The process has always been the same – trap the most creative people in the building (that always includes Janie and the print team), dose us all up with caffeine and pile up the chocolates and desserts and let the creativity flow! We always start the brainstorm with our goal in mind – to celebrate the city’s [where our retail store will be located] culture, lifestyle and people and infuse that with the fun and whimsy that is Lilly Pulitzer.  Once the brainstorm ends, the team creates illustrations (the sketches you see in this post) of the vision for the store and these are the guides used for the build out process. We started this process called Lilly-fication about 4 years ago and appropriately, it started in our Palm Beach Garden store!  And let me tell you, each year we get better and crazier – from printed animal heads on walls to swinging monkeys on chandeliers.

For Phipps, we started with the main sales floor and included lots of magnolia flowers – what can be more Atlanta and southern?! The magnolia flowers are made from lightweight cardboard, lacquered and painted with a matte finish that gives it an artsy but sexy and feminine look. But we are KNOWN for our extravagant fitting rooms and at Phipps, we truly stepped it up. Four fitting rooms with four different designs.

We always include the “Lilly Story” which has become a staple for us- it’s just how we do it that always changes & surprises our customers. This time, we told the “It all started with a juice stand” story through wallpaper designed by print designer, Ashley Begley. We topped it off with a hand painted watercolor inside a shadow box that will be hanging in the room. The toile dressing room (above-done by our toile master, Paige Smith) is hand painted with truly ATL landmarks and something nutty on the ceiling. And since golfing is pretty big in Atlanta, we let this inspire us to fill the room with colored golf balls & tees – ALL OVER!  The last dressing room we can describe as Resort Chic- shells fill this room and they pop off a bright pink background!

As you go towards the back of the store, you will see this vestibule that we call “Strike a pose” – we know people in ATL love to be photographed, so we have these real cameras lacquered and painted with the yummiest colors. You will definitely will be striking a pose when you see this room!

Even the bathrooms get Lilly-fied. The word Hotlanta was our inspiration, soooo we were inspired by anything HOT and fiery – you’ll see exactly what we mean when you step into this room!

Opening this store, and really every store, is a true labor of love for all of us. We are so excited that the doors are open and that we can now share the store with all of Atlanta. We sure hope you come see our whimsical, colorful, and printed store as only Lilly Pulitzer can do!  Be sure to plan a visit to this retail location if you’re ever in Atlanta- it won’t disappoint!

Photography courtesy of Deb Jansen Photography

Shop High Tide Toile

1. What inspired this print?
There are few times when I am happier than when I am on the beach. I love spending the day on a big beach towel, surrounded by friends, laughing about the events from the night before. Armed with iced tea and tons of magazines, we get warm in the sun and cool off in the water. I am usually desperately trying to get a tan but if I had a cute striped umbrella like the ones in this print I might be more responsible about staying in the shade…

2. How did you come up with its name?
The tide looks like it is coming up in this print. There is a lot of movement. You can almost see the waves breaking on the sand.

3. What secrets are hidden?
Sunbathers are hidden all over this print, many of them inspired by friends and family! “Lilly” is hidden all over the place, you can find it in the waves, fences, tents and grass.

4. What materials (watercolors, acrylic, block print…) did you use or combine to create the artwork?
I created High Tide Toile with pen and watercolor.

5. What does this print say about the Lilly girl wearing it?
That summer is her favorite time of year and she adores the beach!

Lace is absolutely EVERYWHERE these days. Of course, lace has always been a big part of what Lilly does but we’re excited to see other people jumping on board to adore & adorn lace too! Creating special lace for our Lilly Lovers is quite an art and our designers are up for the challenge.  Check out the four ways we’re Lillifying lace in our Summer collection…

Battenburg Lace
Our signature Batternburg lace is BACK. This lace is extra special – - the artwork to create the lace was drawn in-house and then every panel was created by hand giving each garment a one-of-a-kind quality. The pattern was designed to flatter the figure and curve with the body. Grab it in every bold color this summer before it’s too late! (The MarieKate in all three colors are top sellers!)

RicRac Lace
We pay attention to details in the Pink Palace. Ric Rac is a trim we’ve adored for YEARS but never had we dreamed we could make it into a lace! Zoom in to see these gorgeous embellishments in full on the Lonnie Dress.

Back Lace
Lilly girls are full of surprises. Secretly sexy. Shhhhh, don’t give this one away — let it be discovered. We can’t get enough of the impeccable details on the Monique Dress!

