Everyone has been in the UAE recently from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Mark Ronson, Eva Longoria and Jake Gyllenhaal, now model Neelam Gill is coming to our shores.

British model, Neelam Gill is coming to Dubai for New Year’s revealing her plans on social media, much to the joy of her local fans. Though she wisely didn’t reveal where she will be heading to see in the New Year.

For those unaware, Neelam Gill is, we guarantee, a name to know for 2016 as as she fast becomes the model to take over from Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner mania.

Neelam Gill Dubai

Neelam Gill reveals she is coming to Dubai

She has already been causing a stir in 2015 after becoming the first Indian model to star in a Burberry campaign and also for being linked to former One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik.

Neelam Gill Dubai burberry

Neelam Gill’s breakthrough role was with Burberry

While her role with Burberry was a breakthrough role it is one that nearly didn’t happen as Neelam almost missed her casting as she was unable to pay her train fare from Coventry (where she is from) to London. Luckily, for Burberry, and for Neelam, she managed to make the casting and the rest they say is modelling history…

Ahead of her journey to our sunny shores, here’s everything you need to know about Neelam Gill.

She used to feel like a geek at school

“I was awkward, never the hot girl, not even the pretty girl. Everyone was disgusted at how gangly I was. They looked down on me because I had less money. They wore the brands I model for now, which is ironic.”

Neelam Gill Dubai

Geek no more. Neelam models here for Blink Brow Bar, a New York and London salon

Kanye Is A Fan

She was chosen by Kanye West to walk in his Adidas show at New York Fashion Week.

Neelam Gill Dubai

Neelam moved to British capital London and fell in love with the city

She Was Scouted when Aged 14…

But the 20 year old claims her parents convinced her to finish school. She did ditch university though for modelling.

Here’s a lil preview of my Q&A! Go to Bit.ly/NeelamKG (I’ll put the link in my bio too) and SUBSCRIBE!!!! X

A video posted by NEELAM GILL (@neelamkg) on

She Has A YouTube Channel  The model uses the world wide web to create videos in which she discusses topical subjects from bullying to love and depression.

Neelam Gill Dubai

Modelling for Abercrombie & Fitch

  She Was Bullied At School “There was a joke about me in school: ‘Oh, Neelam’s a model—she’s a foot model! Maybe she can be a hand model!’ because nobody could believe anyone would want to [cast] me.”

Neelam Gill Dubai

Neelam in another Burberry campaign

  She’s Changed Her Name After her parents divorced she changed her surname from Johal to Gill. Gill is the last name of her step-dad who raised her.

#SBC #GirlGang @russellsbc @zaramartin @camillamackintosh @cairusso @madeleine_shaw_ A video posted by NEELAM GILL (@neelamkg) on

She’s A Book Worm 

She never goes to a shoot without a good book in tow. Her favourite is And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini.

Neelam Gill Dubai

She walked the catwalk for Sibling

She Was Made Darker For The Burberry Ad

“They wanted to make me glowing because I was the first Indian to model for the brand and they were proud of that.”

Neelam Gill Dubai

Modelling with Jourdan Dunn for Burberry

 

Related Story: Life Lessons By Carine Roitfeld

Related Story: Burberry Art Of Trench Campaign Shot In Dubai