The Explosive Insta-Sensation Blake Gray On His Fashion Breakthrough, Growth, And Social Media
by Chidozie Obasi

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.
LACOSTE x NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Carlota Barrera Fall/Winter 2020 Lookbook
actual
The Explosive Insta-Sensation Blake Gray On His Fashion Breakthrough, Growth, And Social Media
previous
LACOSTE x NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
next
Carlota Barrera Fall/Winter 2020 Lookbook
Walton Goggins is back as the face of Paul Smith, following up on the first campaign with a new season that explores sartorial codes through a playful lens.
This summer, Galerie Dina Vierny showcases Grammelot, the first solo exhibition in France by Italian painter Luca Ceccherini.
Ami Paris continues to strengthen their roots in the French capital with the opening of a new flagship at Place des Victoires.
The lineup features two pieces with hand-drawn illustrations by Houston-born, Brooklyn-based artist Jos Hurt, whose work moves between fantasy, memory, and personal mythology.
The collection proposes a wardrobe where freedom and construction are not in opposition but in conversation. Spring 27 is about lightness, in every sense of the word.
Barcelona-based brand SSSTUFFF is entering World Cup season the only way it knows how: by breaking the rules.
Carhartt WIP has released an exclusive capsule for its Ibiza store, built as a tribute to the Balearic destination.
British conductor Oliver Zeffman, through Classical Pride, celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ artists to classical music while bringing a fresh, joyful energy to the genre.
Konrad Rech photographed by Maria Salivonova and styled by Alex Hayel Gajel & Weronika Stroyny, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Michaël Borremans returns to France with a major solo exhibition, which is one of the most intriguing painting shows in Paris this summer.
Denim Tears has announced the launch of its SS26 bag collection, marking the brand’s first in-house bag category.
French fashion house Saint Laurent unveils its Fall 2026 campaign shot by Talia Chetrit, starring Austin Butler and SJ.
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Galleria Continua / Les Moulins presents a major collective exhibition bringing together more than fifty artists.
Pull&Bear and Pleasures have released a second collaborative collection for Summer 2026, following up on their first drop with another exploration of California coast culture.
Polo Club has unveiled its SS26 high summer campaign, Casa Palmira, shot on the island of Lanzarote.
Nadav Perlman presented his Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Roots, as part of the Antwerp Fashion Festival.
Bautista at Dear Society Mgmt, photographed and styled by Alberto Saguar, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Soho Health Club, located on the lower level of Soho House Barcelona, has reopened this June with a revamped treatment menu and upgraded facilities.
Levi’s returned to Primavera Sound Barcelona for a second consecutive year as the festival’s exclusive denim partner.
Falconry is a study of stillness before impact, of minimal movement creating maximum outcome. The collaboration translates that into form, a line drawn at speed between the two houses.
QASIMI has unveiled its first permanent leather goods collection, marking a new chapter in the brand’s ten-year evolution.
Gucci has returned to Monaco with a seasonal takeover at La Rose des Vents Monte Carlo.
Bershka has released a new capsule collection tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, developed in collaboration with Outerstuff.
Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM have released the Football Pack 2026, a capsule collection timed to the summer of football.
For a series born out of friendship, stubbornness, and the conviction that stories can be told even when there is no money to tell them with, saying goodbye was never going to be easy.
Johannes Knop shot by Gabriela Bluske and styled by Lucas Cejas, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Bottega Veneta has launched Alta, a collection of ten new Eaux de Parfum that marks the next chapter in the house’s fragrance project.
Carhartt WIP has released its Fall/Winter 2026 Preview Collection, the seasonal bridge that sets the tone for the months ahead.
Lazoschmidl is releasing Chores, a new fanzine photographed by Alan Marty and limited to 100 copies.
For her first solo exhibition in Switzerland, and the most expansive European retrospective of her career to date, Cao Fei takes over the Kunstmuseum Basel with Testimonies to the Near Future spanning three decades of work.