Tuesday, April 9, 2013

A Tribute to Lilly Pulitzer and her Brand

In the past couple days we lost two very amazing women, Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister and Lilly Pulitzer, a socialite turned fashion designer who brought super vibrant colors together for tropical inspired ready to wear for the masses. While I think going into detail about Thatcher doesn't fit into the Prim and Propah aesthetic, it is no surprise to those in the know that Lilly Pulitzer certainly does. Though Lilly and her designs have always represented the "wealthy and elite", there is something about Lilly Pulitzer's story that resonates with me and my urge to make a mark, even small, on the design world.

Though I have never been drawn to the Lilly Pulitzer prints for my own personal wear, I do have a great admiration for women who have made their own business successful with hard work and motivation. Like Barbara Bradley Baekgaard of Vera Bradley, Lilly Pulitzer has made her prints a selling point, reaching women who want a certain kind of look, whether playful and flirty or overtly feminine. From her initial market, the wealthy beach goer to the women who purchase her look presently, there is a specific market that Lilly and her peers have hit successfully. This is something that I admire wholeheartedly.


“Lilly the lady was so much more than Lilly the label,” Steven Stolman, a designer who consulted on a retrospective of Ms. Pulitzer’s work in 2008 at Parsons the New School for Design, said on Sunday. “In reality, her persona was far more colorful than the clothes. In so many aspects, she was a very reluctant fashion icon.”*

Reluctant fashion icon or not, it was a sad day when the world lost this self made fashion designer. I think that we will have a conversation about Lilly in our Couture Design class this coming Thursday, not because she was a couture designer but because we will no doubt talk about how she made her business one that we can only hope to emulate. The main goal of us being in the fashion design program is to bring our designs to market and to eventually be successful. LP's model might be unorthodox but then, there are probably more artists than we know that have an unorthodox story.


*Additional information via The NY Times

16 comments:

  1. Yeah I like to hear stories, especially from women of an older age bracket, who made something of themselves when it was much more difficult for them. I feel like we are afforded many more opportunities than they might have been. All things I think about haha!

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  2. See I like funky things, I probably would wear those prints. I have such respect for her, she has such a great story. And a strong force!

    www.nightchayde.blogspot.com

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  3. I know she has definitely contributed a lot. She will truly be remembered well. :)

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  4. What a great tribute! I have always wanted to own one of her dresses. I posted my own tribute to Lilly. It seems she had a lot of admirers of all ages.

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  5. Lovely post! My mom absolutely adored her bright & vivid prints, and those shift dresses!!! I love that she marched to the beat of her own drum...to this day she appeals to people of all ages.
    xo,
    Jackie
    www.stylemydreams.wordpress.com

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  6. Such a great tribute! I adore her and am so inspired by the legacy she has created. Just adore her, she will be missed.

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  7. Very Inspiring, I can only hope to be as successful as her in fashion

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  8. Marching to the beat of our own drum is sometimes easier said than done, so it sure is admirable.

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  9. I like funky things too. I have found some great 70s prints at thrift stores. I think a LP dress would have to matched with something a little less feminine for me to be game. ;-)

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  10. Lovely post. I couldn´t believe it myself...both within this short time...we lost great women!

    http://jezzdallasmakeup.blogspot.com/

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  11. You are right, good bye to a true great!

    xx
    Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes

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  12. I know it's sad but she lived a full life an left her mark, which is something I can hope for!

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  13. I am always sad when a woman who has made her mark passes but both did, make their mark that is.

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