PALM BEACH, Fla. — High fashion and high society. Two things the island of Palm Beach is well known for.
They'll be represented, though fictitiously, on a new Apple TV+ series called "Palm Royale," set in 1960s Palm Beach.
Palm Beach established itself as a high society fashion hub decades ago. And while some things have, of course, changed over the years, the main themes, colors, and experiences in the fashion world have stayed the same.
"Palm Royale," a new fictional Apple TV+ show set on Palm Beach, is expected to emulate and even exaggerate the fashion that put Palm Beach on the map
"A lot of fashion history has been made here on Palm Beach," said Rick Rose, a local host and historian who leads guided tours of Palm Beach's iconic Worth Avenue. "It was always about trying to get the big socialite to buy your dress, which meant your commercial success. So that really started in the 1920s when Worth Avenue came to be."
As socialites began vacationing on Palm Beach, what's known as resort wear was born.
It's on full display right now in the Historical Society of Palm Beach County's "Endless Summer: Palm Beach Resort Wear" exhibit, showcasing the history of fashion on the island and the iconic designers who made a name here.
"We are a resort destination. You want to dress up in a resort style. And so that makes us entirely different from anywhere else," said Rose Guerrero, the director of research at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.
And that's the common thread that runs through the fabric of Palm Beach fashion.
"It's all about color and print and lifting your mood," said Katherine Lande, the fashion editor for Palm Beach Illustrated magazine. "You get off the plane and you automatically see the sun. You see green everywhere. We're surrounded by water. With the warmer temperatures, you need lighter fabrics. Sunnier colors."
Lande said that's what we can expect to see during "Palm Royale:" colors popping off the screen.
"I love seeing the headscarves and the big glasses and the oversized print," Lande said. "I think that really resonates with what Palm Beach fashion was and still is today."
Lande even recognizes vintage Lilly Pulitzer, a Palm Beach legend, in the opening scene.
"This is what she created 65 years ago that is still amazingly chic and on point in today's fashion world," Lande said.
These fashion fans hope the show can expose others to the colorful world they know and love.
"I think the show is going to be a fun spoof and a look at Palm Beach society," Rose said. "And you know what? If you can't laugh at yourself, I think it's going to be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to take a look at that and say, 'Oh my gosh.' And I'm sure most of it will be silly fiction, but good fun."