Designers Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock met at 17 in their native California before shipping off to Parsons. Ironically, the pair was rejected from their school’s senior show—the launching pad for phenoms like Zac Posen and Proenza Schouler—in 2003, so they decided to give it a go on their own. The duo sewed twelve looks on their living-room floor in Brooklyn, and Vena Cava was born in September of that year. Their signature aesthetic takes a fresh spin on vintage mixed with an arty palette and hand-drawn prints, with past collections inspired by japonismo and Egyptian history. In 2006, the brand was awarded an Ecco Domani; back-to-back Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Award nominations followed in 2007 and 2008.

Status

Up-and-Coming

Clients

Blake Lively, Rachel Bilson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Arden Wohl, Rita Wilson, Liya Kebede

Other Product Lines

Lingerie, Shoes, Underwear

Collaborations

Anthropologie, under the label name Diodore (September 2007), Vena Cava for Via Spiga (Spring 2009)

Owned By

Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai

Address

232 Third St., Ste. C2B
Brooklyn, New York 11215
917-749-0788

Where To Buy

Barneys New York, Dernier Cri, Mick Margo, Oak, Vena Cava

Related Websites

• Vena Cava (Official)
• Gen Art: Vena Cava (Other)
• Style.com: Vena Cava (Media)