How did Lilly Pulitzer start?
With a juice stand!
Lilly was a NY socialite who eloped with Peter Pulitzer, grandson of Pulitzer Prize's Joseph Pulitzer. They settled in Palm Beach, Florida. Peter owned several citrus groves, but Lilly needed something of her own to do. In the 1950's, she took some of her husband's produce and opened a juice stand. It was a huge success, but the juice from her work was ruining her clothes. She asked her dressmaker to design a dress that would help hide the juice stains. The result? A classic, sleeveless shift in bright pink, yellow, orange, and green printed cotton. Her juice customers fell in love with her dress and Lilly began selling a few from her juice stand. The dresses started outselling the juice. Jackie Kennedy was featured in Life magazine wearing a Lilly Pulitzer shift and the rest is history!