Aahana Swrup
The lively gossip-infested narrative that Abe Sylvia’s Apple TV+ dramedy show charts presents an exploration of an ambitious woman and her desperate attempts to fit into the upper echelons of society. With the titular Palm Royale Club at the center, the show follows Maxine Simmons, who arrives in town to build connections. Nevertheless, due to her strained past, the woman finds many hurdles in her path, namely Evelyn Collins, the club’s most influential member. Thus begins Maxine’s battle, ripe with manipulation, secrecy, and the occasional crime, as her hunt toward a life of affluence persists.
The riveting plot— with ever-changing character dynamics, scandals, and political resonance— provides a gripping story for the viewers, who will find themselves engaged and immersed in the show. Yet, the show’s aesthetic, dipped in vibrant colors and silhouettes through either the costume or set design, infuses the narrative with a vintage feel. The same, paired with the storylines’ evident period-setting, must have roused the audience’s curiosity regarding the when and where of ‘Palm Royale.’
Palm Royale Takes Place in 1969
If the stunning vintage fashion of ‘Palm Royale,’ showcased through a stellar revolving door of minidresses, bold prints, and bright pastels, doesn’t immediately give away the story’s period setting, the social dynamics certainly deliver the confirmation. The show takes place in the late 1960s, specifically 1969. At first glance, the show’s costume department establishes an early connection to the era through its authenticity to the time period.
Fashion designer Alix Friedberg, who won an Emmy for her work in ‘Big Little Lies,’ helmed the creative front on this show’s costuming, sourcing vintage and original pieces alike to ensure ‘Palm Royale’ possesses its signature look. The designer spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about her work in the series, explaining the different thought processes that went into the designated aesthetic for different social circles.
Through it all, the designer kept the social and political landscape of the 60s in mind. For instance, when constructing the wardrobe for the central Palm Royale Club crowd, bright, synthetic garments rule, signifying their high status. Inversely, for activist Linda Shaw’s part of the world, she employs a range of fabrics— from natural fibers and denim to macrame— to provide an authentic feel of the counterculture, hippie movement. Designer Friedberg described the same as “real, bra-burning ’60s bohemian silhouettes.”
Even outside of fashion, the narrative keeps up with the 60s setting through its diligent but not overpowering focus on former President Richard Nixon, sworn into his Presidency in 1969 when the Vietnam War was at the center of America’s political circles. Likewise, through Linda’s storyline, the show highlights the activism movement of the time period, noting the rise of feminism alongside anti-Vietnam war protests. Consequently, the show maintains ties to its period 1960s setting through visual as well as narrative aids.
Palm Royale, Set in Palm Beach, Florida
The sunny, affluent location of the Palm Royale Club is a product of its geographical setting in the Floridian town of Palm Beach. The coveted quality of life depicted within the series reflects the glory days of Palm Beach when the area thrived on its exclusivity. Ripe with a culture that ran on the overwhelming wealth of old money and subtly flaunted affluence embodying a Gilded Age glamor, Palm Beach remained an epicenter for the wealthy.
Therefore, in ‘Palm Royale’s’ campy depiction of Maxine’s road to her perception of success— which includes golfing, dining, and hosting cocktail hours with the town’s most elite, Palm Beach offers the ideal backdrop. In fact, the location remains an intentional and thought-out decision, considering it presents a significant shift from the source material, the novel ‘Mr. & Mrs. American Pie,’ by Juliet McDaniel, where Maxine’s misadventures occur in Palm Springs.
To solidify the story’s ties to the town— in all its 1960s glory, the series references a number of well-known details from the area, from equipping local newspapers as plot devices to name-dropping recognizable personalities and landmarks. Therefore, both the when and where of ‘Palm Royale’ end up becoming significant contributors to the show’s themes and narratives.
Read More: Palm Royale: Where is the Apple TV+ Series Filmed?
