Girl in Costa Rica
Influencers + Tastemakers

Q+A with Zoe Lazerson (@zoelaz)

Costa Rica may have been the beautiful backdrop for Jetsetter's first #LikeAJetsetter trip, but it was the tastemakers we traveled with that helped bring it to life. While on the road, we caught up with Utah-based Instagram influencer @zoelaz, whose work has taken her from China to Finland and everywhere in between.

Senior Editor, Jetsetter | @lindseytravels | lindseytravels.com

See recent posts by Lindsey Olander

Tell us about you!

I was born and raised in Orem, Utah, which is south of Salt Lake City, close to Sundance Mountain Resort. Currently, I live in Vineyard, which is west of Orem by Utah Lake. I’ve been there for about a year and a half. I’ve decided to stay in Utah for many reasons, but mostly because I love it that much. Because I travel so often, every time I come back home, I appreciate it more and more. It’s a slower pace away from my busy life, which helps ground me and keep me focused. I’m excited for the day I do move to a new place, but for now, I’m taking it one day at a time!

Have you always been interested in this kind of work? When did you decide to pursue Instagram full-time?

I started Instagram at such a young age. I was just 13 years old! At that time, I knew I wanted to do something creative and hands-on. My whole life has been surrounded by fashion—my mom was a fashion designer when I was a little girl, and my dad has always worked in the “social networking” world. They’re both very stylish. Before I even thought about becoming an influencer, I thought about working for a fashion magazine, so when the opportunity came to build my Instagram brand (which meant working with fashion and working for myself), I took it! When I was 18, my dad started managing my emails. Since 19, I’ve been full-time.

Girl in front of mountains

Your Instagram aesthetic incorporates a lot of grainy filters and muted colors. How did that concept come about?

I know a lot of people like the clean, crisp, pretty look, but for me, it’s always been about the grain. You can scroll way back on my feed and see where sometimes I went way too far. I’ve had about 10+ different editing styles. My feed has changed drastically over the years, so when I started editing with a cool muted preset, it just felt right! I’ve stuck with it since.

What is your favorite part about what you do?

The relationships I’ve gained from my job. I don’t think many people can say that they absolutely love who they work with. Relationships are the most important thing for me, so to be able to do what I love and to do it with the people I love is something I’ll never take for granted.

We were so excited to host you in Costa Rica! What was the biggest highlight?

Meeting the most amazing people! Everyone was so kind and easy to work with, I could cry thinking about it. Jetsetter really treated us with the upmost respect. I am forever grateful.

girl in Amalfi Italy
Girl in front of mountains

Is there another favorite place you’ve traveled to recently?

China holds a very, very special place in my heart. I’ve backpacked throughout the country and am still speechless at the places I found there. If you go, you have to visit Yangshuo, outside of Guilin. It’s one of my favorite towns in the whole world.

Being an influencer requires wearing many outfits! Any packing tips?

I’m not going to lie, packing can be a nightmare. I took a 35-day-long trip to Europe this past summer, and figuring out the packing situation was a project. For the first two and a half weeks, I had one suitcase. On week two, I shipped a package of clothes back home (you shop so much in Europe, there’s no escaping it). After that, my amazing, sweet boyfriend met up with me and brought another suitcase I had pre-arranged for him. All in all, it can be crazy, but there’s a way to make it work!

Girl with an elephant

Where are you headed to, or dreaming of, next?

As I’m writing this, I’m currently in Finland! I’ve been dreaming of visiting for over a year now, and it’s my last big trip of the year. I’m so excited to explore this snow-covered country!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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