With Summer approaching and women beginning to shed black, for more bold, colorful clothing, the timing couldn’t be any better for Lilly Pulitzer’s (http://www.lillypulitzer.com/) first Manhattan store. Pulitzer, who was born to a socialite family in Roslyn, New York in 1931, can trace her fashion roots back to when she eloped, in 1950, with Peter Pulitzer, the grandson of publisher Joseph Pulitzer. The couple who made their home in Palm Beach let a bohemian lifestyle (entertaining in the kitchen, walking barefoot down Worth Avenue – scandalous in those days!), and these influences are clear in almost every piece of clothing that bears the Lilly Pulitzer name.
It didn’t take long for Lilly’s dress to become more popular than the juice she was selling and so began her career as a fashion designer. Jackie Kennedy was one of the first celebrities to sport one of Pulitzer’s dresses (also known as “Lillys”), and when the First Lady was featured in Life Magazine wearing the Classic Shift Dress it became an instant fashion sensation.
Lillys remained popular through the 1980s, after which Pulitzer retired to spend more time with her grandchildren. Lucky for us, her line was revived in 1993 and though she is not involved in the day-to-day administration of the company, she is a creative consultant, approving new designs, fabrics, and collections.
