"Dynamic, daring and disabled."
Printed across this historic issue, disabled activists and icons graced British Vogue's May 2023 covers with the theme of 'Reframing fashion'.
“Nothing Is More Fashionable Than Inclusivity”
- Sinéad Burke, cover star and disability advocate
Amongst the stars featured in this month's issue were Aaron Philip (a disabled, transgender high-fashion model) and Rosie Jones (a disabled, queer comedian), two wins for intersectional representation on a global scale.
Aaron Philips
Aaron Rose Philip is an Antiguan-American who became the first black, transgender and physically disabled model to be signed to a major modelling agency. Her career has not only sky rocketed, modelling for numerous major fashion brands such as Moschino, Nike and Marc Jacobs, but has also become a pioneer in the modelling industry, working with Moschino and becoming the first model using a wheelchair to work the runway for a major luxury fashion brand.
“Fashion is important to me because it’s the ultimate form of conveying self-expression and toying with gender. The possibility of creating opportunities for disabled and gender-nonconforming people in high fashion is what excites me about being in this industry.”
- Aaron Philip
Rosie Jones
Rose Jones is a British comedian and actress with cerebral palsy. She has featured and written for a number of popular British panel shows such as 'Would I Lie to You?', 'The Last Leg' and '8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown'. Jones raises awareness of issues relating to the disabled community through her comedy, and is a pioneer both on and off the screen, often being the first disabled comedian to feature on various shows and also ensuring fully accessible venues for the entirety of her tour.
"For ages, I didn’t know what it meant to be gay and disabled...I am proud to be a gay, disabled woman but it has taken me a while to get here."
- Rosie Jones