The Profile: Gilly Chan
Everybody has a story about beauty. In Rose Inc.’s The Profile, some of the world’s most intriguing people share theirs. In this intimate interview series, we get (virtually) up close and personal to explore their definitions of beauty, path to self-confidence, and the power of femininity. Featuring imagery shot through their own lens, The Profile presents these compelling personalities in a new light—one that illuminates their own journey, dreams, and desires while highlighting their unique relationship with beauty.

For Gilly Chan, who’s been featured in campaigns for brands like Adidas, Covergirl, and Mango, modeling is a pit stop in her career, not the final destination. With a degree in psychology under her belt, the California-born and current New Yorker has made mental health advocacy central to her mission, opening up about her own struggles with depression and anxiety on social media. To wit: When selected to be a Playboy playmate in November 2019, Chan used her interview to offer advice to anyone struggling with their sexual orientation (Chan came out as bisexual when she was in high school) and to unpack the importance of intersectional support in the LGBTQ+ community.

“I make it a point to touch on Black mental health and healing because it's a very taboo subject within the Black community overall,” says Chan, who is launching her own digital mental health destination, called The Remedy Platform, later this year. On the heels of a turbulent 2020 that saw widespread outrage over police brutality and a pandemic that disproportionately impacted people of color, the timing couldn’t be better.

Rose Inc. caught up with Chan to discuss the importance of mental health advocacy, the self-care rituals that helped her get through 2020, and the best beauty tips she’s picked up from her career as a model.

"I finally feel like I'm coming out the other end…