It’s rare for someone internet-famous to be recognized outside their virtual sphere of influence by, say, a more traditional audience. Tumblr boyfriends and Instagram models generally elicit a “Who?” from established industry insiders who like maintaining a discriminating, less democratic fame system in place. For the more stalwart guardians of the classic celebrity culture, the popularity of someone who can elicit mass hysteria among already hormonal, impressionable teenagers (and anyone under the age of 30) is deemed suspect.

Lucky Blue Smith is one of the very few occupants of a minuscule overlapping of these circles. To his adoring fans—the so-called “Lucky Charms”—his appeal is immediately understandable: He’s blonde and blue-eyed yet also wolfish and lanky, can smolder at the camera one minute then break into a toothy, infectious grin the next. To the laundry list of fashion bigwigs he has worked with (Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Roberto Cavalli, Emporio Armani, Fendi, Tom Ford, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Moschino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jeremy Scott, Versace, and loads more), his appeal is also immediately understandable: He’s blonde and blue-eyed yet also wolfish and lanky, can smolder at the camera one minute then break into a toothy, infectious grin the next. There’s no divide to his charm: He’s both high fashion and appealing to teenage girls and their moms.

Backstage at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year, where Lucky walked for Balmain, Olivier Rousteing spoke to Vogue Paris of the 18-year-old’s throwback supermodel appeal, deeming it the male equivalent to the draw of ‘90s luminaries, yet balanced by a social media-friendly, wholesome, Utah-by-way-of-California attitude. “He’s the new symbol of the new generation, the new fashion story, the new business,” Rousteing declared. “He has this [grasp of] pop culture that makes him really, really strong.”

And it’s true: Lucky hardly seems the kind to declare that he won’t get out of bed for less than $10,000. In fact, his Insta-meets with fans seem to be really fun and sweet (if a bit rowdy) interactions, and those who camp out for hours at the lobbies of the hotels he stays in are usually rewarded with some selfie time with him. The most he’ll demand—politely, of course—is that the patty in his burger be medium well because he doesn’t like the meat having “red stuff” in it.

Just don’t ask him to explain his huge draw. “I honestly don’t know why [designers and fashion brands] like working with me,” Lucky confesses in his surfer’s drawl as his face gets patted with primer for his Garage shoot. It’s his second day in Manila, the night before spent in a press conference, yet his lean face shows no effects of jet lag. “But I’ve noticed that having a good attitude and being nice to people help book more jobs,” he continues. “Shaking people’s hands—people respond to that. That could be it, but I don’t really know. I’ve never been the type to get starstruck, but I do feel, like, ’Holy crap, I’m shooting this campaign? I’m walking this show?’ It’s more of that, rather than, ‘Holy crap, he’s a famous designer!’ I don’t think of the fashion people as names; I treat them as who they are.”  

Describing someone famous as “nice” usually speaks of how standards for popular people had fallen so low that basic civil behavior is no longer a given. But Lucky is nice: He seems to be a good kid and, considering that 2.5 million people (and rising) follow him on Instagram, he’s really, really chill.

Maybe it’s his small hometown background, his growing up Mormon, or his family’s strong presence in his work life. Lucky’s dad Dallon flew with him to the Philippines, though sometimes, it’s his mom Sheridan who goes with him on overseas trips; plenty of times, for modeling gigs, he’s with his elder sisters Starlie, Daisy, and Pyper, who are also models. “I always tell him: ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re 18,’” his dad remarks half-jokingly on the family’s ability to have someone keep the youngest Smith company at work. “‘What adult? You’re still my child!’”

But Lucky doesn’t really mind having a filial entourage. “My family’s really rad. We support each other, and that helps with the stuff, the ‘bad’ side of the industry.” Not that he’s experienced anything really bad, maybe except be forced to wear pink pants for work, but having family around keeps him from the pitfalls of too many late nights out. “I don’t like partying much,” he confesses. “I enjoy going to events, but there are times when my family would tell me, ‘You don’t need to be there.’ I’d realize later, yeah, they were right. They know what’s good for me, they can stop me from doing stupid things. Basically, they can tell me, ‘No.’” In terms of setting boundaries then, the Smiths are the anti-Kardashians.  

