Le Sang des Betes

Fellow Fashionistas, meet Trang Chau — a Vietnam native and California transplant and an up and coming designer that has taken her love for the fine arts and mixed it with her second love of fashion design to create her own fashion label, Le Sang des Betes .

After receiving her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Sculpture at Otis College of Art and Design back in 2002, Chau showcased her work a year later in several art galleries throughout the Los Angeles area. From there, Chau began working in films as a production designer and costumer designer. Shortly thereafter, Chau launched a couture collection with an industry colleague and was featured in numerous fashion shows and events.

Despite all the buzz and accolades that Chau began building up for herself in the industry with her undeniable talent, it wasn’t until 2007 that Chau saw the green light in her head to launch her own brand, thus Le Sang De Betes was born. Le Sang De Betes was created from Chau’s inspiration from the arched ceilings of gothic cathedrals. The clothing uses line and negative space to create a uniquely nuanced style of clothing construction — it’s all about creating curvilinear forms around the body for Chau.

Currently, Chau was one of three designers that showed at Gen Art’s “The New Garde” fashion show debuting her Fall 2008 collection in a still exhibition vignette to launch LA fashion week back in March of this year. Chau was also chosen as a finalist for best Avant Garde design out of more than 800 international designers in the Gen Art 2008 International Styles Competition. Her Fall collection was just featured in the November 2008 issue of Nylon Magazine. The world is clearly catching on to Trang Chau. This is just the start of what’s shaping up to be a carefully crafted future for this artistic designer.

Clutch: What does “Le Sang Des Betes” stand for and how did come up with this name for your brand? Does it hold any special significance?
TC: “Le Sang Des Betes” stands for “blood of the beasts” in French. I named my clothing line after a 1949 Georges Franju documentary film by the same title. The film is dark and poetic much like my clothing aesthetic.

Clutch: We see that in addition to being a fashion designer, you’re also an experienced fine artist. How you do go about merging the two crafts together?
TC: It’s natural for me to merge the two crafts together because my training is in sculpture, and clothing construction to me is very similar to it. I incorporate a lot of structure and architectural elements in my clothing which reflects this training.

Clutch: Tell us a little bit about your latest collection and where you drew your inspiration from?
TC: My latest collection is for Spring 2009 and is called “ Swarm.” It is inspired by insects and kimonos. Insects especially because I was inspired by the shape of winged ones such as bees, dragonflies, and butterflies. I also have always been fascinated by kimono dressing, especially the multiple layers of dress. As a result, I’ve discovered many ways to pleat and layer clothes without it looking heavy in my new collection.

Clutch: Your designs are very architecturally structured with their shapes and proportions. They’re also visually appeasing with great detail and tailoring. Will this be a signature look for your brand?
TC: This is definitely a signature look for my line because I prioritize quality and detail in all my designs. I also think all women should own well tailored clothes that fit and is flattering to the body.

Clutch: Fast Forward: 5 years from now – where do you envision yourself and Le Sang Des Betes?
TC: I’m optimistic about the future and that wherever I am in 5 years is where I should be.

For more information please visit www.lesangdesbetes.com.