10 minute read
Zack Lugo
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Shirt: 9LIFE @9life.us Pants: Ocean Rebel @oceanrebel Boots: Pskaufman @pskaufman Hand Necklace: Rat Betty @ratbetty Jewelry: Androhmeda @androhmeda
Shirt: Reuben Oliver @rubenoliverco Pants: Charles and Ron @charlesandron Boots: Pskaufman @pskaufman Jewelry: Androhmeda @androhmeda
Zack Lugo
Flannel: Peripheral Apparel @peripheralapparel Jacket: StoryWear @storywear_continues Pants: ProClub @proclub_usa Shoes: Jean Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau Necklaces: Androhmeda @androhmeda
By: Ashley Vitarelli
From the rivers of small towns in southern Idaho to the screens of millions of smartphones all around the world, suffice it to say that Zack Lugo has had a monumental year. The influencer, model, and fashion designer has quickly situated himself as one of the top names in content creation, and this is just the beginning. Encapsulating everything from comedy and acting to advice, skating, dancing, and more, Zack Lugo’s content shines. Equipped with over 325.1 million likes and counting on his main TikTok account, 55.1 million likes and counting on his spam TikTok account, and over 1 million followers and counting on his Instagram account, perhaps it is easier to leave the numbers behind and just use words: Zack Lugo is one of the biggest stars of social media, well on his way to internet domination.
“My whole childhood I lived on a river in southern Idaho,” Lugo reflects. “I was just a small-town river boy. I would say the most exciting things I did growing up were boating and skateboarding.” Moreover, as Lugo looked for entertainment, he found his passion. “As a kid, I always wanted to be a YouTuber and a professional skateboarder — all I did was skate around,” he recalls. “As a small-town kid there’s not a lot to offer out there in Idaho.” Enter: TikTok, the apparent solution to Lugo’s abundance of free time. “I just did TikTok as a way to have fun and pass the
Of course, Lugo’s TikTok presence would quickly evolve from a creative outlet to a career. “When I first started I never really had a super viral video,” Lugo reflects. “I always just was consistent with my posting and did have a couple videos that did pretty decently. Initially when I started TikTok I wanted to do skateboarding videos, but they never hit the For You Page so I had to switch it up. It was over a year with constant views that helped me grow and get to where I am today.”
As for where he is today, Zack Lugo is now living his dream — pursuing his passion and creating content that excites him. “I am super blessed to have such an amazing job,” he shares. “It’s amazing because I get to hang out with my friends and create content which is a dream job for me. When I was first starting TikTok, I was testing the waters with all different categories of content and for some reason I’ve just enjoyed doing a wide variety of videos, so I’ve kind of just stuck with that. Now my whole platform is a mixture of videos, not just based off of one certain category. I can post and do whatever I want, which is nice.”
Creatively, Lugo knows exactly what he wants his platform to be, while also possessing the talent to execute it and bring his vision to fruition. “On TikTok there are three different things that I like to post,” Lugo explains. “I like to post my high-quality dancing videos that I usually film in a bathroom mirror, I like to create funny and more natural content, but most importantly I want to spread positivity, whether that’s by posting a quote for the day or leaving a nice heartfelt caption.”
Spreading positivity is just one of the many ways that Zack Lugo creates an internet oasis on his TikTok account — something that people not only notice, but flock to. Indeed, Lugo’s main account on the platform has garnered over 325 million likes, an astonishing statistic that is a testament to the quality of his content and who he is as a creator. “I’m actually very, very surprised that I am not overwhelmed or stressed about my platform,” Lugo says of navigating such a large audience. “I have such good supporters and there’s just so much positive feedback running through my comments that it’s just became a fun hobby and it doesn’t feel like a job. But it is crazy to me. I mean I’m only 20 years old, and having a platform is kind of a lot of pressure. You feel like you have to have your whole life together and find exactly who you are right now. It definitely made me a better person and matured me a lot quicker.”
