As one of the most talked-about figures, Lilly Pulitzer has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.
What was Lilly Pulitzer's net worth?
Lilly Pulitzer was an American socialite and fashion designer who had a net worth of $50 million at the time of her death in 2013.
Pulitzer began her business career in the 1950s in Palm Beach, Florida, where she lived with her husband Herbert. The couple owned a number of orange groves in the state, and with produce from the groves opened a juice stand in Palm Beach. While working at the stand, Pulitzer found that her clothes got incredibly messy when she squeezed juice, and so she asked her dressmaker to design a dress that could camouflage the juice stains. She began selling the dresses at the stand, and eventually was selling more dresses than juice.
Lilly Pulitzer Inc., 1959-1984
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
In 1959, Pulitzer became the president of her eponymous clothing company, which had its main factory in Miami, Florida. The majority of the company's prints were designed by Suzie Zuzek of Key West Hand Prints. With their bright colors and summery floral designs, Pulitzer's clothes became hugely popular in the 1960s, remaining so throughout the 1970s as well. The clothes were worn by many famous figures, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and members of the prominent Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families. In 1984, Pulitzer closed down her brand.
Lilly Pulitzer was best known for her eponymous clothing brand. Specializing in bright, floral-print women's apparel, the brand was hugely popular in the 1960s and '70s, and was later revived with children's clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, stationery, and more. Among her other activities, Pulitzer penned a pair of lifestyle books with Jay Mulvaney. From the 1960s to the 1980s her clothing was worn by celebrities such asJacqueline Kennedy Onassis,Caroline Kennedy, and members of families such as the Rockefellers, Whitneys, and Vanderbilts.
Lilly Pulitzer was born as Lillian McKim on November 10, 1931 in Roslyn, New York. For her higher education, she went to Finch College, a women's college in New York City.
Pulitzer closed down the operation in 1984 but the rights were purchased by Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. in 1993 and the brand was revived. Target announced a collaboration with Pulitzer in 2015. Lilly Pulitzer passed away on April 7, 2013 at 81 years of age.
In summary, the total wealth of Lilly Pulitzer reflects strategic moves.
Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.
