Jeff Halmos & Lisa Mayock (Kunst)

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Co-Founder, Shipley & Halmos; Co-Founder, Vena Cava. New York
Jeff Halmos and Lisa Mayock are a recipe for success. Bear with us on the math for a second- we know Manolos, not mathematics. Halmos—one half of the design duo, Shipley & Halmos—and Mayock—one half of the cult-fave, Vena Cava—may be fashion’s coolest couple. (Okay, it’s a tie. Hard to compete with Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler!) Their ultra-cool Brooklyn pad is filled with two shiny CFDA statues (one for S&H, one for VC), hundreds—maybe thousands?—of colour-coordinated books, one black-and-white pug cut-out and a lock with the combo, 420. All together that equals? ...Well, let’s just say it amounts to a whole lot of glam. The NYC power couple are the Queen and King of collabs. Mayock (and her partner, Sophie Buhai) have teamed up with everyone from Uniqlo to the Gap- though we’re especially fond of those strappy Vena Cava sandals for Via Spiga and Ten Over Six (gotta love our girl, Brady Cunningham!). Halmos (and his partner, Sam Shipley) have also joined forces with Uniqlo, Philip Crangi and even customized a Moleskine exclusively for the S&H blog. The creative juices flow from patterns and prints to pencils and paper; as religious “readers” of Zina Cava (that’s not a typo) and major fans of S&H Publishers, there’s no denying that two designers under one roof generates a whole bunch of genius. The quirky couple’s BK compound is filled with an eclectic mix of his and her’s pieces, too. From Mayock’s signature vintage steals—did you see that 40s, film noir number?—to Halmos’ serious shoe collection,—he swears he’s no “shoe guy”—we found ourselves in Halmos heaven and left with some seriously good Vena Vibes.

Digital Inspiration
•Popular Music
•Patternity
•1stdibs
•eBay
•objects
•David Gilbert
•Shipley & Halmos
•Vena Cava
•@shipley_halmos
•@VenaCavaNYC

STYLE

Find your uniform
Lisa: "Jeff wears a version of the same thing every day that really works. It's a pair of slim jeans with desert boots and a collared shirt. The proportions are almost always the same, and it all suits him perfectly."

Lose the messenger
Lisa: "I can't stand nylon messenger bags. Something like a Filson I'm fine with, but the black ones from the early 2000s that a lot of people still carry need to die."

Choose a grooming regimen that works for you
Jeff: "I've had a Braun beard trimmer for almost 10 years. I got it at a drugstore for, like, 20 bucks. It still works great—it keeps my beard nice and trim. And I love my cheap Oral-B Vitality toothbrush. I don't get any cavities, and my mouth feels so good afterwards. My dentist is always like, 'Whatever you're doing, keep doing it!'"

Lisa: "I use this Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte deodorant. I like men's colognes more than women's, because women's stuff smells like baby powder."

LIGHTS

Don't overlook your lighting
Lisa: "The orb lightbulbs in our bedroom are from a place Jeff turned me on to called Canal Lighting & Parts in SoHo. It's got every single lightbulb known to man, and now I'm obsessed with expensive lightbulbs for the aesthetic effect they have, which can really change a room."

BOOKS

Remember the classics
Jeff: "For a long time, the album I've gone back to has been—and still is—Led Zeppelin. I just watched this awesome YouTube video of a live recording of 'How Many More Times,' where they've got the long hair and the kids in the audience are clapping like they never do anymore."

Lisa: "Any of that Phil Spector-produced girl-group stuff from the sixties I just love."

Visit a local bookstore
Jeff: "I like Printed Matter in Chelsea, because you can find something new every time. It's like Target. I'll go and be like, 'Damn it, I just spent $75!' because they just have such a clever assortment of printed materials and books you won't get on Amazon."

Go your own way
Jeff: "The last thing I read that I loved was The Fountainhead, around the time we started Shipley & Halmos. The idea of doing things your way and not compromising really resonated with me at that particular time."

TRAVEL

Go off-season
Jeff: "You can find much better options for hotels and flights. We went to St. Tropez early last summer and managed to completely avoid the crowds but still enjoy warm, sunny weather."

Talk to fellow travelers
Jeff: "In Costa Rica, we had one of the most amazing meals—super-local, no tourists—thanks to a conversation I had with a guy in the hotel room next to ours."

Think like a local
Lisa: "You get the flavor of a place when you hit the markets early. In St. Tropez we found one with all this furniture and clothes and fresh food. We ate so much cheese, it was ridiculous."

In honor of our love fest theme this month we wanted to profile some of our favorite design couples. We met Lisa from Vena Cava and Jeff from Shipley & Halmos at a very festive Christmas party in Brooklyn. We could tell that as immersed as they are in our world, they clearly keep time for themselves.

How did y'all meet?

We've been meaning to fabricate a more elaborate and dramatic story for some time now, but we actually met for the first time at a CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund dinner, and got to become friends when both of our lines were represented by the same showroom.

How long have you been together?

Two and a half years.

Do you talk shop on romantic nights alone?

Sometimes we do depending on what we both need to discuss. Its pretty amazing to have someone to talk to who thoroughly understands such a unique situation. It can be really difficult to explain the specific ins and outs and the dynamics to someone who is totally outside of that.

What is one of your favorite moments together?

When we get home and change into our pajamas and hang out together. That's usually the highlight of my day.

Any advice for fashion couples?

Interests outside of your work are really important, especially if you're in the same industry.

http://thecoveteur.com/JeffHalmos_LisaMayock