In Memory of Lilly Pulitzer, May she rest in Pink.

 

 

As you all may know, Lilly Pulitzer passed away this weekend at the age of 81.  She was adored by sorority women and resort-wearers around the world.  Lilly married the very wealthy grandson of Joseph Pulitzer (aka the Pulitzer Prize).  The couple was known for hosting wild parties. However, after a few years, she had a nervous collapse and went crazy. When she finally returned home, she began an orange juice stand to keep herself entertained while her husband was at work. This soon turned into a fashion empire, after she realized she was spilling juice on her clothes and needed a way to camoflauge the mess.  So, she created a sleeveless floral shift dress made out of a bright and colorful cotton.  With that, Lilly Pulitzer's bold and tropical design was created.  Customers loved her dress, so she created a few more to sell with the juice. Her dresses, or "Lillys" as she called them,  rose to fame (her marriage was not as successful and she divorced to marry Enrique Rousseau). She began selling her dresses exclusively in Palm Beach circles, and then globally as her friends appeared in magazines.  Then, her childhood friend from boarding school, Jacqueline Kennedy (my idol), wore a Lilly dress while on vacation.  From there, Lilly Pulitzer became a brand that none of us will ever forget.  Due to a few unfortunate business decisions in 1984, the brand sought bankrupcy protection, but was revived in the 1990s.  Personally, I blame the lack of fashion in the 80's generation.  Although Lilly consulted with the company in recent years, she mostly stayed out of it, and lived a private life in Palm Beach.

      The takeaway here, is how inspiring Lilly Pulitzer really is.  She had a bit of a mental breakdown, but was able to overcome and rise above to new heights.  She took lemons, well, oranges actually, and turned them into a beyond successful clothing brand.

      Lilly Pulitzer was wealthy heiress who lived a colorful life, and wanted everyone else to live that way as well.  She was a fashion icon who believed that happiness never went out of style. To her, life was a party all the time, and what better way to live than that? 

 

We believe elegance can be casual. We believe gracefulness can be compatible with fits of laughter. We believe in living a colorful life- Lilly Pulitzer (1931-2013)