An expertly curated, luxuriously produced compendium of all things Naples, Naples Illustrated brings to life personalities and takes you inside the exclusive homes, parties and interests of the world’s most affluent and influential people.
This issue is always one of my favorites. It combines all of my interests in one package—it checks all of the boxes, as they say. While I need to wait until weekends to get my hands dirty, Sarah Frey, our beautiful and entrepreneurial cover model, gets to live my dream life every day. Don’t get me wrong; like Sarah, I do enjoy the beautiful clothes and my 9-to-5 persona, but after hours you would not recognize me under my ball cap, knee-deep in sawdust, pets, and family. Speaking of family, as this issue was coming together and we were discussing the businesses that are now being run by second and third generations, I was once again reminded why so many people are choosing to stay or return to Naples and…
ST. MATTHEW’S HOUSE WHAT: Naples Auto Experience Jetport Reception and Cars on Fifth WHERE: Reception at Elite Jets hangar, car show on Fifth Avenue South SUPPORTS: Programs providing solutions to homelessness, hunger, substance abuse, and poverty in Southwest Florida THE VILLAGE SCHOOL OF NAPLES WHAT: Nashville Knight Under the Stars WHERE: Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club SUPPORTS: The private school’s academic, athletics, and arts programs…
Frank Ponterio has a relaxed kind of confidence that puts you at ease during a conversation, despite 27 years’ worth of accomplishments, fancy clients, and projects in the design world. Naples has been on his radar as a perfect place to make his stylish mark for a few years now, and he finally made a bold move and set up an official office in downtown Naples to welcome clients, showcase finishes, and draw out plans. While waiting and searching for the ideal home in Naples, he crashes in boutique hotels and then drives back to his wife in Anna Maria Island, where they have refurbished a chilled-out beach bungalow. He has fought hard to keep his business manageable and team tight, only taking on clients that fit with his company’s…
Norine Fuller had a long career working with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising before buying the 20-year-old, locally owned Sweetgrass Galleries in Naples a year ago. Her new endeavor collided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced people stuck at home to reevaluate their outdoor living spaces, and Fuller to expand her offerings. Sweetgrass Galleries in Trade Center Way specializes in sophisticated silk florals, trees, and natural greenery for commercial and residential interiors and exteriors. Fuller handily adapted to customer demand. “Obviously, people have been spending more time on their patios, so we have a whole section of UV-protected florals that can go in the sunshine and not fade. They can withstand Naples’ strong elements,” she says. “Another area that we have found a great kind of new market…
Looking for a way to energize your restaurant, boutique, salon, or even your wedding venue? Simone Schmitt, owner of Naples Neon, has a suggestion: a customizable, colorful neon sign that conveys a word, phrase, or logo exactly as you’d like it. Her signs come in solid neon colors, as well as remote-operated, LED, colorchanging lights. Originally from Germany, Schmitt worked for a Florida sign company for several years before moving to Naples and starting her business in 2019. At first, Schmitt’s signs were being ordered for weddings; she worked closely with wedding planners and brides to create the perfect sign. However, the pandemic stalled weddings and inspired many people to build in-home gyms. As a result, Schmitt is receiving an uptick in requests for motivational signs to enhance the aesthetic…
Launched in 2010, Noonday Collection sells socially conscious jewelry and accessories made by artisans in vulnerable communities around the globe, with the goal to alleviate poverty through entrepreneurship. Carin Phillips is what the company calls an “ambassador”—¾someone who sells the handmade jewelry and accessories in their own communities and shares the story of how the artisans’ linkage to a worldwide marketplace has improved their lives. “Noonday goes and helps them to not only design products that we can sell in the United States, but also to help them to learn business skills,” Phillips explains. Phillips and Monique Frost are the only sellers of the fashion brand in Naples. Their pop-up shops selling Noonday Collection occur once a month at the Mercato. Many products incorporate natural fibers and organic materials, such…
