Aaron Philip (Instagram)

One of the world’s leading modelling agencies has signed black, transgender and disabled model Aaron Philip.

The 17-year-old model announced that she had been signed by Elite Modelling last week, and thanked her supporters for helping to “make the fashion world more inclusive.”

“This hasn’t been easy, but we did it! I’m so excited and grateful to work hard and share this new chapter of my life with you all,” she added.

Philip’s agent told The New York Times last year that it’s now time for the rest of the world to recognise her potential, and noted that “beauty isn’t just, you know, a 5-foot-10-inch, size-zero model.”

Philip also said at the time that she doesn’t want her mission to end with her, saying she wants “to have an impact where other people like me are just going to be the industry, and like it’s nothing.”

Philip has now penned an essay for them.us, where she said she is entering the industry with the intention of making it more diverse.

She also noted her concerns in the essay, saying she is afraid that she might be “boxed” as either “unique and fascinating, or straight up not what a casting director or designer may be looking for.”

“I don’t want signings like mine to be a trend or a fad. I want careers for black, disabled, and trans models to be attainable and sustainable,” she added.

The news comes as a number of trans models have made significant gains in the fashion industry in recent years.

Paris Lees, a transgender woman who is a journalist and trans rights activist, made the front cover of Vogue magazine earlier this year.

At the time, she said it was “insane that I could be in Vogue.”

“A trans kid from a council estate. People at school told me I’d never be a girl, would never be pretty enough, would never be accepted,” she said.

Other trans models, including Isis King, Valentina Sampaio and Leyna Bloom have also made significant gains in their modelling careers in recent years.