Lilly Pulitzer

It all started with one incredible woman who had the courage to find her joy and create her own sunshine. Along with being a beloved mother and grandmother, Lilly Pulitzer was one of the earliest female entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and the originator of American Resort wear. In 1959 Lilly was a stylish Palm Beach hostess and socialite whose husband Peter Pulitzer owned several Florida citrus groves — and she wanted a project of her own. With Peter’s produce, she opened a juice stand in Palm Beach. But this wasn’t your typical juice stand… Lilly Pulitzer’s business was a hit, but squeezing oranges made a mess of her clothes. Realizing that she needed a juice stand “uniform”, Lilly asked her dressmaker to design a dress that would camouflage the stains. And ZINGO! A comfortable sleeveless shift dress made of bright, colorful printed cotton in pink, green, yellow, and orange made its debut. Although her customers liked Lilly’s juice, they loved her shifts. Soon Lilly was selling more shifts than juice, so she decided to focus on designing and selling her “Lillys.” Today, Lilly’s iconic designs remain the unofficial uniform of Palm Beach with a multi‐generational fan base just as loyal as decades ago. Lilly was a true original with an excellent eye and always believed in doing things her own way—she created a new way of dressing that has endured for generations and even more importantly, a celebration of looking as good as you feel.