Creative work is also a family business. Lucky is the drummer in the band he formed with his sisters eight years ago, and The Atomics’ all-original songs were written mainly by his dad with his eldest sister Starlie, who’s also the vocalist. “It’s indie rock, reverb, surf-ish,” Lucky describes their music. “I like James Brown beats and grooves, and those sounds definitely inspire us. We’re doing this seriously for sure.” His dad plays a few of the first eight songs the band has recorded—“You’re the first in the Philippines to hear them”—and they were all catchy, guitar-driven but with pulse-thrumming drum grooves and soulful vocals. The Atomics is pretty much an independent effort, though they recently signed up with American Idol creator Simon Fuller. Whether they’ll release a full album, an EP, or a single is still being discussed, but the final product will definitely roll out within the year. His dad remarks, “With the kids’ social media following, we’ve got some good plans.”

Lucky’s explosion (figuratively) on Instagram and his meteoric rise in fashion in the past two years have overshadowed the four years he’d spent doing modeling more casually, as any kid who’d rather go to the beach or skate would. Before walking in his first Fashion Week runway, his career was less Catwalk and more America’s Next Top Model, booking mostly local jobs and going between New York and Los Angeles for shoots.

It was an Interview editorial that gave him another ANTM-esque twist that paid off down the road: He was instructed to bleach his naturally blonde hair into something lighter. “I was, like, okay, and when I saw the result, I hated it. So right after the shoot, I dyed it back, right there on the set. Then the pictures came out, and they were. So. Rad.” Soon after, Lucky’s agent at Next Models Los Angeles, Mimi Yapor, told him that casting directors found his natural look too sweet-looking and he needed a bit more edge. “So I bleached my hair platinum again right before my first show season, and everyone just loved it.” By January of 2015, he and his shock of white hair were making waves in Europe’s shows that season. The hair color became Lucky’s signature feature, a distinguishing ‘do that complemented the cool blue of his eyes and made him look not quite American, not quite European; kind of not of this world, actually, like a Malfoy or a Targaryen. He’s ready to move on from it, though. “I’m keeping my natural hair color this time,” he says, brushing his fingers through his dark blonde roots. “I’m on to the next phase of my life.”

Part of that next phase is a book—untitled as of press time—that will be released in November. Though it’s a vanity project, there are also a lot of things Lucky could share with the world in it. After all, for the past two years, he was a teenager navigating the very grownup world of the fashion business. “I really feel that teenagers, especially girls, struggle a lot with confidence, so I want to help with that. Like, a book would be a cool opportunity for me to share how I dealt with certain situations that maybe can help someone who’s having a hard time in school. Like, I was 16 and going to events without knowing anybody; I had to toughen up and figure it out. I think that can help someone.”

The book will also detail still heretofore unknown stories of his life, so far, from his pre-teen years in Utah to his stints at international Fashion Week shows. It will have never-before-seen photos, laid out in such a way that every page will have pictures, an anecdotal story, and little side notes. “I had this idea while in London for Fashion Week. My agents asked what [else] I wanted to do. I was like, I don’t know, maybe have a book someday. It was a random thought, like, someday, sure, I’d come out with a book, but not while I’m still young.” Yet here he is, about to add “author” to his already impressive resume.

His name has proven to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and 2016 has been lucky—luckier, more like—to Lucky. On top of everything he’s doing, his first feature film Love Everlasting (which seems to be in the same vein as a Nicholas Sparks movie based on its IMDB synopsis) could turn him into a full-blown triple slashie once it hits theaters: model/musician/author/actor. Not bad for a kid who is one of Instagram’s first real stars. Not bad at all.

This was the cover story of Garage Magazine’s September 2016 issue. Photography is by Shaira Luna and styling is by Edlene Cabral, Jerico Villamonte, and Yzza Hablado.