In 1961, former Broadway stage actor and producer, Walter Starcke moved to Key West and was involved in real estate development. Just as his newly renovated buildings by Key West Harbor were ready for business, he ran into two old friends from his Broadway days, choreographer Jim Russell and stage manager, Peter Pell, who happened to have the perfect enterprise, a screen print fabric shop ~ Key West Hand Print Fabrics Inc.
Suzie Zuzek DePoo was Key West Hand Print Fabrics’ leading artist and it was where her colorful tropical designs caught the eye of Palm Beach socialite, Lilly Pulitzer, who commissioned Zuzek’s art and Key West Hand Print Fabrics for most of her classic signature resort wear in the 1960s and 70s.
NEWS FLASH!!! – I will soon be listing some pretty amazing fabrics in my Etsy shop, Fabric Madness. All are designed by Zuzek and Pell and a few others – all were made in the 1960s and 1970s at Key West Hand Print Fabrics, Inc. All are clean, crisp, vibrant and brand new old stock stored away for all these years. Sounds exciting to me! Stay tuned…