Ask Grace Yoon why she decided to open up her Glenview women’s boutique, Ella Louvi and she’ll say her goal was to share her creativity — her clothing designs — with her customers.
“Owning the store isn’t my first passion,” said Yoon, who opened Ella Louvi last July, just months after she and her former business partner, Stella Chun closed their successful store, Stella + Grace. “I love my customers, and I love helping them pick out beautiful outfits, but designing my own line of clothing is my dream.”
Yoon, who came to the states with her family when she was nine years old grew up in the city and in Glenview.
Starting out as an art major at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Yoon took a course in the history of clothing and immediately became immensely interested in fashion. She changed majors and ended up graduating with a Bachelors of Fine Art with an emphasis in fashion design.
Yoon then moved to New York City, where she held positions as an assistant designer to Cynthia Rose and a production and design manager for Lyell NYC.
“My biggest passion is my creativity,” Yoon said. “My goal is to incorporate my fashion expertise and background to illuminate strength and confidence in women.”
About 20 percent of the clothing in Ella Louvi consists of original designs created by Yoon, and the store also carries small, trendy designer brands, many from California.
“I like to introduce smaller designers to my customers because they are unique, and many of them are at an amazing price point for the quality you get,” she said.
Describing her taste as “simple, staple pieces with a twist,” the store carries women’s casual and dressy clothing, jewelry, handbags, scarves, and bath and body products, including the well known line, Tocca.
“The store is trend driven, but my first concern is always quality and uniqueness,” Yoon said.
Kathy McCarthy of Glenview has been a customer of Yoon’s since Stella + Grace opened five years ago.
“There’s a very comfortable boutique feeling inside this store, and you can tell she’s put a lot of thought into it,” said McCarthy, who explained she recently purchased a dress she’s worn many times already. “It’s very pretty in here, and her things are really appealing.”
“Grace’s taste is eclectic,” said customer, Marla Hart of Buffalo Grove. “She absolutely knows fashion and it’s not like walking into Nordstrom in the sense that it’s not clothes you see everywhere.”
Ella Louvi was named after Yoon’s middle name, Ella, and Louvi, which Yoon explained is a small bean that originated in Africa, and which has meaning to her because she and her dad have always been inspired to help build a school in Africa someday.
“I just bought three things and they are a mix of fun and trendy, and statement pieces,” Hart said.
“Grace truly has a gift,” said McCarthy. “She’s got incredible potential to become a well known designer.”
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