Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer
By (Author) Susan Brown
By (author) Caroline Rennolds Milbank
Rizzoli International Publications
Rizzoli International Publications
27th March 2020
27th March 2020
United States
General
Non Fiction
Fashion and textile design
741.672
Hardback
176
Width 235mm, Height 314mm
The brightly colored, playful prints of Lilly Pulitzer's clothing were a staple of American fashion in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s--worn by members of society from Palm Beach to Nantucket, actresses, models, and stylish housewives. One could always spot a Lilly with its undeniable characteristics: clean, comfortable lines; bright and vivid colors; and the fantastical design of its fabrics. Whether at the beach or a cocktail party, these simple shifts for women and girls and jackets and trousers for the gents were a preppy rite of passage. The majority of Pulitzer's fabric designs from 1962 through 1985 were based on artwork by Key West-based artist Suzie Zuzek. These designs--monkeys sipping martinis, dancing flowers, colorful seashells, op-art geometrics--were all the rage and attracted the eye of such ladies as Jackie Kennedy, Happy Rockefeller, and Dina Merrill. This book--which is a treasure trove of the iconic prints and contextualizes the purely American label--is a must-have for the libraries of those who love fashion and social history.
Susan Brown is the associate curator of textiles at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. Caroline Rennolds Milbank is a Charleston-based fashion historian, author, curator, and appraiser.