Queen Mercy Atang, the former Big Brother Naija housemate who turned heads at the Africa Magic Viewer's Choice Awards, says the viral bread dress that made her famous left her with a serious back injury.
The dress, which became the talk of social media after the awards ceremony, was so heavy that Mercy struggled under its weight throughout the event. She has now opened up about the physical toll the elaborate outfit took on her body.
Mercy wore the unconventional piece as a statement look at the AMVCA, and it quickly went viral across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, with Nigerians debating whether it was genius fashion or a waste of food. The dress, made from actual bread, drew comparisons to some of fashion's most controversial red carpet moments.
But behind the glamorous photos and the internet jokes was real pain. Mercy said the weight of the bread dress put such strain on her back that she ended up with an injury she has had to manage since the event. She did not specify exactly how much the dress weighed, but described it as extreme enough to cause lasting damage.
The revelation adds a human cost to what many saw as purely entertainment or a fashion risk. Mercy's story raises questions about what celebrities sometimes endure in the name of making a statement or going viral at high-profile events.
Mercy has not said whether she regrets wearing the dress, but her account makes clear that the price of that viral moment extended far beyond the event itself.
