Iris Apfel, a remarkable woman known for her unique style and vibrant life, passed away in Palm Beach at the age of 102. Born in 1921 as Iris Barrel and raised in Queens, New York, she had a rich and varied career.
Starting as a copywriter for Women’s Wear Daily, Iris later co-founded a textile and fabric reproduction business with her husband Carl in 1950. Their company worked on restoring the White House for nine presidents, from Harry Truman to Bill Clinton.
Iris became famous for her charismatic personality and distinctive fashion sense, often seen wearing lots of bracelets, necklaces, and her trademark oversized glasses. She jokingly called herself a “geriatric starlet” as she gained fame in the fashion world later in life.
As Iris grew older, her star continued to rise. At the age of 90, she was teaching at the University of Texas at Austin. A documentary about her life, “Iris,” directed by Albert Maysles, was well-received when she was 94. At 97, she became a professional fashion model, working with top brands like Vogue Italia, Kate Spade, and M.A.C.
Iris even had her own Barbie doll made by Mattel, making her the oldest person to have this honor. Despite her glamorous image, Iris was down-to-earth, even selling scarves and jewelry on the Home Shopping Network. In 2005, the Metropolitan Museum of Art honored her with a retrospective exhibition, a first for a living non-fashion designer.
In her autobiography, “Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon,” published in 2018, Iris shared her inspiring story. She took pride in being a role model for others, encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness. One woman she met told her that Iris had changed her life by showing her it’s okay to be different.
Iris’s agent, Lori Sale, described her as a visionary who uniquely saw the world, filled with color and patterns. Her artistic vision transformed ordinary things into something extraordinary. Jewelry designer Alexis Bittar praised Iris for living life on her terms and inspiring women to embrace their age and continue to shine.
Iris Apfel’s legacy will live on through her impact on the fashion world and her message of embracing individuality. She was a true icon who showed that style knows no age limits.
