ST. LOUIS —
When you think of designer Lilly Pulitzer, you probably think of bright colors and big patterns. What you probably didn't know is that there's a direct tie between this famous designer and a St. Louis mom.
Thanks to one St. Louis mom, Becky Smith, most of us are now going to know Zuzek's name.
"This is just a beautiful story that is steeped in American fashion heritage," she said.
For the past 17 years, Smith has devoted her time to saving the legacy of a woman she spontaneously met in Key West.
"I have always shared with my children, that the truth matters, and that history matters so that we can do better and really, legacies matter, especially when it comes to something like this," she said.
The mom of four and artist Suzie Zuzek's paths crossed in 2007 in a way that Smith described as "serendipitous."
"I was trying to find fabric to cover a boudoir chair with, Lilly Pulitzer fabric. Mine back from 1970 was covered in a Lilly Pulitzer fabric, and I wanted to do that for my daughter," she said.
It was during that trip that Smith learned Zuzek was the woman who inspired and created thousands of designs for Pulitzer in the early parts of her career.
"Suzie had worked every day for a quarter of a century, sitting on the second floor of the Key West Handprint Art Studio, creating all of the designs of my childhood, basically, and I was just blown away," she said.
Suzie Zuzek designs
When Pulitzer died, she had sold off her name, her company, and even put it into bankruptcy to keep her brand alive. The company that bought her name; however, did not buy the original art for the first 25 years of Pulitzer's career and put her dresses into the hands of millions of women around the world.
"I had to ask myself this question. Do I help Suzie save her legacy and her oeuvre? Or do I turn a blind eye and so I decided, right then and there, that I would help her, and I would pursue this until I reached a fence that was too high to go over too low to go under or too wide to go around," she said.
After years of hard work, Smith and a group of investors bought Zuzek's archive of art, cataloged it and worked with places, like the Cooper Hewitt Museum, to bring Zuzek's story to life.
"What does great art do it? It evokes conversation and, so now, people can then start telling Suzie's story," she said.
Now decades Zuzek is finally getting the recognition she deserves, and it's all thanks to one St. Louis mom.
"We were able to save it all for future generations to enjoy, and it is a feel-good story," Smith said.
Zuzek passed away in 2011, but 5 On Your Side spoke to her daughter, Martha DePoo, over the phone.
DePoo said her heart was always broken that people couldn't see all of her mother's work and her wonderful designs. She described the process of meeting Smith and getting her mom's art recognized as 'emotional.'
Smith said this allowed Zuzek to be reunited with her art for the first time, underneath her name, after so many years of not getting any recognition. Smith wants people to know the true story and embrace it.
As for what's next for shining light on Zuzek's designs. Smith said they are in conversations right now with some companies to start collaborating.
You can learn more about Zuzek's story here.