Love, Death, and Sacrifice is a brand that is starting to take flight. Launched just a few years ago, it has now grown exponentially in its local market and is now planning to expand world wide. We recently sat down with designer Mike Chen to discuss his line, his passions, and his plans for global domination.

What is the philosophy behind “Love Death & Sacrifice”?
I’d have to say it’s the exact words of the brand, it’s everything I go through. How it started was ‘Love’, the love of making clothing and being in fashion, ‘Death’ is choosing a path, and ‘Sacrifice’ is everything you have to do to achieve that path.

How did the notion of launching LDS come about?
Honestly, there was no plan for this. The opportunity came, it happened, and grew… and many ups and downs along the way. Eventually, it started balancing out and became a business and I realized I want to do this full time and I want to do this as a career.

So what has been your design approach for the brand?
It could be anything. I may just be driving and all of a sudden I’m thinking of something that would be cool as a design. I’m also trying to push words of wisdom that someone taught me back in the day on how to make things better. For example, there’s a design coming out soon “Stand Tall”: It’s a cold world out there, and I’ve gone through some jobs back in the day where you actually felt an ice chill, but you just have to walk through it.

What or who have been you greatest influences for LDS?
I’d have to say pretty much everyone that has been in my life, as well as my family. We are originally from Montreal, my mother lives in Europe and the rest of my family lives now lives here in BC. It wasn’t exactly easy, but we’re as close as ever today, as families go. I also have to thank the Goldman’s and Michael Roley from Boys Co. We have a really good relationship together and they’ve taught me a lot and have been very supportive, and everyone who supports what I’m doing.

So has working at Boy’s Co helped develop your skills?
I’d say so. It definitely showed a path and opportunity to get me where I am today.

Do you think you can share your general plan for expansion in and outside of Canada?
I can’t get into too much detail because we are in the middle of negotiations, but what I can say is in the next year we will be going to trade shows that the whole world will be going to. There are some pretty big plans ahead for expansion outside of Canada, and it’s a lot of planning so I don’t shoot myself in the foot. When I make that jump I want to make sure I’ll be landing on a platform and not in the water.

What have been your greatest challenges so far?
I’d have to say my greatest challenge would be to go beyond what I know and do better. I’m never satisfied. Whenever I do something I say “I should’ve done this or that”. So the challenge is basically getting outside of your comfort zone.

What have been your greatest successes so far?
Hard to say, because everything little or big has been a success. But being in the market is something to be proud. Not every brand has the opportunities that I have, and that’s something I’m grateful for.

Do you consider any of the recent celebs wearing your clothing a success?
Yeah! I mean everything that’s happened I consider a success, but at the same time if I wasn’t in the stores things might be quite different. So I really have to thank the Goldmans for giving me opportunity to be where I am today.

Being a designer entails meeting and partying with a lot of sexy people, can you tell us the craziest experience that you’ve had so far?
I can’t tell you the craziest because my girlfriend may…. Haha just kidding. But honestly, there’s a lot of crazy experiences, like meeting Boyz II Men backstage, seeing your stuff worn on TV, Junior Moore (light heavy weight boxing champ) being so supportive. Then there are the fashion shows where friends and family and people I don’t even know come out to support, and it’s a huge rush. I even had some people come up to me to ask for a photo: “Yeah or course if you’d like”. I don’t really see myself as something like that, but some people may and that’s pretty cool.

Its funny walking around the streets and seeing your stuff everywhere.
You know what’s funny… everyone sees it more than I do, because I’m always working! LOL

Hard work pays! Ok, last question. Where do you see LDS in five years?
I see myself in key cities throughout the world. It’s really hard to say where that’s going to be, but international is a definite and my goal, but I’m actually shooting for 3 years. Hahaha