New York textile designer, socialite, and self-proclaimed geriatric starlet Iris Apfel, who rose to fame as a fashion icon in her 80s, passed away on March 1 at her residence in Palm Beach, Florida, aged 102.
Stu Loeser, a representative for her estate, confirmed her passing in a statement but did not disclose a specific cause.
Known for her distinctive oversized glasses, Mrs. Apfel defied expectations to become a prominent figure in the fashion world. She graced the pages of the New York Times, featured in advertising campaigns for Kate Spade and Coach, and was captured by Bruce Weber for Italian Vogue. In 2014, she was the subject of a documentary by filmmaker Albert Maysles.
Approaching her 90s, Mrs. Apfel managed various fashion ventures, such as a makeup line with MAC Cosmetics, eyeglasses with Eyebobs, and a range of handbags, accessories, fragrances, and clothing, including a collection on the Home Shopping Network.
She penned her memoir, “Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon,” in 2018. Prior to 2005, Mrs. Apfel co-owned a textile company for 42 years with her husband, Carl Apfel, designing fabrics for esteemed clients like first ladies and celebrities.
Her fashion legacy began at 84, long after retiring from textiles, when her personal wardrobe pieces were showcased at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Harold Koda, the institute’s director, invited Mrs. Apfel to contribute jewelry to an accessories exhibit.
“It didn’t start out as a fashion show,” Mrs. Apfel once said, “but he decided that to show accessories out of context didn’t make much sense, so he asked if I could spare maybe five outfits.”
He expanded the exhibit to include 82 outfits and more than 300 accessories. The show, titled “Rara Avis (Rare Bird): Selections From the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection,” displayed a juxtaposition of Mrs. Apfel’s high and low fashion finds — for example, vintage designer outfits matched with outlandish costume jewelry; opulent, antique Chinese robes adorned with whimsical flea-market goods; and luxury coats paired with feather boas and exotic trinkets.
As New York Times art critic Roberta Smith wrote, “Before multiculturalism was a word, Mrs. Apfel was wearing it.”
It was the first time the Met’s Costume Institute had honored an individual who wasn’t a fashion designer.
Her fashion pairings — and fearless personality — drew the attention of the fashion world.
“She has a look of excess. Everything is a little bit over-the-top, and yet it all works together,” said fashion historian Valerie Steele, museum director at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. “She taught us you can be creative and fantastic at whatever stage in life you are.”
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