Indeed, Lugo uses this maturity to reflect astutely on all components of his career thus far, including the challenging pressures that come with having a large platform and the rewarding comforts of finding a community of creatives. “Some of the biggest challenges are being pressured to know who you are at such a young age,” Lugo shares. “The most rewarding part is being able to support my family and friends at such a young age. I would say my favorite part of my career is being able to create and hang out with my best friends almost every single day. My favorite memories are with my best friends laughing while filming. It’s very humbling to actually have real friends that do the same work as you. LA can be such a toxic place so actually having those friendships and making contact with the right people is definitely a good time. I’ve made such an amazing friend group and I couldn’t be more thankful for them. They’re basically my family and the best part is that they’re all so humble. It’s never been just a collab, it’s always about true friendship and memories first, then content second.”
Beyond content creation, Zack Lugo’s talent and expertise also extends into the world of fashion. “I had a goal to drop my own clothing line since I was young, so Runaway Kid Apparel means a lot to me,” Lugo says of his new streetwear fashion collection that just released. “There was a lot of thought behind the first line ‘hate is ugly.’ The meaning behind this collection is that everyone’s beautiful and hate is ugly.”
The prevailing messages in both Zack Lugo’s clothing line and social media content are, in a word, inspiring. Moreover, while Zack Lugo himself is an inspiration to millions of people all around the world, he derives his motivation from two people close to him. “My mom and my girlfriend are some of my biggest motivation’s right now,” he reflects. “My girlfriend Emma, I promise you no one works harder than her and she makes me work harder every day. She’s definitely a big part of my life for sure. My mom has always pushed through the hardest things that ever came through her life. There’s this quote, ‘never settle,’ and I’ve lived by that my entire life. My mom always
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Turtleneck: SAND COPENHAGEN @sandcopenhagen Jacket: F8KE CHEMICAL CLUB @f8kechemicalclub Pants: Charles and Ron @charlesandron Boots: Jean Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau Rings: Androhmeda @androhmeda
Turtleneck: SAND COPENHAGEN @sandcopenhagen Jacket: F8KE CHEMICAL CLUB @f8kechemicalclub Pants: Charles and Ron @charlesandron Boots: Jean Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau Rings: Androhmeda @androhmeda
Flannel: Peripheral Apparel @peripheralapparel Jacket: StoryWear @storywear_continues Pants: ProClub @proclub_usa Shoes: Jean Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau Necklaces: Androhmeda @androhmeda
told me to never settle for what I don’t deserve, so I’m always reaching for the next step and never settling with what I have, even though I’m thankful for what I have. I’m also a big believer in manifestation. I always have a positive and powerful mindset on imagining and speaking everything into existence.”
As one of the top names in content creation today, Zack Lugo represents what so many aspiring creators long to be. Indeed, Lugo embodies what can happen when someone with impeccable work ethic, unwavering determination, and undeniable talent starts posting content to TikTok. “Stay consistent and don’t give up,” Lugo advises to aspiring influencers. “Post as much as you can, there’s literally not a limit so take advantage. Just know that if you get it it’s because you deserve it, so work hard.” Looking forward, Lugo seems to have taken his own advice, as exciting things are in store for the young talent. “100% more clothes are coming soon,” he shares. “Also my Twitch streaming is something I’ve been working on recently. I’ve just signed with my first modeling agency as well, so I’m super excited to start doing some shoots.”
The sky seems to be the limit for what Zack Lugo will achieve next. From being a social media powerhouse and iconic influencer, to being a fashion designer and model, Lugo represents the multi-faceted and multi-talented future of the industry. Moreover, if the last year is any indication of Lugo’s trajectory in the industry, only time will tell the phenomenal accomplishments that he will achieve next. Indeed, he may be a long way geographically from the rivers in southern Idaho, but at heart he’s still that same boy who dreamed about being a YouTuber. “I really want people to realize that I haven’t really changed other than me growing as a person,” Lugo says. “I still wear the grungy baggy skater clothes and I’m just a smalltown boy chasing my dreams and having fun while doing it.”
Photographer: Heather Koepp Stylist: Amia Serrano Hair: Rolando Aqui
Shirt: Reuben Oliver @rubenoliverco Pants: Charles and Ron @charlesandron Boots: Pskaufman @pskaufman Jewelry: Androhmeda @androhmeda
Flannel: Peripheral Apparel @peripheralapparel Jacket: StoryWear @storywear_continues Pants: ProClub @proclub_usa Shoes: Jean Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau Necklaces: Androhmeda @androhmeda
