Lilly Pulitzer facts for kids

Lillian Pulitzer Rousseau (born Lillian Lee McKim; November 10, 1931 – April 7, 2013) was an American fashion designer. She was better known as Lilly Pulitzer. She started a company called Lilly Pulitzer, Inc. This company is famous for making clothes with bright, colorful patterns. Because her brand was very popular with wealthy people, Lilly was often called the "Queen of Prep".

Lilly's Early Life and Family

Lillian Lee McKim, who everyone called Lilly, was born in Roslyn, New York, on November 10, 1931. Her mother, Lillian, came from a very rich family. Her family was connected to the Standard Oil fortune. Lilly had two sisters, Mary Maude and Florence Fitch.

Lilly went to school in New York City at the Chapin School. She was even classmates with Jacqueline Bouvier, who later became Jackie Kennedy. In 1949, she finished school at Miss Porter's School. She briefly attended Finch College in New York City. After college, she worked as a midwife's assistant and volunteered at a hospital.

In 1950, Lilly married Peter Pulitzer. He was the grandson of a famous newspaper publisher, Joseph Pulitzer. Lilly and Peter moved to Palm Beach, Florida. They had three children together: Peter, Minnie, and Liza. Lilly and Peter later divorced in 1969. She then married Enrique Rousseau. She officially changed her name to Lillian Rousseau. However, her clothing company kept the famous "Lilly Pulitzer" name. Lilly continued to live in Palm Beach. Enrique passed away in 1993.

Lilly's Passing

Lilly Pulitzer died at her home in Palm Beach, Florida on April 7, 2013. She was 81 years old.

How the Lilly Pulitzer Brand Started

After Lilly and Peter married, they settled in Palm Beach, Florida. Peter owned several Florida citrus groves. Lilly decided to open a juice stand using fruit from his groves. Her stand was located in Palm Beach, near a famous shopping street called Worth Avenue.

While working at her juice stand, Lilly often got juice stains on her clothes. To hide these stains, she designed a special dress. It was a sleeveless, loose-fitting dress made from bright, colorful printed cotton fabric. Customers at her juice stand loved her unique dress. They started asking if they could buy the dresses too! Soon, Lilly was selling more dresses than juice. She decided to focus on making and selling her popular dresses. These dresses became known as "Lillys."

In 1959, Lilly officially became the president of her own company, Lilly Pulitzer, Inc. The company's main factory was in Miami, Florida. The colorful fabrics were made by a company in Key West.

The Brand's Popularity and Return

From the 1960s to the early 1980s, Lilly's bright and colorful clothes were very popular. Many famous and wealthy people wore them. This included First Lady Jackie Kennedy. Members of the Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Whitney families also loved her designs.

By 1984, Lilly felt she wasn't having as much fun with the business. She decided to retire and closed her clothing company.

However, in 1993, a company called Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. bought the rights to the Lilly Pulitzer brand. They wanted to bring the brand back because they loved Lilly's designs. Lilly herself said they wanted to revive it because "their mothers and sisters loved Lilly." Lilly wasn't involved in the daily work of the company anymore. But she still helped by approving new designs, fabrics, and collections.

Today, the Lilly Pulitzer company is very successful. It has many special Lilly Pulitzer Signature Stores. You can also find Lilly Pulitzer clothes in large department stores like Bloomingdales and Nordstrom. In 2010, Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. was bought by Oxford Industries, Inc.

What Lilly Pulitzer Sells

A Lilly Pulitzer store at The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Besides women's clothing, the company also makes many other products. These include men's clothing, children's clothing, and maternity clothes. They also sell shoes, jewelry, and other accessories. You can even find Lilly Pulitzer bedding and stationery. In 2010, the company started a bridal collection for weddings.

Lilly Pulitzer has also created special collections for sororities. These include designs for groups like Kappa Delta and Delta Delta Delta. The company has even held contests on social media to let people vote on which sororities will get their own special prints.

Lilly Pulitzer's Impact

Lilly Pulitzer clothing is seen as a must-have item for "preppy" women. This idea was made popular in humorous books like The Official Preppy Handbook.

The Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Boynton Beach, Florida, held an exhibit about Lilly Pulitzer's clothing and designs. It ran from August 2010 to May 2011. The museum director said that Lilly Pulitzer fashion is important to American culture. She also said it is very important to the history of Palm Beach County and Florida.

Images for kids

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  Lilly Pulitzer dresses in Suzie Zuzek prints, around 1965 (RISD Museum)