Aaron Rose Philip broke into the fashion industry when she was 17 and blazed a trail as the first Black, trans, and disabled person to be signed by a major modeling agency. She made history as the first person to model for a mainstream luxury label on the runway in a wheelchair and continues to transform the space, modeling for major brands like Moschino and Collina Strada. Aaron Rose also uses her growing platform to highlight issues that affect disabled folks and the Black trans community—and, dear reader, she recently gave a moving and impactful Ted Talk addressing systemic inequities in the fashion industry.
The model, activist, and media personality continues to inspire change and push boundaries, which is why she's been honored as a trailblazing creator in the inaugural 2024 Club Cosmo Awards with UTA Next Gen and ZCON.
To celebrate Club Cosmo's honorees, Cosmo and UTA Next Gen hosted a chic ceremony at Domino's Refinery Rooftop in Brooklyn on October 24. In a stunning full-circle moment, Pose star and LGBTQ+ pop culture pioneer Dominique Jackson passed the baton to Aaron Rose during the ceremony, praising her for the work she's done to uplift the Black, trans, and disabled communities.
“My existence itself is often considered as a new idea within many different contexts and spaces, which makes me innately very special,” Aaron Rose told Cosmopolitan.
Aaron Rose is one of 10 creators honored in Club Cosmo's inaugural class, which also recognizes fellow Gen Z trailblazers like Chi Ossé, Avantika, and Chloe Troast.
