Suzie Zuzek: The Unrecognized Icon Behind Vibrant 1960's Prints

After years presumed lost or destroyed, the work of pattern designer Suzie Zuzek has been unearthed, reminding us of the incredible hands behind iconic 1960's and 70's fashion label Lilly Pulitzer. Zuzek's designs, described once in a New York Times story as "mescaline rapture of a tropical morning on an infinite golf course" detail vibrant swirls of color, flowers and neon animals. Zuzek created her works in brush, watercolor, guache, pen, ink and graphite. They were then printed and sold as wearable designs. As quoted by her daughter Martha, "What if your mom sat on the second floor of an art studio for a quarter of a century and created an iconic look through her creative genius and nobody knows her name?". And of course this is not an uncommon story, many of our most influential artists and creators go un-named and underrepresented. This article celebrates and commemorates the work of one such artist and shows the incredible commitment that contributed a look that in many ways defined a generation.

Find the original article from W magazine here:

Interested to learn more about Suzie Zuzek's designs?

And don’t forget to look for the book!

Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer: The Artist Behind an Iconic American Fashion Brand