Bode writer, Ashley Dawson, takes a stroll down the Paris streets of Sarah Heitzmann’s creative mind.

At only twenty-one years old, Sarah Heitzmann has accomplished far more than many of us can claim. The young, self-made woman is a Parisian fashion and art student, model, writer, and CEO of flourishing French publication — Luxe. Scrolling through Sarah’s Instagram is like being plucked out of your own life and set down in a classic French film. Her sense of style and timeless elegance reflect her deep French roots, and she is spending her days in isolation working on her art and mastering it. We at Bode virtually “sat down” with Sarah to discuss her life, art, and passions abroad.

It seemed fitting to begin our conversation with how the quarantine is treating Heitzmann, who is currently staying inside with her partner in Dubai. The model says she is utilizing this time to enjoy the scenery of another city and is “taking time to focus on things she has always wanted to focus on.” Her typical quarantine routine begins with waking up, putting her favorite porridge on the stove, and then working on the projects she is passionate about. Heitzmann is also carving out time to treat her mind and body right through self-care practices, like meditating before bed and leaving herself positive notes of reinforcement. One more positive to all her newfound free time, she says, is her recent activity on social media; as she has been able to focus on being more present online, and will “continue to be that active in the future because she has great projects coming up.”

Perhaps the best way to sum up Sarah Heitzmann’s personality and essence are in the three words she uses to describe herself: passionate, Parisian, and loyal. Her loyalty to her family and work is obvious, and after taking over her partner and his brother’s digital platform, Luxe, at a young age, she has led the publication with a strong mind and heart. “The idea behind Luxe was to bring the luxury world to a younger audience,” shares Heitzmann. In 2014 this luxury lifestyle was seemingly closed off and impenetrable, as it was mostly reserved for a more mature group of people. “Luxe took this world to the youth through its website and social networks,” says the young media maven. Indeed, Luxe was the first French online magazine making this impact in the fashion industry — a notable accomplishment for Heitzmann. In addition to running Luxe, Heitzmann is also a Forbes France contributor — a Forbes edition that she and her team helped to launch, while further aiding in the development of their “Luxe” category. Since then she and her team are regular writers for the publication on topics that crossover into their Luxe content — travel, fashion, and all things Savoir-Vivre.

Now, of course, any online personality, and content curator has to have some striking social media credentials to back up their craft. Heitzmann is no exception, with a simplistic and beautiful Instagram page that mirrors her minimalistic style. When it comes to designing the aesthetic of her visual social platforms it is “the importance you give to simple things and the way you detect beauty in them and emphasize it,” that she deems crucial. Her soft, natural, and oftentimes blurred images take you into Sarah’s world of simple beauty and luxury. Black and white are her staple colors, both in her style and in her images, and they play a huge role in the curation of her digital pages. Heitzmann opts to “play with light, shadows, and angles” to produce the most captivating images she can. And as for Luxe? She and her team focus on what is happening in the industry today, and what is relevant to today’s young readers. Obviously, with the current state of the world, Luxe’s photoshoots and social projects have been paused, but Heitzmann says that because it is an online platform, they have the opportunity to “work from home and keep up daily articles and social media posts.” The Luxe team is planning future projects once the quarantine is lifted, and is for now focusing on just online.

After so much discussion on Heitzmann and the history of Luxe, we at Bode wanted to get to know her as a style icon because you cannot be a fashion writer and model in Paris without developing a keen sense of style yourself, right? Heitzmann is a self-professed suit fanatic, and when we ask what her staple fashion piece is, she says that she could “live only wearing suits, in every situation.” In love with the “sobriety” of black and the simplicity of the color in a beautiful garment, the influencer is known to pair a sleek suit with some imposing black sunglasses, a Maison Margiela black bag, and a powerful lipstick. It is safe to say that Heitzmann dresses for simplistic elegance and is not afraid to be true to her comfort zone. “There are no specific rules when it comes to being yourself,” encourages Heitzmann, and that is what fashion is all about.

“For our generation, being different is seen as a strength, more than it used to be.”

After beaming over Heitzmann’s worthy list of muses, ranging from fashion to music to art, it seems that Heitzmann indulges and embodies the artistic culture around her. From Fontana to Chloe Wise, Serge Gainsbourg to ABBA, she enjoys all forms of music and art. And the label that she’s currently obsessed with? The Row; she loves their “unique bridge between fashion and architecture.” This discussion of luxury brands effortlessly segued into the quickly evolving role of environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion movements taking place in this industry. This is a movement that the industry as a whole “cannot pass on,” says Heitzmann. She continues, “Eco-friendly brands should be your brand of choice when you can choose them.” Currently, the young visionary is working on a sustainability project for The Row for her university, and insists that “our planet is giving us signs.” She hopes that “the different color of the sky after quarantine will wake up those who have been sleeping” on this topic. This love of nature is evident in Heitzmann’s passion for travel and her respect for the space around her. Well-known on social media for her travels and worldly adventures, the content curator “loves Italy for the art, food, architecture, and cultural mindset;” But Greece and Spain fall right up there with Italy in destinations close to her heart. Heitzmann did also note her hopes to one day cross ocean lines and check out our fine state of New York.

Circling back to our conversation on diversity in the fashion community, the insider is intentional to devote time to support her fellow women in the industry. She says that she is “very glad to see the industry including plus-size models” in the forefront, believing that it is very important for future generations to not be concerned with their size and that true beauty is in diversity. “For our generation, being different is seen as a strength, more than it used to be,” notes Heitzmann, “and social media helps everyone be able to express themselves.” If you need a digital media page re-vamp the influencer says “Be patient when you post a picture — think about the dimension that you would like to create, and play with light and angles in the space.”

When this time of civil-induced social distance is over Heitzmann first intends to engage in a long walk down her beloved Paris streets. “There is something positive in every situation — even the worst. You have to find that positivity and your life will be much more fulfilling.”