Lisa Mayock and Jeff Halmos insist that they never intended to work together. They met as designers of aughts-defining labels Vena Cava and Trovata, respectively, and bonded over a shared love of vintage typefaces, poster art, and Guy Bourdin. More than 10 years later, the now-married couple balance life with two young boys (3-year-old Lucien and 1-year-old Pascal) and their new brand Monogram—a brilliant synthesis of their shared passions and wicked senses of humor, all realized through their tireless pursuit of the perfect T-shirt.
Here, the duo—newly transplanted to Los Angeles—talk work-life balance, the joys of vintage erotica, and their experience thus far with their third “baby.”
On Meeting at the CFDA Awards
Ask Mayock and Halmos how they met, and the story is likely to change depending on their mood. “We keep making up different versions because meeting at a party is kind of boring,” Mayock says with a laugh. That party was the CFDA Awards, on the evening when Halmos took home the Fashion Fund Award with Trovata. “I was extremely nervous,” Mayock remembers. “It was the first fashion party that I had ever been to,” but a conversation with Halmos soon calmed her nerves. It wasn’t until years later, after their respective collections were sharing a showroom, that their friendship blossomed into something more.
On Balancing Work and Love
“We were trying to keep our work lives separate, but we just loved this idea [for Monogram] so much,” Mayock says. Still, they didn’t jump in without some careful consideration. “I reached out to a few different friends who had been working with their spouses for a long time,” remembers Halmos, whom Mayock describes as “very organized.” He created a spreadsheet detailing everyone’s advice. One key point the couple learned is that a little separation is key: When they are with their children, they make an effort to not check their phones. They’ll have no-fashion nights watching silly movies on the couch. And, on occasion, they’ll schedule working dates when the kids are in bed. “Sometimes it’s fun to brainstorm late at night [over] a glass of wine,” Mayock says.