We were lucky to catch up with Laila Hazel recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laila , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
My creativity thrives on variety and adaptability. Over the years, I’ve learned to keep it alive through multiple forms of media, and each one inspires the other. Photography has always been my foundation—capturing moments, whether they’re bold, intimate, or everyday scenes, helps me see the world through a creative lens. Podcasting lets me amplify ideas and conversations, providing a platform to dive deeper into storytelling and connect with others on a different level. And then there’s fashion, which is something I’m deeply passionate about. It’s ever-evolving, like an art form, and through my sunglasses boutique, I get to fuse all my creative outlets together. The boutique is not just about eyewear—it’s about self-expression and seeing my brand come to life with different models, styles, and seasonal collections. It allows me to play with new concepts all year long, experimenting with the intersection of fashion, photography, and storytelling. It keeps the spark alive and allows me to constantly create fresh, meaningful content.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I recently graduated in 2025 with my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern University A&M College. I currently earned my certification as a behavior technician specializing in individuals with ASD. My academic focus has always been on mental health, particularly advocating for autistic children and adolescents. Mental health is something I’m deeply passionate about, and I hope to continue using my education to make a difference in this area. In addition to my academic work, I’m also the CEO and Creative Director of my online sunglasses boutique, Lenses By Lai. I launched the brand in 2020, starting from my bed and quickly making sales across the globe—Canada, New York, Australia—without ever having to leave home. It was a dream come true. I continued to expand my brand and took it to the next level by participating in my first fashion show at my HBCU, which was such an empowering experience. The journey from a small online shop to becoming a recognized name within the fashion space has been amazing. I’m now working on growing the brand even further, with the goal of eventually opening a storefront. My mission is to inspire locals and creatives to take their talents to the next level, showing them that you can achieve big things even when you start small.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
If I had to name the three qualities that have shaped me most on my journey as a young woman, they would be resilience, confidence, and optimism. These traits weren’t just handed to me—they were built over time, through moments of trial, error, and self-reflection. There have been many points along the way where I’ve faced social, emotional, and mental challenges. Whether it was navigating personal struggles, academic pressures, or the demands of building a business from the ground up, I had to constantly find ways to overcome and keep moving forward. Resilience taught me to stand back up, even when things didn’t go as planned. Confidence helped me trust my voice, my vision, and my creativity—even when it felt like no one else could see it yet. And optimism has been my anchor, reminding me to look ahead with hope, even in uncertain seasons.
What I’ve learned through it all is that you are responsible for your own growth. You can’t wait on external validation or the perfect opportunity—you have to create it. Every failure taught me something new, and every revision became a stepping stone. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it. These qualities continue to shape the woman I am becoming, and I hope they inspire others to keep pushing through their own paths, too.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Right now, I’m really looking to connect and collaborate with models, photographers, and creatives of all kinds based in the Los Angeles area. Collaboration is such a powerful part of growth—not just for brands, but for individuals as well—and I’m always excited to work with people who bring fresh energy and new perspectives to the table. Alongside my fashion and boutique work, I also host a podcast called Unfiltered Conversations with Laila Simone, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. It’s a space where I share my unfiltered thoughts and opinions about the world we live in, while diving into meaningful conversations around mental wealth, health, music, and culture. It’s raw, real, and rooted in authenticity—just like everything I do.
If you’re a creative in LA looking to build something meaningful, or just want to connect, you can find me on Instagram and TikTok @lailasimonee_. I’m always open to new ideas and new energy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lailasimonee_?igsh=bGV0OWdhbnZwMjh5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lailasimonee03/videos
Image Credits
@1kfilmzz, @mcp_john, @greatpicsonly, @emeraldlense_
