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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Bethan Shufflebotham

“I broke up with my boyfriend and now I'm the face of PrettyLitteThing’s latest collection”

After suffering ‘heartbreak and hurt’ following a split from her boyfriend, 25-year-old Indi Patel has had a major ‘glow up’ just in time for Valentine’s Day. Now, she says ‘the best revenge is self love’.

The Solihull stunner recently won a competition hosted by fashion brand PrettyLittleThing, with a prize that saw the singleton invited to the Manchester HQ for a total transformation - as well as some additional perks like a spa voucher and free clothes.

The 25-year-old was nominated for the makeover by her mum, and discovered at the end of January that she - out of hundreds of girls - had won the unique opportunity of a lifetime.

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Indi said: “They nominated me because I love dressing up and taking outfit pictures and knew that this would lift my mood and be perfect for me.”

The fashion retailer launched their national search earlier this year, to find a recently single babe in need of a glow up. Providing a full day of glam and modelling at the PLT headquarters in Manchester, this competition was all about self love and getting your glow back in time for Valentine’s day.

As well as a total transformation, Indi won a £500 PLT voucher and £200 spa voucher (PrettyLittleThing)

Indi broke up with her boyfriend of two years when she moved away for university. She said: ‘’The heartbreak and hurt were because he suddenly didn’t care or put in the effort anymore.’’

However, after putting herself first, forgiving, and forgetting, Indi is now all about practising self love and letting go of the past.

She added: “My journey to self-confidence and self-love has been all about doing the things that truly make me happy, chasing my dreams, surrounding myself with good people, and saying yes to more opportunities and putting myself out there, which is exactly what I’ve done with this entire experience.”

Getting the full model makeover and experience, Indi spent the day at PrettyLittleThing HQ in Manchester getting pampered. Her favourite piece in the collection was the stone oversized matching shorts and sweater set, but the 25-year-old said the styling team put her in things she ‘wouldn’t normally wear’.

Indi wearing the stone oversized matching shorts and sweater set (PrettyLittleThing)

She added: “I didn’t realise that I was in such a slump until I had people around me hyping me up all day, I want to feel like this every day. It’s such an incredible feeling fronting an entire campaign. I honestly felt amazing and left the PLT studio with a brand-new mindset.”

As well as the pamper, modelling debut and being the face of the campaign, Indi also won a £500 voucher to spend with PLT and a £200 spa voucher.

Sharing how it felt when she realised she’d won the ultimate glow up, Indi said that the competition helped give her a boost of confidence.

“I felt incredibly lucky and excited. I think that the very feeling of realising that you are worthy and seeing all of the good things that others see in you captures the whole essence of the campaign – it’s about feeling good and having a ‘glow up’ moment,” she said.

And ahead of Valentine’s Day when some may be feeling slightly down in the dumps about being dumped, Indi offered up her top piece of advice having been through it all herself.

She said: “You can’t control how the other person involved will feel and sometimes they will never care or recognise their part in the hurt caused. What you can control is your attitude and the feelings that you carry with you. If they don’t carry it with them – then why should you? By forgiving them, you let all of that go and you don’t let the past taint all of the future experiences and opportunities coming your way.”

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