Zoë’s path into creative leadership was shaped by place, instinct, and a growing refusal to shrink her ambition to fit someone else’s idea of success. When she had the opportunity to move to New York City to study at NYU, she stepped into an environment full of dreamers, trailblazers, and people actively building the lives they wanted. That energy stayed with her. “New York is a city of dreamers, of trail blazers, of people who are making their goals and dreams happen,” she says, and being immersed in that mindset motivated her to do the same. For Zoë, the lesson was simple but lasting: “Your environment and surroundings impacts your outlook which in turn impacts who you are.”
For Zoë, the early moment that shaped her leadership was not a single lesson but a powerful atmosphere. New York City became the backdrop where ambition felt normal and creativity felt alive. Being there gave her a clearer view of what could happen when talent, discipline, and vision meet opportunity.
That experience pushed her to believe more deeply in her own direction. Rather than seeing leadership as something separate from art, she began to understand that the creative world itself demands leadership: vision, confidence, and the ability to move with purpose.
One of the most important shifts in Zoë’s journey came when she stopped letting societal expectations define her future. For a long time, she hesitated to pursue fashion photography full time because of the “starving artist” trope and the pressure to choose a more conventional path. Letting go of that fear opened the door to a more honest life.
“I fought pursuing fashion photography full time for so long,” she explains, “and now I cannot picture myself doing anything else.” That turning point was more than a career decision. It was a release of inherited doubt and a commitment to building a life that reflected her real values, not other people’s assumptions about what a creative life should look like.
Another major pivot came when Zoë chose to move to Europe rather than stay in the nonstop pace of New York. The decision was guided by intuition as much as ambition. She has “deep respect for hustle culture,” but she also recognized that her most creative self needs something hustle culture often overlooks: rest.
“To feel the most creative I need my breaks and a life outside of my job,” she says. Paris offered a rhythm that made space for both work and life, not one at the expense of the other. For Zoë, that choice was not about stepping back from her goals. It was about protecting the conditions that allow her best work to emerge.
Because of these pivots, Zoë’s creativity and curiosity grew stronger. She became more attuned to the art scene, more inspired by shows and exhibitions, and more intentional in how she sees and creates.
That growth also shaped the emotional side of her work. The more she trusted her instincts, the more fully she could express her visual language. Her art became bolder, more colorful, and more grounded in her own point of view.
Zoë believes leadership is about creating safe and communicative spaces where every woman feels heard and can bring her best potential to the table. That perspective reflects a leadership style rooted in collaboration rather than control.
In creative industries especially, leadership is not only about directing others. It is about making room for people to contribute fully, feel respected, and do their best work. Zoë’s view centers collective strength, not individual ego.
Zoë is clear about how much her family has shaped her path. “Without my family encouraging me to pursue my goals, I don’t know where I would be today,” she says. That support helped carry her through the uncertainty that often comes with creative work.
She also believes that whether it comes from relatives or friends, everyone needs people who believe in them. “The creative road gets tough,” she explains, “and we all need that extra support.” For Zoë, community is not just emotional comfort. It is part of what makes a creative life sustainable.
For women facing a similar crossroads, Zoë’s advice is simple: collaborate. Work with peers who are in the same boat, and build a group of artists aligned with your vision.
She sees collaboration as a way to create passion projects, pursue paid opportunities, and grow through shared momentum. In her view, reaching your potential is not a solo act. It is strengthened by connection, alignment, and mutual support.
Zoë is a Montreal-born fashion photographer based in Paris, France. She creates bold, colorful, painterly visuals for fashion brands, rooted in color, movement, and intentional casting, with a particular emphasis on female strength and individuality.
You know those women you admire?
The ones who carry themselves with elegant composure?
The ones who seem to lead with sophisticated ease?
The ones who have sustainable success, the kind that feels as good on the inside as it looks on paper?
They’ve moved from survival mode to mastery mode.
They’ve learned to lead from calm authority instead of constant vigilance.
They’ve mastered exceptional emotional intelligence, not through more effort, but through rewiring the patterns that were keeping them stuck.
You know those women you admire?
The ones who carry themselves with elegant composure?
The ones who seem to lead with sophisticated ease?
The ones who have sustainable success, the kind that feels as good on the inside as it looks on paper?
They’ve moved from survival mode to mastery mode.
They’ve learned to lead from calm authority instead of constant vigilance.
They’ve mastered exceptional emotional intelligence, not through more effort, but through rewiring the patterns that were keeping them stuck.
