To hear William Sofield and Thomas O'Brien tell it, Aero Studios was born out of a playful, whimsical impulse a sort of Judy Garland/ Mickey Rooney-style “let’s all pitch in and open up a superswanky design atelier” escapade. The creed of reverse-chic, they say, dictated the basic premise: At a time when the design community is foundering on the rough waters of an industry-wide recession, when companies are desperately scrambling to scale down and cut back, the only option is to open a lavish furniture/art gallery and design studio catering to the very highest of high-end tastes.