Tube Power at Aero & Co.
The 1980s are in full swing at the Aero & Co. boutique in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles, where Grey Antics tube dresses are leading fashion sales.
“They’re selling like hotcakes,” said Alisa Loftin, who co-owns the store with designer Cynthia Vincent. “They’re really fun and easy to wear. You can look cute and sexy and whimsical all at the same time.”
Customers are buying the vintage cotton jersey and velour striped looks for $138 and pairing them with flip-flops or ’80s-style pumps. Aero & Co., known for its full assortment of offerings from beauty products to home furnishings, also has a few tube dress designs exclusive to the store, including full-length looks with mesh insets.
Another line that’s gaining steam at the store is Los Angeles-based Lockets, which uses limited-edition vintage fabrics for its feminine peasant-style blouses and lacy tops.
Loftin said Aero & Co. had banner sales in 2001 but is getting off to a seesaw start this year. In response, she has scaled back the number of new designer debuts at the store from nine to about four per season. The 2 1/2-year-old boutique also carries collection-based items from Nathalie Saphier, Alicia Lawhon, Magda Berliner, Edward An, Maia Sarmanian and British line Preen. —Nola Sarkisian-Miller
