“Aviator Nation is stoked to celebrate 12 memorable years in Malibu! It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re so grateful for the amazing support and sense of community we’ve experienced,” said AN Regional Manager Riley Draper. “The lasting friendships we’ve forged with locals, visitors, and neighboring businesses mean the world to us.”
The venue hosted a celebration on Jan. 14, predictably complete with live music as is befitting its focus on harkening back to California’s surfing aesthetic and all things 1970s.
While working at a surf shop, Paige Mycoskie, the visionary who founded the business, developed the global lifestyle brand in her Venice Beach garage in 2006, embracing the beach vibe. She purchased a sewing machine and spent nights after work teaching herself to sew, aiming to emulate the vintage pieces that she had been collecting for years. Mycoskie worked her way from stitching together T-shirts on her kitchen table 19 years ago to running one of the nation’s hottest brands, which is especially popular in TikTok nation.
Aviator Nation “celebrates a time when music, surfing, and love for community shaped our culture,” the venue’s website informs. “Our mission is to create quality garments and keep this energy alive. Live. Love. Fly!” Each item is distressed to perfect imperfection, creating a one-of-a-kind piece.
Known for its pricey smiley-face sweatpants; retro-looking, rainbow-striped, and zip-up hoodies; activewear; soft sweats; and kids’ collection, Aviator Nation faithfully keeps its classics while also introducing new arrivals such as the popular rainbow slides and the hand-dyed tie-dye collection that recently dropped.
Aviator Nation’s purpose? “To unite a tribe of passionate individuals who want to inspire the world!” according to the site. Every piece of Aviator Nation apparel is sketched by Mycoskie and handmade by people, not machines. The line’s signature six stripes are stitched one by one. The apparel is manufactured in Los Angeles, as keeping manufacturing in America is Mycoskie’s commitment to the brand’s loyal fans. The company has formed brand partnerships with Honda, Lollapalooza, X-Games, SXSW, and SoulCycle. Recently, Aviator Nation opened a fitness studio in Santa Monica offering spin, boxing, and yoga, informing clients that the studio allows patrons the opportunity to “Focus on full body wellness where one can spin, punch, kick or stretch himself to maximum potential.”
Mycoskie comes from a line of entrepreneurs — her older brother, Blake, started the pay-it-forward shoe company Toms in 2006, the same year that Aviator Nation launched. Since then, the company has grown to having 19 destination retail locations, with many in Southern California.
Optimistic and upbeat, Draper declared, “Here’s to many more years of connection and fun together. Let’s make the next dozen even more unforgettable!