Aquarius Cocktail Clothing Pop-Up Brings 'Left Coast' Vibes To Platform LA

During the Roxy craze of the early aughts, taking a flight or sleeping over at my BFF's house instantly sparked joy because it meant I got to use my pink, white, and black Roxy travel carry-on (and matching suitcase). I still have and use both because nothing screams SoCal and evokes nostalgia quite like them – which is why I was excited to hear that the latest pop-up to find a home at Platform LA is Aquarius Cocktail Clothing, founded by the creator of Roxy herself – stylist and designer Lissa Zwahlen.

Zwahlen's latest venture, which fuses chic simplicity, quality, and a sense of humor into quintessentially "left coast" clothing, features elevated everyday basics like silk tees and an array of reimagined offerings made from hand-picked vintage pieces including their famed bucket hats.

Back in June, or sometime around then, Zwahlen recognized bucket hats had become a thing and started making them one by one. Hers are reversible and made from hand-picked vintage terry towels, lined with leftover fabrics in the shop, and trimmed with the finest Japanese ribbon. On one side, the hats feature a gingham pattern, and on the other, vibrant hues reminiscent of a SoCal beach sunset. If that doesn't make you want a bucket hat, then nothing will.

At the pop-up, you'll also find statement Hawaiian shirts that instantly whisk you away to wherever your folks were when they met (it was in the '70s, right?).

Aquarius Cocktail Clothing was created with the purpose of Zwahlen having something more than a T-shirt to wear out. So, she designed pieces where relaxing meets edgy, and past meets present. The label offers a collection of season-less items that were designed to be mixed, matched, and layered, and is quickly becoming a West Coast staple for eco-conscious Angelenos,

The brand's re/Work Vintage Series utilizes upcycled and hand-picked fabrics like beach towels and scarves from around the world. The pieces get "sliced" and "diced" before they're configured into iconic, laidback silhouettes we'd be willing to wear any day of the year.

Zwahlen is no stranger to major labels. After earning a fashion degree at FIT in New York, she moved to LA and later created Roxy for Quicksilver, giving women for the first time a bold voice in traditional surf culture (cue flashbacks of black and pink velour jumpsuits and matching bags in the 7th grade). She's also held design positions at Mossimo, Hurley, and Alternative Apparel, to name a few. 

Click through the slideshow above and stop by Aquarius Cocktail Clothing's pop-up to stock your closet with summertime-fine essentials you can wear through PSL season.

Aquarius Cocktail Clothing, Platform LA, 8850 Washington Blvd #108, Culver City, CA 90232, Monday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; info@aquariuscocktail.com.