Like most of us, Blake Gray has championed the incessant wave of social media when it first leaked back in the day. But thankfully, like not many of us, he gave in his all. Through the platform, he’s become a digital powerhouse on his own terms, with a modeling charisma to match. “Sup? I’m Blake Gray, a model, social media bloke and as of lately, a chef!” he chuckles at the start of our conversation. Then, Gray took me on a brief trip on his whirlwind rise to become a model, wasting no time. “When I first started, I was a bit nervous in front of the camera, but since then I’ve become much more comfortable across the board,” he openly reflects.
“I’m always growing and enjoying the process.”
Speaking on dabbling into the fashion game, he says: “I signed with NEXT Management and my first project was a partnership with Dolce & Gabbana on a campaign, plus an attendance at their show in Milan. This gave me a real appreciation of high fashion and since then I’ve wanted to get more involved in the industry.” Showcasing his style with unsurmountable energy (for confirmation, look no further than the workout pics with his boy gang), he admits that having fun with his own friends has been the most fulfilling part of his journey, with a feed that, if looked carefully, will have you busting out a training routine like never before. Riding on the wave of social media and its implementation on one’s self, the teen-sensation said: “I can definitely understand how social media could affect someone’s self-esteem, but I think it’s important not to focus on the lives of other people and instead to focus on building a life that you are happy with.” And that’s exactly how the media personality has us feeling with his whole aura, as he defines it, “empowering and prone to spread positivity”. Of course, some might get fooled at the thought that an insta-prodigy might have ‘fears’ over feelings when it comes to real-life obstacles. But in his case, “trying to stay happy and hopeful with everything crippling down has been a challenge.” With a newfound success through social media, Blake is determined to fuse his passions with the unexpected, with leading advice that reads: “Never give up and always bet on yourself.” Sounds like a great one to me.
Talent: Blake Gray @blakegray at Next Management @nextmodels Photography: Jon Wong @iamjonwong Styling: Brandon Nicholas @brvndo, Art Hunter @art.hunterr Grooming: Nathaniel Dezan @nathanieldezan Editor: Chidozie Obasi @chido.obasi Brands: Obsessed Global, The Incorporated, Balenciaga, Ianeus, Burberry, Elwood, Vans, Braydon Alexander, Flight 94, Converse, Nike, Rimor.
Spanish brand Marlo Studio presents SYMBIOSIS, photographed by Dominik Valvo. The living together in cooperative relationship and more or less in intimate association or close union of two… in heaven or in hell.
Paria Farzaneh applies the hues, color, and materialization of her namesake label to the Pro Leather X2 to present a practical and technical take on the silhouette.
With the support and collaboration of his colleagues, Leguard presents his first collection under his brand BYLEGUARD in which necessity, concept and identity are fundamental pillars.
Levi’s ha invitado a jóvenes talentos españoles, que representan la unidad y la diferencia, a dialogar en torno al concepto del baile. Hablamos con dos de ellos, Milo Hammid y Gitano del Futuro a continuación:
Terrifying monsters invade the colorful and dreamy world of Charles de Vilmorin and his unbridled designs in this short inspired by the horror movies of the 80s.
We’ve sat down to talk about his foundation “Fix Your Heart America”, his viral open letter about racism in Hollywood, and the time he high-fived Lady Gaga.
Driven by the desire to create “adventurer apparel,” designer Boramy Viguier and director Samuel Rixon envision an alliance to undertake a sacred quest.
Rich Brian photographed by Hengyi Liang for our most delicious issue
“Food is sex. Food is injustice. Food is insecurity. Food is security. Food is dialogue, it is even a confrontation of ideas. Food is memory”
This issue encompasses an extensive range of subjects from veganism to the time Paris ate its Zoo. Ghetto Gastro, Etienne Russo, along with designers Emily Bode, Masahiro Ino of Doublet, Mats Rombaut, and Priya Ahluwalia all join in on the conversation and share some of their favorite recipes!
