If it isn’t her signature skunk stripe or relatable Twitter commentary – you will probably know Indiyah Polack best for appearing on Love Islandlast summer. She strutted out of the famous villa in third place, alongside boyfriend Dami Hope. Now, the internet’s favourite ‘IT girl’ is taking life after the reality show by storm.
From becoming the face of Boots beauty to returning back to the show as the co-host of Love Island's Aftersun, her star continues to rise. And according to Indiyah - this is just the beginning. She says, 'Coming out the villa out to all these opportunities was so amazing – I’m so blessed to be in this position. I've definitely got more I want to accomplish.'
Through going on Love Islandand achieving the level of success she has - Indiyah has broken down a lot of barriers that previously held many back. She says, 'I think it's so important I was on the show because I feel like even before I went into the villa there was always talk about whether Love Island was a good show for black women to go on. But I didn’t want my race to be the reason why I didn’t give it a go – that’s why I went on.'
She continues, 'I love that through going on the show I've inspired women. It’s nice to know that there could be other girls that look like me that now feel like they can go on a show like Love Island and be successful. I wouldn't want anyone to feel like they can't do something because of where they're from. So, I’m glad I can be that representation – if it makes others feel positive about themselves then I’m happy.
As for her relationship with Dami, she tells us that they're going at their own pace and refuse to be pressured. 'We always get asked about wether we feel the pressures of Black love, but the answer is always no.’ Due to the lack of representation on screen when a Black couple get together, there can be this expectation to maintain it. She explains, 'We don’t feel like we need to prove ourselves to anyone. I’m in love with Dami and he’s in love with me. If we get to the point where we don’t want to be together then we won't be together. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work - but it will.'
It's important for women to see that representation on screen
Indiyah reveals to Grazia that they have moved in together in London. But as Dami and Indiyah are both creative individuals with impeccable fashion taste, who will take the reins with the décor? ‘ ‘Oh both of us,' she says immediately. 'We’ve already got our Pinterest boards mapping out how we’re going to design the rooms. I think because our tastes are so similar, we won’t butt heads,' she adds. And as Christmas approaches, it's the perfect time for gatherings at their new place. 'That's the plan! We are going to have all our family round for the first time. We’ll have a cute Christmas dinner and have some bonding time,' she says.
Indiyah's collection with PrettyLittleThing Marketplace, the resale app, is a bold sustainable debut collection. This is the brands first ever vintage collection with pieces hand picked by her. She says, 'The vintage and reworking element was perfect for me. I loved picking out the pieces. You don't have to buy a new outfit every day. She adds, 'Also, with the nature of fashion - trends always comes back around and sustainability is important to me.' What the world really wants to know is could we see a joint his and hers fashion collection with Dami any time soon? She teases, 'I'm not going to say too much but I feel like in the future that is something we would do.'
As soon as the Islanders leave the villa, fans attention turns to their social media. It allows the Islanders to give those who have watched them a glimpse into their new lives. However, there is often a noticeable pattern where Black female islander’s social media following stalls in comparison to their white counterparts – which leads to missing out on the big lucrative deals. But Indiyah is breaking that mould for those who walk into the villa next. ‘I’m quite proud to be one of the few that are changing this – because you don’t see it a lot.’
Her loyal fan base 'Indination' campaigned on Twitter to help increase her following by using the hashtag #Inditoamilli. Which she did go on to achieve on Instagram. 'I even celebrated I was like "oh my gosh – I have a million followers,"’ she squealed upon thinking about hitting the milestone. She explains, ‘It might not seem like a big goal or important for some but when you go on certain shows and see how quick things can happen for some people. It took me a bit longer, but we made it, and it is a big deal. It’s nice to know people are following my journey and truly support me.'
If she’s not on a red carpet, you can usually find Indiyah on Twitter. Her light-hearted commentary and witty interactions with Dami always creates a lot of buzz. But with the nature of social media – there is unfortunately always a negative side. So, how does she deal with criticism that may arise?’ I really do just ignore it. It actually scares me how good I am at blocking out any nasty comments. It’s not coming from anyone who knows me. It’s just a person behind a screen with something to say,' she says.'I always say opinions are not fact. People are entitled to their opinions but it’s not going to change me or how I think or feel. Twitter is a very fun app anyway – I don’t take it too seriously,' Indiyah adds.
So, what's next for Indiyah? She reveals,' I would definitely love to get into presenting a lot more. I recently presented at the GRM awards and I just found it so amazing and so fun. I wasn't nervous and it felt like a release - I was just up there, enjoying the moment. She continues, 'With modelling I shied away from it thinking I couldn't walk the runway, but petite modelling is definitely an avenue I want to delve into especially for fashion brands.' What about a return to reality TV? Indiyah teases, 'A Keeping Up With The Kardashian's style show with Dami would be really fun.’ ITV, you know what to do!
Indiyah's collection with PrettyLittleThing Marketplace, the resale app, is out now.