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In Southern California, a Lilly Pulitzer Retrospective (Photo)

Palm Beach

On exhibition at Palos Verdes Art Center is a retrospective that pays tribute to the late Lilly Pulitzer.

Lori-Lee Emshey

Lori-Lee Emshey

Published Aug. 31 2013 4:45AM EDT

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/130830-lilly-tease_rqbuyg

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/130830-lilly-tease_ighmdu — On August 9, Southern California's Palos Verdes Art Center opened its Loving Lilly exhibit, paying tribute to fashion designer and socialite Lilly Pulitzer, who passed away, at age 81, in April 2013. Pulitzer left behind three children and a legacy of brightly colored shift dresses that made her both a commercial and cultural success. The late designer brought the fun of Palm Beach to all of America, with patterns and designs that have now become iconic. On display through September 29, Loving Lilly capsulates decades of Pulitzer prints from clothing collector Keni Valenti's personal collection.

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly-pulitzer8_rwiaeg — The exhibit features classic Lilly designs, like the red and white shift dress shown here on the designer, amassed by three decades worth of printed clothing.

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Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly-pulitzer-9_cvsvph — Pulitzer originally designed her signature patterns as a way to hide fruit-juice stains. In the late 1950s, she kept herself busy by selling oranges and grapefruit at her husbands orchard, but by the end of the day, she was covered in pulp. Rather than discard the dress, she turned the Rorschach-esque mistake into a colorful, tropical design.

Howell Conant/TimePix

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly1-cropped_ljxfx0 — Lilly, in 1963, making a dash out of an airplane as her husband, Peter Pulitzer, looks on. Clearly her dresses were made to move in, not just to look classic and carefree.

Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly2-cropped_ljwibm — Lilly Pulitzer admires her Worth Avenue store in 1963, surrounded by pinks, lime greens, oranges, and yellows inspired by her husband's Floridian fruit stands. Pulitzer went on to expand her collection to include designs for men and children as the brand evolved from a pastime to a vibrant cultural status symbol.

Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly-pulitzer7_pftwjc — By the 1960s, Pulitzer's designs were recognized as a staple of Palm Beach socialite culture—her customers included Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Kennedys, and Whitneys. Her dresses provided a comfortable and trendy alternative, like these matching lemon-yellow dresses, to the belted shirtdress of the 1950s and quickly became a summertime staple of the social elites.
Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly-pulitzer6_olp1gb — Valenti admired Pulitzer for her individuality as a designer. His private collection includes everything from vibrant swimwear to wildly printed blazers.

Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

galleries/2013/08/31/the-lilly-pulitzer-legacy/lilly-pulitzer5_pyt35m — While Lilly Pulitzer herself may be gone, her legacy continues for those of all ages who are just discovering Lilly.

Courtesy of Palos Verdes Art Center

Lori-Lee Emshey

Lori-Lee Emshey

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