AERO &
Co. Est. 1999
Company Overview
Originally
located in Los Feliz, next to the landmark Dresden Room and occupying the
historic space that was once the first Disney Bros. Studio, AERO & Co.
built its reputation by focusing on the new crop of cutting edge independent
designers emerging in Los Angeles. Founding owners Alisa Loftin and Cynthia
Vincent looked to fill a void by creating a place where young designers could
cultivate their talent and showcase their collections, giving a voice to the Los
Angeles fashion scene. The pioneer
boutique became the first choice for designers such as Magda Berliner, Rami
Kashou, Jasmin Shokrian and Brett Westfall to showcase their debut collections.
In
2002 AERO & Co. relocated to the burgeoning shopping district of West Third
Street in an effort to gain exposure and become more centralized. The creative
and independent spirit of West Third Street was a perfect match for the
visionary boutique and roster of eastside designers. The new customer embraced
the cutting edge aesthetic and the next wave of LA designers flourished at the
new location. The success of Grey Ant, Brian Lichtenberg, Maxine Dillon, DL
& Co. and Violently Attractive reinforced the customers’ need for an
alternative shopping experience.
In
2007 AERO & Co. broke new ground by opening one of the first permanent
Shop-in-Shop experiences ahead of the Pop-Up-Shop craze that hit Los Angeles.
The financial crisis of 2008 caused a shift in the market from clothing to
accessories that sparked the next wave of success for jewelry designers Jenny
Dayco, Sheila B. and Sid Vintage.
In
March of 2010 AERO & Co. closed its brick-and-mortar location to
concentrate on developing a webstore and building an online presence through
its blog and social media networks.
Mission
Discover, cultivate and showcase
local and emerging designers.
Provide a highly curatorial and alternative shopping experience.
Specializing in Los Angeles designers.
Products
Hand
Made, Limited Edition, One-of-a-kind, Recycled, Sustainable, New and Vintage
Categories
Womenswear,
Jewelry, Accessories, Men’s & Women's T-shirts, Books, Gifts, Vintage
Handbags, New and Vintage Home Décor.
Alisa Loftin, Owner
Armed with a degree in Fashion Design from FIDM, skills
acquired from Otis/Parsons, and a desire to develop her own professional
identity, Alisa Loftin forged her way through the Los Angeles fashion industry
one category at a time. Finding work as a menswear designer, textile designer,
wardrobe stylist, event producer and fashion publicist, her experience led to
an ideal opportunity to start her own business. AERO & Co. was conceived out of a desire to achieve a
new retail standard in Los Angeles. Concentrating primarily on LA designers.
As buyer, Alisa Loftin honed her skills for recognizing
budding talent and anticipating customers’ needs. Her reputation for taking
risks on first time designers and bucking the trends spread quickly through
industry circles. Soon there was a continual flow of young designers clamoring
for a chance to be featured in the shop in the hope of gaining
recognition. Her inspired approach
to product selection and building relationships made AERO & Co. the
ultimate breaking ground for the eastside style revolution. All types of
customers journeyed to AERO & Co. for inspiration and discovery.
Over the past 10 years stylists, editors and the greater
fashion community has recognized AERO & Co. as an authority on the LA
fashion scene. During her time at
AERO & Co. Alisa Loftin served consecutive years on the nominating
committees for Gen Arts’ Fresh Faces in Fashion and The New Garde as well as
the Los Angeles Fashion Awards.
AERO & Co. Awards
Best Chockfull-Of-Shopping Block! LA Weekly, Best of LA 2009
Fashion Retailer of the Year Nominee - LA Fashion Awards 2007
Best Leather Jackets - Los Angeles Magazine, Best of LA
August 2007
Best Accessories – Best of City Search 2006
Most Supportive of Local Labels - Lucky Magazine, September 2004
Most Supportive of Local Labels - Lucky Magazine, September 2004
Best Design Boutique - LA Weekly, Best of LA 2003
Best
Boutique with Local Designers - Los Angeles Magazine, Best of LA July 2000
