Longtime Lilly Pulitzer fans share approval of remodeled shop

Even before the Lilly Pulitzer shop on St. Armands Circle could officially open its doors, longtime customers were knocking on the pearlescent front door to share their appreciation for the shop's return.

The clothing boutique closed after Hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded it with 4 feet of water, prompting the shop that has been on the Circle for 20 years to close its doors temporarily.

Employees and friends jubilantly celebrated the reopening Thursday morning.

"I love your Lilly!" store manager Jessica Siriphokha told Scott Matthews as he stepped foot in the renovated store.

Patrons agreed one aspect they appreciate the most is how open and bright the showroom floor is. Scotty Hamilton, who has been with the store since the very beginning, said the designers incorporated subtle design elements to give that spacious feel, from S-shaped clothing racks to ceiling-to-floor mirrors.

Siriphokha said she wanted to incorporate decor that celebrates Longboat Key, like the shell-encrusted mirrors, while keeping a focus on the legacy of the brand's namesake.

The Palm Beach-based clothing company has gained international acclaim for its signature shift-style dresses with uniquely bright pastel florals. 

The brand accumulated a fervent following from customers who loved the story of a businesswoman who, in the 1950s, crafted the eye-catching prints to disguise fruit-juice stains on her clothes from her lemonade stand. Keen-eyed fashionistas know every Lilly item has her name incorporated into the design.

"She left a legacy that will be around forever," Hamilton said.

Cindy Cisler has been a longtime customer who especially appreciates the St. Armands shop. She has enjoyed stopping into Lilly shops everywhere from here to Cabo, and this shop tops the list.

"I love this store. I've been coming for 20 years," she said. "We came in at the end of February, and every day I've been stopping in to check on the progress."

She has loved exploring the shop with her gal pals from Naples.

"We'd all come shopping here, trying on clothes and giving them back and forth to each other," she said. "We'd sit on the couches, they'd bring us champagne, and we'd leave with the best memories." 

Though her friends recently departed from their most recent visit, Cisler said she looks forward to showing the new shop before long.

This location has seen other redesigns in 2011 and 2018. However, attendees at the reopening said this is the best yet.

Siriphokha, who has worked at the shop for nine years, said she hopes customers enjoy all the little touches, from the hand-painted designs in the dressing rooms to the shimmer on the walls, meant to evoke the sparkling sands of the Key's beaches.

Employees helped at the location on University Town Center in the interim, but Siriphokha said the team is glad to be back serving the St. Armands community.

"We're happy to bring some sunshine to the Circle and welcome customers with our beautiful new store," she said.

She encourages customers seeking the latest "whimsical, colorful and fun" spring fashion to stop in before the boutique transitions to the summer collection in early May.