CITYist

Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai, the masterminds behind brand Vena Cava, have created Viva Vena!, a new line with all you’d expect from their staple brand—at a lower price point. (Under $200, to be exact.) That’s right, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that would put you in the poorhouse (or restrict you to eating Ramen Noodles for a month). Silk details and organic jerseys skim the surface for what shoppers are in store for. The Viva Vena! tees, tanks and dresses will feature signature hand-drawn prints and Neo-Dada photo collages (viva Jasper Johns!). To sum it up: it’s that casual, yet somehow put-together look LA has made famous (after all the designers are Angelenos at heart). The new line is now available at Barneys, Bergdorfs, Opening Ceremony and Saks, among others.

Nothing says glamour like a face-engulfing pair of sunglasses. Case and point: Valentino Eyewear. Their newest collection for Autumn 2010 has reintroduced the world to the V-logo while giving it a contemporary spin. The VAL 5749/s model features a seductive shape (think: cat eyes) and is available in tortoiseshell, an ivory frame with tinted lenses and in the ever-so classic black. Meanwhile, the VAL 5750/s model, embodies old Hollywood, with its oversized, rounded shape available in hazelnut or gray striped frames. Put them on and you’ll feel like you should be sipping Limoncello at a café in Positano.

Leather, velvet, sequins, ruffles, hats, beaded necklaces. These are just a few of the things included in Robert Rodriguez’s Fall 2010 collection. While some looks are a bit too stylized, others seem to channel the homeless chic street wear of Alexander Wang or the flashy frock of Diane von Furstenberg. An emphasis on outerwear, trousers and skirts with thick tights makes the line more accessible for the cold months ahead. In fact, the collection appears to have accessibility at its core: melding together various trends from the past few seasons, it puts an utterly marketable foot forward for Fall. Military coats, leather pants and deconstructed trenches? The gang’s all here.