Boaty Lace
We are unapologetically nautical in the summer (have you seen our You Gotta Regatta print!?)  When the Reeve dress came into the office we couldn’t contain ourselves — it combines our two favorite things this summer — boats and lace!

TOMORROW (May 24, 2012) marks the opening of our latest and possibly MOST glamorous Lilly Pulitzer store – the retail store at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, GA.  Lilly is not new to the Atlanta area (Mint Julep is an Atlanta-based Signature Store and Belk and Bloomingdale’s also carry Lilly) but we are very excited to give our Lilly Lovers a shopping experience in this fabulous location that will leave them talking and of course, coming back!  Heather Skop is Phipp’s fearless leader and she brings with her a passion for fashion, a love of Lilly and great retail experience we know our Hotlanta customers will appreciate.  Here’s more from Heather…

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a native Atlantian, but headed off to the sunshine state for college at Florida State University (go Noles!). In 2005 I moved to Franklin, TN where I opened my own clothing boutique (I’ve always had a love of fashion!). I have a Yorkie named Twiggy whom I adore and I’m so excited to be back in my home state of Atlanta and working at Lilly Pulitzer!

2. What’s your Lilly story?
My very first Lilly dress was purchased for a beachside wedding reception in the Palm Beach area. I naturally thought Lilly would be the perfect style for the occasion but when I starting trying on the dresses I fell in LOVE. I ended up buying 3 dresses that day instead of just the one that I went in for! (I bet this sounds familiar to some of you!)

3. Introduce us to your team.
I have the BEST MANAGEMENT TEAM EVER! I actually have 2 Lilly Pulitzer retail store transfers on my team – Lauren, the store assistant manager, is transferring from our Palm Beach Gardens store and Morgan is an associate manager coming from our Sarasota store. Lynnlee, also an associate manager, lives locally and her past experience is in the boutique world like me. We are all super excited to meet all of the ATL Lilly Lovers!

4. Every Lilly store is unique- what’s so special about the Atlanta store?
Well just being in Phipps Plaza is particularly glamorous of course, but the hand-painting done by our print designers and is INCREDIBLE. My favorite room is the Georgia Toile fitting room. Every GA peach will immediately fall in love.

5. Tell us about all the goings-on in Atlanta that will require Lilly dressing.
I can’t imagine an event doesn’t require Lilly dressing From Cocktails in the Garden at the Botanical Gardens (Lilly is sponsoring the entire month of June so Lilly is definitely a safe bet!) to an afternoon at the Georgia Aquarium to a wedding at the Georgian Terrace, Lilly has you covered!

6. If we should stop by your store, what do we HAVE to see? Everything! (but if there’s someone in the Georgia dressing room when you stop in, be sure to wait- it’s a MUST SEE!)

7. When our doors open, we guarantee _____________ will fly off the shelves.
The Marie Kate dress, the Skinny Minnie jeans and anything in the Clam Jam print!

8. Tell us how you’re celebrating your opening over the next few weeks.
This weekend (our official FIRST weekend!), we will have special gifts with purchase and for our Grand Opening weekend, (June 9th & 10th) we will have a very special gift with purchase (hint: Georgia State Print!) as well as live painting from one of our print designers! The atmosphere in the store is colorful and happy so any day you come by, we’ll be celebrating!

9. In 3 words or less, describe Lilly Pulitzer Phipps Plaza: Fabulous, glamorous, colorful

Calling all GOLF FANS! Lilly is very excited to announce that we are the official apparel sponsor of Morgan Pressel, LPGA golfer, for her 2012 season!  Morgan, who turned pro at age 17 and became the youngest player to win an LPGA championship, continues to play well on the tour this year. AND, she looks amazing in our Summer ’12 collection! Morgan is a long-time Lilly Lover who hails from Florida, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with her as she lights up (and brightens up!) the tour!

“I am thrilled and honored to partner with Lilly Pulitzer, a brand that I’ve loved since childhood. There is no question that Lilly Pulitzer keeps me feeling good and looking great on and off the golf course,” said Morgan Pressel. “As a Florida native…, I get to take a little piece of home with me while on Tour.”

Be sure to watch for Morgan sporting our latest styles and cheer her on throughout the season!

The Vandy AOII girls impressed us with their 10,000 (10,000!!!!) hours of volunteer service just this year. (we love that at Lilly)  Yet… they still managed to maintain a strong GPA and better yet, have a GREAT time doing it!  Find out more about some of Nashville’s finest….and our first Alpha Omicron Pi chapter to be featured here on Sisterhood Spotlight!

