Vena Cava Designers on Luxury and Happiness
It's hard to believe that it's already been 10 years since Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock burst onto the fashion scene, starting Vena Cava just three weeks after graduating from Parsons The New School for Design. Though Buhai has since swapped coasts in favor of Los Angeles, the long-distance duo hasn't missed a beat. This year alone the gal pals have released a tongue-in-cheek fashion film starring actress Lizzy Caplan, and they launched the third issue of their homemade 'zine, 'Zina Cava, which comes packed with housekeeping tips. Who knew? In addition to their celebrity-adored main collection, Buhai and Mayock have added the Viva Vena! diffusion line, for which their Summer 2013 pieces, modeled by Langley Fox, go on sale today. And since 10 seems to be an important number for the designers right now, it seemed only right for them to take a stab answering ELLE.com's go-to 10 questions. Take it away, ladies.
What is your favorite smell?Lisa: I love the way matches smell right after you've blown them out. Anything that vaguely smells like it's been burnt has always been my favorite. What do you consider to be the epitome of happiness? Sophie: A double feature with someone I love.
How do you define luxury?Lisa: I think of time and space as being the two things that are truly luxurious. No one ever feels like they have enough of them, and having enough of either one always feels so decadent to me. What is the last dream you remember? Sophie: I'm in health class, it's 1997, and I forgot to study for the exam. I'm naked on top of it. This one always comes back.
What's your favorite childhood memory?Lisa: Almost all of my favorite childhood memories are of things that I made up or imagined. I spent weeks making a very elaborate obstacle course in the backyard that included spray bottles that were half buried so that when you stomped on them, colored water sprayed into the air. I consolidated all of my mom's cleaning supplies into one big jar to get all the spray bottles I needed, and essentially (accidentally) created a bomb in our kitchen closet. I wasn't allowed in there after that.
What is the last book you read and loved?Sophie: I just finished a book called Bohemian Los Angeles. I moved to L.A. last year, and love reading about its history. This book goes into the political and cultural history of Silver Lake and Echo Park. It's filled with great stories about wild artists, silent movie stars, and lefty activists.
Describe your home's aesthetic.Lisa: All the things in my house are from so many different places-hand-me-downs, things I found on the street, flea market finds-that nothing really has one singular aesthetic on its own. If I had to come up with a theme I think it would be "personal."
What are your vices?Sophie: Gummi bears, reality TV, and expensive juices. Describe yourself in five words or less. Lisa: I am a classic Libra.
What possession will you never throw away?Sophie: My old iPhones. They are like time capsules from two-to-three-year periods in my life. They contain pictures, every hour of work, letters, and notes. They are almost modern-day journals. I just need to remember to save the chargers that go along with them.
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