It has almost been a year since I’ve travelled the USA West Coast, leaving me in a constant daydream of going back there… But what if living in LA could be more than a dream? What if it becomes a reality? Well, we are seriously wondering how to handle a big dream like that! What better way, than to talk to someone living that dream?
Let us introduce you to Lien Vets: a 29-year-old Belgian girl, living it up in the LA fashion scene! Wonder how she got there and what it’s like to live in LA and work in fashion? Well we asked her some merry questions!
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How did you end up in LA as a Belgian girl? Was it a life long dream? Did you follow your heart to LA? Or was it a coincidence?
I’ve always been more of a warm weather kind of girl. Ocean, beach and sunshine… who doesn’t like that? My move to LA was definitely a spur of the moment decision. I had worked for a few months after graduating college in Belgium and decided that I wanted something more, different. Not sure of what that was, I took a few months to ponder and travel. Towards the end of my trip I went through LA and was there for 10 or so days and absolutely LOVED it. When the trip ended and I needed to go back to Belgium to face ‘the real world’, I hadn’t really decided anything but it was between finding a new job in Belgium or doing something out of the ordinary… so I booked a one way ticket to Los Angeles.
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How long have you been living and working in LA now?
I have been living and working in LA now for 5 and half years. The work/life balance here is amazing! Every weekend is like a little mini vacay Image may be NSFW.
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What’s your job in LA?
I currently run the WC showroom for Simon showroom. A wholesale showroom representing an array of different designers such as IRO, Clover Canyon, Sundry, etc. Before that I worked for G-Star USA at their LA showroom.
What’s the best thing about living in LA? And what are the downsides?
The best thing about living in La is obviously the weather. The proximity to the beach and mountains lends to an active lifestyle, which I thoroughly enjoy. Beach volleyball, weekend hikes in Malibu, bike rides down the boardwalk, etc.. I also love LA because it is laid back. People here aren’t as stressed as say in NY. Maybe it’s the weather??
LA is different from other cities in that it’s comprised of smaller suburbs that make up the greater LA area. This means LA has tons to do like a big city but everything is spread out so you need to drive to a lot of places. And public transportation is terrible so you need a car no matter what. The traffic is another thing you’ll hear people complain about. (Just voted worst traffic in the US and 6th in the world). However, I’ve found that if you go at the right times and know your route options, it’s not too bad.
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What brands do you represent in the showroom? And what kind of fashion works best in LA?
I currently represent Iro, Clover Canyon, Sundry and Duffy. All lines are doing very well in the US. All 4 brands are very different so it works and doesn’t compete in the showroom. Iro is French and edgy with some rock n’ roll. Clover is all over print. Sundry is our casual line with great tees and sweats. And Duffy is a sweater/cashmere line.
In general I would say people in LA dress more casual but stylish. The perfect tee and jeans can go a long way here. You have all sorts of fashion though. You have the boho chic girls, the vintage loving hipster crowd, the trendy ladies with money and the trendy ones without :) , the cool stylish girls with a look of their own and the jeans, tee and sneaks girls.
About the practical side of things: How did you manage to get a green card? Do the LA people treat you differently because you’re from Belgium?
Green card – I have to say I got really lucky here. My parents lived in the states when I was in college in Belgium (they are now in China) and because of the nature of my Dad’s job, the whole family was able to get a Green Card. So, I was allowed to work here which was one less thing to worry about.
I don’t really have an accent so I blend in pretty easily except for the fact that my name is Lien… so I can never just get by without explaining where I’m from. But it adds in a little conversation factor with new people so I don’t mind it.
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Do you plan on staying in LA? If so, for how long?
I think I’ll be here for a while but I guess you never know. We moved around a bit as kids and my family is all over the place so I wouldn’t put it past me to live somewhere else at some point. But nothing beats the weather here… so it would only be so long before I need my sunshine back. Image may be NSFW.
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What are your future plans living in LA? Any new career opportunities coming your way? Do you have any professional dream you’d like to come true?
I love my current job but my dream since I started university has always been to have my own business. Since running the showroom here for the west coast for over 3 years, I am looking to start materializing that dream and start my own showroom. I am just in the first stages of it but finding the right designers to represent is crucial. Would love to have at least one Belgian designer!
Do you have any tips for us Belgian fashion girls who dream about living and working in LA?
If you really want it, you just have to make the leap. You have to be here to make it here. This city is all about who you know and networking. I do realize of course that getting a visa is not the easiest thing since you do need sponsoring from a company or individual. It’s hard but not impossible. And if all else fails, come and fall in love with an American boy Image may be NSFW.
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Lien has us California dreaming even more so… For now, we’ll stick to good old Belgium, but who knows in the future! And in the meantime, we’ll have to satisfy our LA dreaming by watching ‘The LA Complex’, a new CW show about living and working in LA, starting on MTV Belgium as from the 21st of April. Go check out the trailer below!
A big thank you to Lien Vets, for answering our questions and making this dream seem a little more realizable for us.
Filed under: Articles Tagged: belgium, California, Clover Canyon, dreaming, Duffy, fashion, Iro, LA, Lien Vets, Los Angeles, MTV, Showroom Simon, Sundry, The LA Complex, working Image may be NSFW.
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