1. School, Sorority & Chapter Name
Vanderbilt University, Alpha Omicron Pi, Nu Omicron Chapter

2. Size of your Chapter and date/year your Chapter was founded
170 sisters, founded in 1917

3. The 3 Lilly items from the Summer Collection you’ll surely find in our closets are:
a. The Callahan Short in Multi You Gotta Regatta - The Callahan short is a staple in any Vandy AOII’s wardrobe. Simple and fun, this short is so cute and this great nautical print brightens up any summer outfit!
b. The Lynnie Skirt in Resort White Mariposa – what better to brighten a summer day than an adorable, scalloped skirt? We can’t get enough of scalloping this summer, and this skirt is perfect for a weekend brunch or lunch date.  You’ll see our sisters sporting these all over our gorgeous campus.
c. Shauna Tunic Dress Crochet in True Navy Starboard Crochet - Our sisters love to wear the color navy- it’s a classic twist on the traditional black.  Combined with an adorable crochet knit, what’s not to love? We love to pair this dress with a great pair of Lilly wedges, making it perfect for a nice dinner with friends or a graduation ceremony.
d. We are also SO excited for our Lilly print to be available to pre-order this summer. It will surely become a staple on our campus!  I think every AOII’s iPhone case will soon be covered in Lilly’s AOII print!

4. The Lillyest day of the year on our campus is definitely… the Homecoming football game in October.  All of our alumnae come back in town, and everyone breaks out their best Lilly dress to tailgate and celebrate our football team.  We love going to school in the south and wearing our Lilly and pearls to football games!  It makes games even more fun when you can dress up in Lilly.

5. The 3 things we want PNMs to know about AOII at Vanderbilt are:
a. We pride ourselves on being genuine and real women.  Our sisters have lasting bonds and are honest with each other.  We think we have the best relationships with each other because we value each sister’s individual differences and strengths.
b. We’re accomplished- we always strive to improve ourselves, through philanthropy, academics, sisterhood, and any other facet.  We have consistently posted a GPA over a 3.5, raised over $10,000 for our philanthropy, The Arthritis Foundation, this year, and went on a thrilling white water rafting sisterhood retreat.
c. We have tons of fun! We’ve had parties and formals at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Riverwood Mansion and Plantation, among many other great Nashville spots.  We also love to compete in (and win!) fraternity philanthropy events and host swaps and parties to make sure our sisters are always having a great time.  You’ll find our “Party With Pandas” tanks all over campus.

6. Lilly Lovers would fit right in here because… our sisters are fun and full of life, and we love to celebrate whenever we can.  Lilly personifies our sisters’ spirit and love for life and each other.  You’ll always find our sisters together on campus sporting their bright and colorful clothing!

7. We’re proud to say that… our sisters gave over 10,000 hours of community service to the Vanderbilt and Nashville community over the past year.  From volunteering as mentors to starting their own volunteer organizations, you’ll always find Vandy AOIIs dedicating their time to helping others.

8. Did you know… our sister, Dallas Jessup, is the founder of her own non-profit, Just Yell Fire, an organization that empowers young women to stand up for their rights and escape violence when trouble finds them.  Dallas has produced and starred in multiple films, traveled the country as a motivational speaker, and written multiple books. She was named a CNN Hero, has testified in the U.S. Congress, and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award. We are so proud to call her our sister and support her valiant efforts.

9. Our favorite chapter tradition is… our Senior Wills and Prophecies Chapter.  Before graduation, each senior is given time to pass down her AOII heirlooms and memorabilia to younger chapter members, and each sister’s ‘family’ shares their prophecy for that sister’s future after graduation. It’s a cherished time for our chapter to celebrate our graduates and wish them good luck in their future endeavors.

10. In one word, AOII is… home.  Our sisters truly love each other and we all find our home away from home in our sisterhood at Vanderbilt.  Over our 95 years at Vanderbilt, our sisters have established a network of love and support to help each other have the best Vanderbilt and AOII experience possible!

