Remembering the Queen of Color

I spilled a drop of passion fruit tea on my white shirt the other day, and a tear just about came to my eye.

We needed recently deceased, famed designer Lilly Pulitzer (1931-2013) in the world for girls like me — the clumsy type who needs to be reminded every now and then there can be bliss in a little imperfection.

This column commemorates her life and proves Lilly shouldn’t be brushed off as just a preppy brand that sprinkles North Jordan in spring.

Lilly proved there was joy to be found in every little splash of color, even if it was accidental. Born a New York socialite, Lilly and her husband Peter Pulitzer (yes, that Pulitzer), made their home in Palm Beach, Fla., where she first found inspiration for her designs. It was while working at a juice stand that Lilly decided to make a colorful dress that wouldn’t show a little splattered fruit juice. In 1959, the Lilly dress became branded and the closets of resort-goers and members of high society were colored with her bright floral prints.

Though it’s rare to have a brand that has kept such a constant line and still remained successful for more than 50 years, Lilly has, at first glance, appeared to do so.

The classic Lilly shift dress cut is the same she was first taught in home economics class. Even with the additions of her home, office and sorority collections, the prints remain as proudly bright as ever. However, with strong ties to the beach elite and preppy community, the statements Lilly prints make sometimes get overlooked in the array of patterns.

Take a closer look, because Lilly is bolder than you thought. She thrived socially but also thrived for social rights. In fact, the loud prints persisted after the juice stand days to rebel against the prim and proper dullness of some high fashion.

 Her prints also grew political. For example, look past the swirl of yellow pink and green on one print and you catch a naked figure dancing between the floral. Lilly was big on the streaker movement — she always suggested no underwear beneath any of her dresses.

Lilly Pulitzer — the designer herself and her brand — is about art and expression. The line was a child of the sixties, so it makes sense that her array of prints and encouragement for individualism has continued to help others discover theirs. But of course, if Lilly the barefoot tycoon doesn’t speak to your style, I encourage you to open a fruit stand all your own. I’m sure Lilly would be up for a little healthy social contest — my bet’s on the pantiless Queen of Color.
Cheers to Lilly.