Boutique of the week: Acqua

Acqua boutique.

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melina0213

Posted on Mon, 02.16.2009 @ 09:16

I discovered Acqua in 2003 and have been addicted ever since. In the beginning (like other customers I know) I tried to keep Acqua a secret, my outfits were amazing and everyone thought I was spending a bundle...But I just had to let all my friends in on this wonderful store! Lupita has great fashion sense and makes you feel comfortable, gets to know you, and treats you like a friend immediately, transforming your shopping experience into a fun day out with the girls! I LOVE this boutique and I miss working in the gables only because of my infamous lunch breaks at Acqua! ... Read more

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natybug

Posted on Fri, 02.13.2009 @ 10:48

I have been shopping at Acqua for a few years and it is truly a GABLES GEM! There is always a great variety of easy choices... my "must haves" include tons of fun tops, long flowy dresses, great accessories (especially the cocktail rings) and sharp work pieces. I can always count on popping in and finding EXACTLY what I need. Of course there are days that I don't need anything at all, but I stop in just to see Lupita and she always lifts my spirits. I have to say she is the best part of the Acqua shopping experience. She is the real secret of this boutiques success and the reason we all keep coming back! She is a wonderful host and really makes you feel like you are at home... her signature request is a fashion show of your picks!! I love this boutique and can't say enough about it... If you haven’t been, you are missing out! ... Read more

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Boutique of the week: Acqua

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Speak up

By Maria Tettamanti

Would you pay $500 for a frock? How about $200 for a night-on-the-town top? Come economic boom or bust, Acqua boutique owner Lupita Valdes would N-E-V-E-R. In fact, Valdes was on to something before the current monetary meltdown. "We opened the doors of our first location on Ponce de Leon in September 2002. We were one of the first trendy boutiques in an area that was solely known for being a bridal destination. We mixed it up with a variety of quality clothing and exceptional customer service at affordable prices." She adds, "Walking out with a dress that cost you $45 but having it look like $450 is buzz that has made Acqua what it is today - chic, stylish and affordable clothing for the modern woman."

Acqua recently re-opened its doors at 3138 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, and its new digs are delightful. Gray slate floors, white-washed walls, an oversized chandelier, contemporary lighting and a velvet-blue couch create an open yet cozy vibe. "Had a hectic day? Come on over. You will always find ladies sitting back, laughing having a glass of wine on the couch that serves as the comfortable first row area for the private fashion show - aka just the girls strutting out of the fitting rooms showing off their looks for the night out," Valdes says.

Labels like Lush, Collective Concepts, Ya, Rubber Ducky, Unit, Tua, Flying Tomato, Feline, Ark & Co., Scamps, Somme, Piace, Hourglass Lily, Miss Me, Lucca, San Souci, Ceres and more are in store. Items such as the classic LBD, BoHo blouses, wide-leg linen pants, pinstripe trousers, light-colored slacks, gold-fill bangles, wire-wrapped cocktail rings, semi-precious stone earrings, patterned scarves and stone pendants are up for keeps.

Their number-one seller? Valdes says, "Kiby's seamless thongs are an Acqua staple - sexy, comfortable and so affordable at $5, they make the competition cringe." Five-dollar panties? We're so there.

Acqua, 3138 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables; 305-447-1490

Published: 2/09

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