BY JUDY CARMACK BROSS
The Lake Forest Shop’s Ellen Stirling will be popping up in Naples, Florida, February 13, 14 and 15 with the spring line of ALGO of Switzerland, a favorite of two of the biggest names in the headlines today—Princess Kate and Queen Elizabeth herself.
Ellen Stirling in ALGO.
Taking a break from last-minute logistics, Stirling told us, “The Lake Forest Shop has been around for 98 years and this is our first pop-up. When we got the invitation to be in Naples at the height of the season we thought ‘Why the heck not—let’s go take a look!’ It seemed something exciting and very special. It really appealed to my sense of discovery.”
The pop-up will take place at the Inn on Fifth, located in a popular neighborhood right in the middle of the beautiful old part of the city. “ALGO’s spring line will really put customers in a good mood,” Stirling shares. “There’s lots of color, lots of prints, and oh, the feel of the silk charmeuse against your skin! The quality of the line is impeccable—you can really tell you are wearing ALGO.”
Philippe Goetschel, one of two sons of ALGO’s President, Carlo Goetschel, and the company’s vice director, will also be on hand for the Naples show. After many years of presentations at the Lake Forest Shop, the Goetschels are like family to Stirling, her husband, Jim, and their friends.
Ellen with Phillipe and Carlo Goetschel.
Carlo Goetschel knows about elegance for all ages and clothes that fit like a glove. On a visit to the Lake Forest Shop he told us: “I was dazzled that Duchess Kate chose our coat for Charlotte’s christening—it was a total surprise to us. She has the same coat in three different colors: red, blue, and white.”
“With the Queen,” he added, “we deal solely with her lady-in-waiting. On one occasion, we showed her a dress with white dots and a pleated, slightly flirty skirt. She quickly informed us that the Queen does not do flirty.”
With the proliferation of pop ups everywhere, we asked Stirling about the long distance logistics: “Like most things dealing with fashion, it will probably be last minute timing to get everything there by February 12, when I arrive. I have been ordering racks, mirrors, and screens. A recurring nightmare is that the racks aren’t sturdy enough. The hotel has been very helpful, and we will be doing a special show at the Naples Wintrust Bank on February 13th at their new location.”
Despite long days at the Inn on Fifth, Stirling anticipates socializing with many long time friends in Naples: “Seeing Chicagoans who winter there will be an extra treat!”
