'They made my face darker': Model-of-the-moment Neelam Gill on how Burberry championed her Indian skin after years of being called a 'P*ki' by classmates

Neelam is riding high as model-of-the-moment
Star, 20, from Coventry, details the abuse she received from classmates
Said: 'They wore the brands I model for now, which is ironic'
Neelam has been linked to One Direction's Zayn Malik

PUBLISHED: 11:46, 2 October 2015 | UPDATED: 14:56, 2 October 2015

She's rumoured to have stolen Zayn Malik's heart, was the first Indian model to be cast in a Burberry campaign and runs with the coolest crowd.

But despite her success, model-of-the-moment Neelam Gill has revealed life wasn't always so glamorous.

The 20-year-old, who hails from Coventry, has detailed the abuse she received from classmates back at school.

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Neelam Gill, 20, is riding high as the model-of-the-moment but revealed that her classmates bullied her and were 'disgusted' by how gangly she was

Speaking in a candid interview with ES magazine's Susannah Butter, the model, who hails from a working class family, revealed that her classmates called her a 'P*ki'.

She said: ‘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.’

Ironic it is. Neelam, who was first scouted in 2013 at the Clothes Show, made short work of the casting process with her first runway appearance for iconic British brand Burberry the same year.

She admits that she initially couldn't afford the train up to London for her casting but was persuaded to cough up when the brand kept calling.

Speaking in a candid interview with ES magazine, the model revealed that her classmates looked down on her

Neelam, who is riding high as a supermodel-in-the-making, said her classmates looked down on her because she had less money. 'They wore the brands I model for now, which is ironic,' she added

The £100 train ticket was certainly worth it; she went on to make history as the first Indian model to appear in Burberry's campaign advert last year, walked for the Burberry Prorsum Autumn Winter 14 show and starred alongside Romeo Beckham in the brand's Christmas campaign.

Neelam explains that Burberry made her skin darker for the shoot. ‘They wanted to make me glowing because I was the first Indian to model for the brand and they were proud of that,' she said.

If that wasn't enough, those who doubted her are surely eating humble pie after she was hand-picked for Kanye West's Adidas show at New York Fashion Week last year.

As well as her success in the fashion industry, Neelam has made headlines thanks to her links to a certain pop star.

Neelam, who was first scouted in 2013 at the Clothes Show, made short work of the casting process with her first runway appearance for iconic British brand Burberry the same year

Neelam explains that Burberry made her skin darker for the shoot. 'They wanted to make me glowing because I was the first Indian to model for the brand and they were proud of that,' she said

Zayn Malik and Neelam first met in London back in March running into each other at a recording studio, but nothing happened because he was still engaged to Little Mix star Perrie.

A month later, the two were reunited at the Asian Awards and MailOnline interviewed Neelam.

Neelam said: 'Zayn's a nice guy, I'm happy he's being honoured tonight and I think it will be a great night.'

But it wasn't until Zayn broke up with Perrie that the two have been a rumoured item.

Neelam reportedly flew to Los Angeles in August to see Zayn during his solo album recording and was pictured getting an outbound flight from London Heathrow.

The rumoured couple are yet to be pictured together but it seems that Neelam is making a name for herself and is here to stay either way.