Shop Chiquita Bonita

 This print is a summer statement maker. It has a fun story behind it too…it actually STARTED as an embroidery. Print Designer Stacey Novelli painted it, the print design team fell in love and sent it out as an embroidery. The sample came in and everyone just died. We loved it so much that it was turned into a print… normally things go the other way around! It’s printed on a light summer cotton with lurex running through it – which means it has a bit of sparkle — and who can resist a little print with a little sparkle?!?!?!  Here’s more of the story behind the print from Stacey…

1. What inspired this print?
Nothing reminds me more of summer than shells. I collect shells each summer with my daughter at the beach and decided to do a print/embroidery based on the collection I’ve created over the years. I also used starfish as the place card holders at my wedding (which was on the beach!) so I had to incorporate those as well. I am a beach girl at heart and love SUMMER most of all!

2. How did you come up with its name?
Chiquita Bonita is [loosely] translated into “pretty little girl” or “pretty girl.” I call my little girl, Olivia, Chiquita Bonita (of course she’s the prettiest girl of them all!) but what big girl wouldn’t feel beautiful in this exploding palette of shells?!

3. What secrets are hidden?
Not a lot is “hidden” (everything is BIG, BIG, BIG) in this print, but there are lots of scallop shells, bubbles, conch shells, starfish and waves…and Lilly, of course!

4. What materials did you use or combine to create the artwork?
My original creation of the print (actually, embroidery!) was painted with india ink.

5. What does this print say about the Lilly girl wearing it?
She is ready for Summer with a capital “S”!!!

As our retail stores bloom, our need for enthusiastic, experienced Lilly Lovers to staff our stores also grows. (Check our job openings here!) We decided to have a quick chat with recently promoted (because she’s AH-MAZING) District Manager, Courtney Bird, so she could give an insider’s view on what it’s like working in retail management at Lilly Pulitzer…

1. What is your favorite part about managing a Lilly Pulitzer retail store?
My favorite part of managing a Lilly Pulitzer retail store is that every day is different. Each day is like a fresh start and I always look forward to introducing a new customer to Lilly Pulitzer! And no matter what region you work in, the store staff is always in the resort mindset which is obviously a great way to start any day! When I was working in Chicago, I remember thinking how funny it was that outside was a snow storm and inside I’m selling beautiful Lilly printed shift dresses! You couldn’t ask for anything better – it’s like a mini–vacation every day!

2. In your experience, what makes the Lilly customer so unique?
Our girl is connected to the brand in so many ways- she remembers her first time wearing Lilly or giving Lilly as a gift and can’t wait to get a friend or family member hooked on the brand. Helping a customer enjoy her first experience with Lilly is always amazing. We love telling the Lilly story and seeing girls faces light up – it would make anyone’s day!!

3. Why do you love working for Lilly Pulitzer?
A career at Lilly is just as upbeat and happy as our prints! Lilly is team-oriented and we are all working toward the same goal – delighting our Lilly girl with beautiful merchandise! Every experience is completely “Lillyfied” from our corporate offices (the “Pink Palace”) to our stores (most are beautifully hand-painted by our print designers!); from our management meetings to smaller, team meetings – everything is always full of color!

4. What are 3 ways to describe being in retail management at Lilly Pulitzer?
High energy, solution oriented, and upbeat with a team approach!

5. What’s the 1 thing you didn’t expect coming into the Store Manager role?
I was surprised by the connection that Lilly has with its local community. The Store Manager plays an important role in working with community members to plan fundraisers, events, and parties. There are always new opportunities to reach out to the local market to meet and make new Lilly Lovers. This was an unexpected aspect that was very fulfilling for me and I know other store managers feel the same way.

6. A store manager at Lilly should definitely be… vivacious!
So that’s my word, but when I asked a couple other retail managers, they came up with “self motivated,” “enthusiastic,” and “a go-getter” – and I agree with all of those as well! Store managers are definitely spirited which is perfectly fitting for the brand and our customers!

Soooo… are you interested in joining our team?  Check out our openings in retail management on our Dream Jobs page!

The Tri-Delts from SMU have QUITE the Sisterhood Spotlight Pinterest board – they say they’re involved in everything, we think this proves it!  These “southernistas” (love that!) are getting to redo their sorority house – dontcha think they need a Lilly-inspired room??   Find out more about these hell fundraisers from the lone star state!

1. School, Sorority & Chapter Name
Southern Methodist University: Delta Delta Delta, Theta Kappa Chapter

2. Size of your Chapter and date/year your Chapter was founded
SMU is home to 174 fabulous Tri-Deltas! We have been on campus since 1919!

3. Quotables
“From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it; From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.”

