Style Icon, Businesswoman, and Cultural Treasure—Iris Apfel proved age is just a number and boldness never goes out of fashion
Iris Apfel wasn’t just a fashion icon—she was a force of nature, a walking celebration of creativity, individuality, and unapologetic flair. Known worldwide for her signature oversized round glasses, layered bangles, and a wardrobe bursting with color and culture, Apfel carved out a singular space in the fashion world that defied age, convention, and category.
Born in Queens, New York, in 1921, Iris Barrel was raised by a mother who ran a fashion boutique and a father who owned a glass and mirror business. That early exposure to fashion and aesthetics would shape the rest of her life. She studied art history at New York University and attended art school at the University of Wisconsin. Early in her career, she worked for interior designer Elinor Johnson and as a copywriter for Women’s Wear Daily—positions that honed both her creative eye and her business sense.
In 1948, Iris married Carl Apfel, and together they launched Old World Weavers, a textile firm specializing in luxury fabrics. Their work took them around the globe, and their firm was involved in high-profile restoration projects for the White House under nine presidents, from Truman to Clinton. Iris developed a deep appreciation for texture, history, and global design—elements that would define her personal style for decades to come.
It wasn’t until 2005, at the age of 84, that Apfel became an international fashion icon. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art debuted an exhibition titled Rara Avis: Selections From the Iris Apfel Collection, showcasing her eclectic wardrobe. The show was an unexpected sensation, proving that style had no age limit. Offers from fashion brands, media appearances, and modeling contracts soon followed.
Apfel embraced her new role with characteristic wit and enthusiasm. She appeared in ad campaigns, launched collaborations with major brands like MAC Cosmetics, H&M, and Zenni Optical, and even signed with IMG Models in 2022—at the age of 100. Her popularity soared across generations, thanks in part to her Instagram presence and the acclaimed 2015 documentary Iris, directed by Albert Maysles.
What made Iris truly extraordinary wasn’t just her eye for fashion, but her belief in self-expression as an art form. “More is more and less is a bore,” she often said, a mantra she lived by every day. She mixed haute couture with flea market finds, tribal jewelry with luxury pieces, and never shied away from the outrageous or the bold. To Iris, fashion was never about fitting in—it was about standing out and telling your story without saying a word.
Even in her 90s and early 100s, Apfel remained a fixture at Fashion Week, a guest lecturer at universities, and an inspiring figure for designers, artists, and everyday people alike. Her influence extended beyond fashion—she was a role model for aging gracefully, living joyfully, and staying curious.
When Iris Apfel passed away in 2024 at the age of 102, tributes poured in from across the globe. Celebrities, designers, politicians, and fans celebrated a woman who had not only broken the mold but joyfully smashed it into a thousand fabulous pieces. Her legacy lives on in museums, style archives, brand partnerships, and in the closets of anyone bold enough to mix prints, pile on accessories, and walk with confidence.
Iris Apfel didn’t just dress with flair—she lived with it. In a world that often encourages conformity, she reminded us all to embrace what makes us unique. And in doing so, she became timeless.
Long live Iris—forever fabulous.
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