AP Photo/Jennifer GraylockThe fashion world has lost an icon.
Socialite turned designer Lillian Bostwick Phipps Pulitzer Rousseau, otherwise known as Lilly Pulitzer, died Sunday morning at her Palm Beach residence after a brief illness, according to the Palm Beach Post.
She was 81.
"Early this morning, Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau passed away peacefully in Palm Beach, surrounded by family and loved ones. Lilly has been a true inspiration to us and we will miss her," the designer's Facebook page posted earlier today.
"In the days and weeks ahead we will celebrate all that Lilly meant to us. Lilly was a true original who has brought together generations through her bright and happy mark on the world."
Dubbed the "Queen of Prep," Pulitzer was famous for her signature "classic shift dress" with the large and bright tropical patterns, and they quickly became a staple for numerous big names and trendsetters, including her boarding school classmate and former first lady, Jackie Kennedy.
"Style isn't just about what you wear, it's about how you live," Pulitzer said in 2004. "We focus on the best, fun and happy things, and people want that. Being happy never goes out of style."
Lilly Pulitzer is survived by her children Liza, Minnie and Peter Pulitzer, as well as her grandchildren.