4. The 3 Lilly items from the Summer Collection you’ll surely find in our closets are:
1. Worth Straight Crop Jeans: Love these white pants!! Dress them up with Resort Chic Wedges, or dress them down with McKim sandals! Perfect for class, errands, or even a night out in Dallas!
2. Shauna Tunic Dress Crochet: Look at this chic crochet number! This is great for the boulevard tailgate, and it’s blue! (tri delta colors!…need we say more?!)
3. The Kolby Dress: Cannot get enough of this sassy white dress! Wear it to initiation, to the first “White-Out” football game of the season, or jazz it up with a clutch for formal. This is a DDD Must HAVE!

5. The Lillyest day of the year on our campus is definitely… any football game-day! (Especially beforehand on the Boulevard)

6. The 3 things we want PNMs to know about Delta Delta Delta at Southern Methodist University are:
a) Everywhere you look on campus you see Tri Deltas! We are involved in everything: SMU Cheerleading, Retail Club, Mock Trial, Student Foundation, Tennis Club, SMU Volleyball, and so much more!

b) Delta Delta Delta Nationally reached its goal of raising 10 million dollars in 10 years for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in just 4 short years! The next fundraising goal is to raise 15 million dollars in 5 years. Our Theta Kappa chapter of DDD at SMU raises money for St. Jude through Delta Diner, Tri Delta Triple Play, and Sincerely Yours!!

c) We always spend time together! Whether we are getting dolled up to go out on the town as sisters, piling into the TV Room on Monday nights to watch the latest episode of Gossip Girl, or even pulling all-nighters at the Library, you will always see Tri-Deltas together, and always see them having fun!

7. Lilly Lovers would fit right in here because…
Located in Dallas, Texas, SMU is known for its beautiful weather, gorgeous campus, and its trend-setting southernistas! Whether shopping in Highland Park Village, grabbing dinner with the sisters in Uptown, or tailgating on the Boulevard for a big game, a Lilly is always a perfect go-to…and not to brag, but the Delta Delta Delta Lilly print is to die for!!!

8. We’re proud to say that… one of our members, Megan Welch, was named most outstanding woman for the entire SMU class of 2012- we’re so proud of her, and she definitely deserves it! SMU Tri-Delta is a Tri-fecta of fabulousness! We’re classy, smart, and true sisters!

9. Did you know… that starting this summer, our sorority house is being completely rebuilt! Can’t wait to live there…The Delta Shelta is turning into a Castle with the perfect closet space for all of our Lilly dresses!!

10. Our favorite chapter tradition is… “Fireside” which is the night before Bid Day! The entire chapter gets together all night while the Seniors tell us stories and memories (shenanigans included!) This is just one of the ways that brings our sisterhood together and makes us appreciate being part of such a fabulous organization.

11. Some of our famous Alumni are… Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx (what would we do without her?!), Katie Couric, and Molly Sims!

12. In one word, Tri-Deltas are… SPONTANEOUS!

Pre-Order Today!

It’s never too soon to plan for planning! No seriously, Lilly girls loooove to plan- after all, how do you pull off fabulous brunches by day and legendary parties by night — all without breaking a sweat?! (yes, we realize there’s about a jillion other things you do tucked in the middle but be honest- those are the highlights!) So we all have a not-so-little secret – it’s our constant companion, trusted adviser and dare-we-compare-it-to-oxygen Lilly agenda! We/You/Everyone loves it so much that we needed more, more, more! We’re excited to introduce you to THREE *new* styles of the Lilly agenda!!

o The Soft Cover Agenda: This is the same in size and layout as the large agenda we’ve offered in the past but it will have a flexible, plastic cover for a lighter weight version of the version you loved before – for the girl on the go!

o The Jumbo Agenda: This will be an 8.5” X 11” notebook sized agenda – large and in-charge [of your plans]! This agenda will feature a hard cover and will include extra lined notebook pages inside. It’s a great agenda/notebook combo for students with style!

o The Monthly Planner: The monthly planner is a soft cover agenda slimmed down to just feature a monthly view. This 13 month planner is the same size as the large agenda and it’s soft, flexible and easy for people who are just looking for an at-a-glance reference agenda!

But wait.. that’s not all! (is this an infomercial?!) You are going to DIE over the launch of EXTRA STICKER PACKS!!  Oh yeah, you asked (and asked, and asked, and asked!) and we heard you loud & clear!  We hope you love the Greek, Mom and College student sticker packs we designed especially for you!!  (coming soon online)

Shop Large Agendas

Shop Small Agendas

Agendas will be shipping in early July so you can load up those pages with all your plans for leading a colorful life! Pre-order yours today!