Lilly Pulitzer Then & Now

Inspiration from Vintage Lilly Pulitzer

It was a strange coincidence that as we set out to do a story for VHL&D (predecessor to today’s HLD) about vintage Lilly Pulitzer we learned of her passing. What started out as a project to draw inspiration from vintage Lilly Wear turned into a tribute to her work. We scored vintage Lilly pieces from thrift stores with the help of our friend Ambie Hay of @palmbeachthrifters and captured images based on old Lilly print ads that we found.

Models Anna and Maddie wearing matching Lilly Dresses

Anna in a vintage Lilly Tunic

LOVE IT OR HATE IT, LILLY PULITZER’S FASHIONS AND PATTERNS ARE UNDENIABLY IDENTIFIABLE. SOCIALITE-TURNED-DESIGNER LILLY PULITZER HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON HISTORY WITH THE CREATION OF HER BRIGHT PATTERNS AND BOLD DESIGNS. INITIALLY, SHE CREATED CLOTHING WITH THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE OF DISGUISING JUICE STAINS. AS THE WIFE OF GROVE OWNER PETER PULITZER, LILLY OPENED A SMALL STAND IN THE LATE 1950S TO SELL FRESH SQUEEZED JUICE ON VIA MIZNER, JUST OFF WORTH AVENUE IN PALM BEACH. IT WAS A MESSY JOB, BUT FROM CHAOS BRILLIANCE IS OFTEN BORN. QUICKLY THE DRESSES BECAME MORE POPULAR THAN THE JUICE AND A BUSINESS THAT WOULD BECOME ICONIC EMERGED. ALTHOUGH THE POPULARITY OF LILLY PULITZER CLOTHING WANED IN THE EIGHTIES, THE COMPANY SAW RESURGENCE IN THE NINETIES AND HAS BEEN GROWING STEADILY EVER SINCE. TODAY, VINTAGE LILLY IS A RARE COMMODITY THAT IS COVETED BY HER FANS EVERYWHERE, EVEN MORE SO SINCE HER PASSING.