week—PTI