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- By Christy Cooney
- bbc news
Iris Apfel: “I think dressing up should be fun”
American designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel has died at the age of 102.
The self-described “geriatric star” was known for her signature short white hair, oversized glasses, bright lipstick, and chunky beads.
Apfel reached the peak of her fame in the 1980s and 1990s, but was a familiar face at Paris fashion shows for more than half a century.
She also worked for a host of famous clients, including Greta Garbo and Estée Lauder.
His death was announced to his nearly three million followers on Instagram, with a photo of Apfel wearing his famous oversized round glasses.
Image source, fake images
Iris Apfel was 97 when she signed a modeling contract with global agency IMG Models, which also represents Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss.
American designer Tommy Hilfiger was among those honored and praised Apfel as an “innovator and leader” in the world of textiles and style, who “will go down in history.”
“Iris Apfel has become a world-famous fashion icon due to her incredible talent not only as an artist, but also as an influencer,” he said.
“He has had an amazing effect on many people with his big heart and magical touch with everyone he meets.”
Image source, fake images
During her career, Apfel founded the international textile manufacturing company Old World Weavers in 1950 with her husband Carl, who died in 2015 at age 100.
American singer Lenny Kravitz and Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham also paid tribute.
Born to a Jewish family in New York in 1921, Apfel originally studied art history and specialized in interior design, particularly textiles.
She worked as an interior designer for decades, including restoration projects at the White House, before becoming a trendsetter at 80 and a professional model at 97.
‘A kaleidoscope of color’
Apfel’s agent, Lori Sale, said working alongside her was “the honor of a lifetime.”
“I will miss your daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: ‘What do you have for me today?’ Testimony to his insatiable desire to work,” said Mrs. Sale.
“She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens, adorned with giant, distinctive glasses that sat on her nose.
“Through those lenses, she saw the world as a kaleidoscope of color, a canvas of patterns and prints.
“His artistic eye transformed the mundane into the extraordinary and his ability to combine the unconventional with the elegant was nothing short of magical.”
Image source, fake images
Jean Paul Gaultier and Iris Apfel in New York City in September 2006
In 2014, she was the subject of a documentary, Iris, made by acclaimed director Albert Maysles.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight in 2015, he said he thought “dressing up should be fun” and that it was a “chance to play”.
“It’s part of my life because I’m a creative person and I think other people should allow themselves a little creativity,” she said.
When asked what he thought about the idea of dressing age-appropriately, he said, “If you can pull it off, it’s appropriate.”