Between 1962 and 1985, Suzie Zuzek created over 1,500 designs for Key West Hand Print Fabrics in Key West, Florida. These designs were utilized to great effect in the iconic fashion of Lily Pulitzer, who developed a close partnership with the screen-printing business. Zuzek’s vibrant, fanciful drawings were transformed into Pulitzer’s instantly recognizable resortwear, defining a classic American look.
This exhibition showcases over thirty of Zuzek’s original artworks alongside period examples of Pulitzer’s fashion and fabrics made from the artist’s designs. The centerpiece of the show is a large table explaining the process of printmaking and telling the story of the Key West Hand Print Fabric Company.
The experience begins with a short video introducing the artist, followed by the display of an original Zuzek watercolor, Ferns and Butters, beneath a vitrine. Clear acetate flip books describe how the original drawing is translated into color separations and then into individual silkscreens for the production of the multicolor fabric.
The table concludes with an actual bolt of Ferns and Butters fabric, topped by a reproduction silkscreen and squeegee.
Passing along the length of the table, the visitor experiences the evolution of a fabric design from concept through production.
The table occupies the central portion of the exhibition, surrounded by Zuzek’s original drawings and Pulitzer’s fashion. Gallery walls are painted a sky blue color evoking the summery, resort settings of period. Bold graphics highlighting Zuzek’s designs punctuate the space.
This exhibition was conceived and curated by Susan Brown of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Exhibition design was in collaboration with William Watson of Castro Watson with graphic design by Kelly Sung. All photos courtesy of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum unless noted otherwise.
