Chew had already established herself in modelling, including an appearance on The Face, the reality modelling series associated with supermodel Naomi Campbell. But social media offered her another way to present herself to audiences.
Her Instagram feed stood out because it did not simply consist of traditional modelling photographs. It also featured beaches, mountains, dramatic landscapes, outdoor adventures, and travel experiences. GQ described her account as a kind of visual vacation, allowing followers to experience destinations vicariously through her photographs.
That approach was increasingly important in the social media era.
Traditional fashion magazines had historically controlled how they presented models to the public. Instagram changed that relationship. Models could photograph themselves, communicate directly with followers, and create a lifestyle brand without waiting for an editorial assignment.
Chew’s content fit particularly well into this new environment because travel naturally provides visually striking material. A photograph on a remote beach or against a dramatic mountain landscape can function simultaneously as a travel image, fashion photograph, and personal update.
Her background also contributed to the appeal. Chew was raised on a farm in Victoria, British Columbia, and developed an interest in adventure and travel. In an interview with GQ, she discussed destinations she wanted to visit, including Africa and Iceland, as well as earlier ambitions that included becoming a veterinarian or marine biologist.
The striking thing about her Instagram presence was that it did not make travel look particularly ordinary. Instead, it presented a heightened version of travel: beautiful scenery, carefully composed photographs, and adventurous experiences.
That is part of why influencer-style travel content became so popular. People were not necessarily following an account because they expected to reproduce every trip themselves. Sometimes the attraction was simply seeing somewhere beautiful.
Instagram also transformed the idea of a vacation photograph. A holiday photograph was primarily a souvenir for the traveller. On social media, it became content for an audience. Location, clothing, composition, and timing could all become part of the presentation.
Chew’s account represented that transformation particularly well. Her modelling career gave her an understanding of posing and visual presentation, while her interest in travel provided a constant supply of new environments.
There is also something inherently aspirational about such feeds. Followers can scroll from a beach to a mountain, from a city to an exotic landscape, without leaving their phones.
Of course, social media is not an unfiltered representation of anyone’s life. Photographs are selected precisely because they are visually appealing. The difficult moments, travel delays, and ordinary days generally do not receive the same attention.
Still, that does not make the images meaningless. At their best, travel-focused Instagram accounts can inspire curiosity about places and encourage people to explore photography, fashion, and travel for themselves.
In 2017, Jocelyn Chew’s Instagram captured exactly that intersection: fashion, adventure, and wanderlust. It was less a conventional vacation album than a carefully constructed window into a life built around movement and visual storytelling.
