Meet Clara Truong | Musician & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clara Truong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clara, what matters most to you?
Honesty and compassion are really important to me, and I think they go hand in hand. I read a post once that said, why do we insist on being brutally honest when we can be lovingly honest, compassionately honest? That changed my relationships for the better. Mostly the one I have with myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a classical musician, writer, and fashion enthusiast. My latest passion project, an online publication called Moonset Magazine, combines the last two roles. Since late 2022, I’ve been writing about people and brands in the sustainable fashion space, with a special focus on minority designers.

My maternal grandmother used to own three tailor shops in pre-war Vietnam. I was lucky to be able to spend a lot of time with her growing up. Our conversations sparked my interest in design, color, and craftsmanship at a young age, an interest that developed into something deeper over the past year. After I came across articles and videos about how harmful the fashion industry was to people and the environment, I started trying to learn more about mindful consumption and sustainability. My research led me to connect with a lot of designers and small businesses that cared about the same things, and were doing amazing, innovative work in fashion. I wanted to give them a platform to shine—thus, Moonset.

I’ve found working in media to be its own challenge. Everyone wants content that’s newer, faster, more relevant. It’s hard not to get overwhelmed and feel the pressure to deliver constantly. I don’t let it get to me, though, because I’m not trying to sell things or fight for my audience’s attention. My purpose is to tell stories, to showcase creativity, and to highlight a side of fashion that I can be proud of supporting.

Also, I mentioned earlier that I was a musician—that’s actually my full-time job, being a pianist. I’m a music director for a private chapel in San Diego, and I also perform, teach, and accompany other instruments. I’ve been a musician for around 20 years now, so my relationship with it is not uncomplicated. When something is that important to you, it can take over your whole life. My post-grad existence has just been an ongoing journey for me to stop equating my musical abilities with my self-worth and learning to love it for what it is. Being a musician also taught me how to get out of my own head, to remember that none of it is actually about me. It’s really about sharing a musical idea, telling a story. Kind of like with Moonset; there’s nothing I love more than good stories and great ideas! So my life now is really about celebrating them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a major homebody, but I actually do have an answer for this. (Shoutout to my friends who drag me out occasionally to make sure I get enough sunlight.) I would start with brunch at Birdseye in La Jolla — they’ve got a great menu, amazing views. Then, I’d get gelato from Bobboi and hang out at the Cove, or sit on the grass and just enjoy the weather. After that, I would walk around and explore the little shops and cute buildings. My favorite is the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library. I’ve followed some variation of this exact itinerary before and it’s always a great time.

I also have a standalone recommendation: Caliente’s in Sorrento Valley! They have the best Mexican food at super reasonable prices, and the people working there are so nice. It’s COVID-safe too because the seating is all outdoors. Can’t recommend it enough.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, for sure. The best parts of me, everything I’ve been passionate about over the course of my life, can be traced back to them. I talked about my grandmother earlier; she was responsible for my love of fashion. From my parents, I got my appreciation of classical music—they met while playing in an orchestra back in Vietnam. My maternal grandfather was hugely passionate about music, too. My other grandfather taught me about grit. He passed the bar exam at 70.

Whenever I get discouraged or weary, I just think about the people I came from, and I feel so much pride and gratitude. They keep me moving forward.

Website: www.moonset-magazine.com

Instagram: @claratruong, @moonset_magazine