Marie Claire UK exclusive interview with Neelam Gill

Model and activist Neelam Gill is the cover star for Marie Claire UK’s first digital cover, launching the brand’s #UseYourVoice campaign which calls on women to use their voices to create change. Throughout the next month, celebrities, influencers, writers and experts will be creating content for Marie Claire which the brand will be sharing across its channels.

Known for speaking up against injustice and using her voice to create change, Neelam was the obvious choice to front the campaign and in the interview, she speaks frankly about classism, calling out racist trolls and her struggles with mental health. The interview is accompanied by an exclusive photoshoot showcasing Dior’s SS20 fashion and beauty.
As one of the first British Indian models to land a major fashion campaign (Burberry), Neelam was on the receiving end of racist trolling. On whether she thinks things are changing:  “I’m in an industry that’s predominantly white and it was tough because people hadn’t seen it before. It’s still the go-to insult because [trolls] know it’s going to knock you and I think it’s still there, but the industry is changing. Seeing people in fashion get major positions makes me so proud. Like Virgil [Abloh] at Louis Vuitton. It’s amazing to see people opening the doors for others because that’s how we’re going to make real change.”

Neelam Gill quotes – interview by Sophie Goddard