Supermodel and Lucky cover star Joan smalls wasn't immune to bullying about her looks when she was younger, if you can believe it. (We know: What?!)
"I was so awkward-looking—tall, super skinny, gangly. The boys at school made fun of me," Joan told the magazine in her May 2015 cover feature. "But I'd see [models] on TV and I'd think, Oh, they have my same body type."
The Puerto Rican beauty drew inspiration from catwalk queens Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Christie Brinkley as a teenager, first learning about their journeys to supermodeldom by watching E! True Hollywood Story: "I'd just watch the show and be glued to the screen," she said. "I couldn't even imagine—these were women who got to travel the world. It just seemed so alluring."
The model moved to New York from Puerto Rico in 2007, and just three years later found herself starring in Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy show (her unique bleached brow look would be one of the most memorable beauty statements of the season).
Joan's a full-fledged success in 2015: She even partnered with True Religion this year on a 16-piece collection featuring denim, satin skinnies and crop tops.
All the better, really, because we're obsessed with the model's street style, too. (Joan isn't one to shy from mall bargain buys, by the way—she was even wearing Zara jeans while being interviewed.)
"I love to mix high and low," she said. "It's the best when you have on something inexpensive and someone goes, ‘Oh my God, who made that?'" That's usually our first thought when we see what Joan's wearing on the streets during fashion week!
In the future for the 26-year-old? Becoming a one name wonder (and sharp businesswoman) like Gisele Bündchen and Cindy Crawford.
"I feel like a good amount of women have used modeling as a platform. People like Gisele and Cindy. And I think that's really cool, not only for models but for women. It shows that you can have a voice and a say. You can have a brand and be your own boss. It's empowering," she said.
Lucky's May 2015 issue is on newsstands now.