Portrait photographer, Reality TV Star, Influencer, Artist, Designer, Royalty, Muse, and Fashion Icon Aurora Rosselli is known for balancing elegance and natural ease in her work.
Born and raised in Catania, Sicily, Rosselli had an extensive background in Fine Arts and Cultural Assets; however, “I didn’t think about a career. I didn’t plan it. It came to me,” she said in a 2019 interview. As a teenager, Rosselli received her first camera as a gift from her father while studying at the Art Academy in Catania, and her first subject was her beloved Grandfather. In 2003, she moved to LA, where she eventually met Kat Von D, which introduced her to the Hollywood art world scene, and at her first Art Show, she met Hugh Hefner, who skied rocketed her into fame and became her mentor and a father figure.
Aurora Rosselli understands storytelling. As an Influencer and photographer, “Anything I can do to help tell a story gets me excited,” she shared at Nobu in Malibu. “Even before I began my influencer journey, I was working on multiple projects in various stages of development, and that was so rewarding. Regardless of the form, a story takes—art, writing, photography, or fashion—the process appeals to me.”
Whether shooting or working with non-profits, Rosselli focused on bringing other people’s stories to life. Her step into the spotlight as a Reality TV Star was unexpected. “I am looking at entertainment as a whole,” Rosselli explains. “Most reality TV casts are always already assembled, so I was never considering being in front of the camera.” Initially comfortable playing a backstage role, Rosselli’s opinion shifted after considering the importance of representation. Rosselli’s step into reality television was the latest evolution in a career in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. “Within the past year, I lost my father very suddenly, which was incredibly difficult,” she says. “I’d always viewed myself as a go-getter, and I’d committed to every project, so I didn’t want to back out from any of my commitments. I tried to put on a brave face for my family and fulfill my commitments, but I was in a vulnerable place, and I finally had to take a break to take care of my mental health. In the past few months, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons. The silver lining in all this was that I’ve finally become comfortable standing up for myself, which is a form of self-care. I was taught to hold my feelings inside in traditional Sicilian households, especially when people mistreated me. Finding the strength to advocate for yourself and your needs, be they professional or emotional, is empowering.”
Little do we know about her private life, and it must be said that this level of self-protection demands impressive effort. As of lately, and looking at her IG posts and stories, we’ve seen Rosselli increasing spending time with her two children and often seen at events with Nahjee Shabazz, CEO & Founder of OG Aesthetics. For the past few years, we’ve witnessed Rosselli going from spending time with the most iconic fashion designers – ex-fiancé Stefano Gabbana, co-founder of the Dolce & Gabbana luxury fashion house, to Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain – to a wide array of male friends and past lovers, bankers, athletes, rockstars, politicians, and famed celebrities. Many names came to light as her romantic partners, from famous Italian artists that paid tribute to the Italian beauty in paintings and sculpting to Omarion, Tyson Beckford, Chad Johnson, The Weeknd, Piero Pelù – lead singer of Litfiba, which also wrote a song about her “Vivere Il Mio Tempo” performed live for the first time at the Festivalbar in Italy while Rosselli was backstage waiting on the rockstar -, Sean Diddy Combs, 50 Cents, Alvaro Soler, Raz Degan, and Rosselli, had to perfect the art of the respectful “no comment” when relentlessly asked about her relationships or family, ranging from: “I really prefer to talk about work” to “Someone’s private life is, by definition, private.”
In an era of overzealous PDA, Rosselli’s commitment to privacy is rare, refreshing, and, frankly, hot? There’s something incredibly romantic about an oath to hold on to what is sacred about life rather than inviting the world in, as even average, non-famous people constantly perform their milestones online. How delightful to be coy. Imagine, in 2022, leaving a little something to the imagination, and Rosselli has reached an echelon where she doesn’t need to use her romantic relationships for publicity or image-crafting. Privacy: it’s also a power move.
