Neelam Gill

Some Lesser Known Facts About Neelam Gill

• Neelam Gill is a British fashion model and activist of Indian origin. She appeared in the Burberry campaign in 2014, becoming the first model of Indian origin to be featured in a Burberry campaign.

• At the age of 14, she was selected by the top agency in Europe ‘Model 1,’ while she was studying in school.

• In January 2014, Neelam Gill took to Instagram to reveal her parents’ divorce and the personal decision she made to change her surname from Johal to Gill. In the post, she wrote,
  

  Before people start asking why I have changed my second name from Johal to Gill, I thought it was better for me to explain. My parents divorced when I was young, and I have no contact with my biological father. The man in the picture is my ‘stepdad’ but in my heart he is my real Dad because he has been the one who has raised me and loved me like no other. He is truly one in a million and I’ve been meaning to change my last name for a long time because I’m proud to be his daughter.”

• In 2014, the popular American rapper and fashion designer Kanye West chose her to star in his Adidas show at New York Fashion Week.

• Neelam Gill’s preference for maintaining her eyebrows in a traditional Indian manner caught the attention of Blink Brow Bar, leading them to select her as their ambassador in 2015.

• In November 2015, Abercrombie & Fitch selected Neelam Gill to be the face of their popular brands.

• She walked the runway for the Ashish SS17 fashion show at London Fashion Week held on 19 September 2016.

  

• During the London Fashion Week show held at Ambika p3 in London, the model walked the runway for “Oxfam Fashion Fighting Poverty Autumn/Winter 2019.”

• In 2017, Neelam Gill became the first British brand ambassador of L’Oréal Paris, having Indian origin. ^[3]Marie Claire

• In the same year, she joined the Canadian singer Justin Bieber on his Purpose World Tour to India. ^[4]The Times of India

• She is the first model who was featured on the digital cover of the French-British magazine Marie Claire in February 2020, showcasing the fashion and beauty of Dior’s SS20 collection.

  

• Gill has been featured on the cover of various popular magazines including Stylist Magazine, Vogue India Magazine, and Harrods Magazine.

  

• The model has also been featured in advertisement campaigns for various brands including Dior, Puma, and Western Union.

• In addition to her modelling career, Neelam also serves as a spokesperson. On 29th June 2021, she delivered a speech on the theme of “Resilience & Recovery” at TEDx Talks, where she shared insights and ideas on the subject.

  

• Due to her Indian heritage, Neelam Gill received a special invitation from British Airways to attend the launch of its Dreamliner service from London to New Delhi. For the event, she was specifically asked to dress in Indian attire alongside her fellow British model, Suki Waterhouse.

• In an interview, she revealed that she suffered from depression and anxiety in the initial days of her modelling career.

• In an interview, she revealed that she was bullied by other students while studying in school. She further added that she was called “paki” by other students for her dusky complexion. While talking about this in an interview, she said,
  

  I remember being a kid and walking to school and someone shouting ‘Paki’ out the window. That was just so normal.”

• In her vlogs, ‘rants,’ Neelam Gill openly discusses issues like bullying, racism, and depression. In one of her episodes, she collaborated with the body confidence activist Harnaam Kaur, popularly known as The Bearded Lady, to share their personal experiences with bullying that they encountered at school and on social media.

  

• In June 2023, rumours circulated that she was dating Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio after they were spotted hanging out together in London. ^[5]Hindustan Times