Harnaam Kaur: Bearded model opens Marianna Harutunian Royal Fashion Day show

Kaur has a message for her childhood bullies after making her catwalk debut

Harnaam Kaur, 25 (Getty Images)

A body positivity campaigner and model who was bullied throughout her childhood has issued a defiant message to her bullies after opening a fashion show.

Harnaam Kaur has polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that causes her to grow excess facial hair.

After years of trying to hide her condition by having painful waxes up to three times a week, the 25-year-old from Slough now embraces her facial hair. She joined Tess Holliday’s anti-body shaming effyourbeautystandards team three months ago and modelled for Urban Bridesmaid Photography in a series of photos that went viral.

Kaur made her debut on the catwalk by opening the Marianna Harutunian Royal Fashion Day show last week while wearing her traditional Sikh turban, a navy dress and black heels.

Kaur wrote about opening the show on Instagram after years of being taunted for her condition.

“I grew up watching America's next top model, and I admired Tyra Banks whole heartedly,” Kaur wrote. “I always wanted to be like the pretty models, so I remember copying the way they posed and walked. I grew up being told I was to [sic] fat, ugly, and disgusting to even model... I used to look at models and tell myself that I will never ever be able to do what they are doing. I am not pretty enough or beautiful enough and I don't have the 'right' body type.”

“I was laughed at when I said I wanted to model. Jokes on my bullies.

“I was lucky enough to walk for @mariannaharutunian as the first bearded lady to walk for a celebrity jewellery designer. I was humbled to be the first model to walk and open the show for #royalfashionday with the portrait of the legendary #davidbowie looking down on me!”