Iris Apfel: US fashion designer dies aged 102
Known for her signature cropped white hair, oversized glasses, vibrant lipstick, and chunky beads, the self-proclaimed “geriatric starlet” gained recognition during the 1980s and 90s, though she remained a familiar presence at Paris fashion shows for over fifty years.
Apfel catered to a notable clientele, including Greta Garbo and Estée Lauder, cementing her status as a fashion icon. Her passing was announced to her nearly three million Instagram followers, accompanied by a photo of her wearing her iconic oversized round glasses.
Tributes poured in from figures like US designer Tommy Hilfiger, who lauded Apfel as an “innovator and leader” in the realms of textiles and style, predicting her enduring legacy in history.
“Iris Apfel has become a world-famous fashion icon because of her incredible talent not only as an artist, but as an influencer,” he said.
“She has had an amazing effect on so many people with her huge heart and magic touch with everyone she meets.”
US 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 the history of art and specialised in interior design, particularly textiles.
She worked as an interior designer for decades, including on restoration projects at the White House, before becoming a trend setter in her 80s and a professional model at 97.
Apfel’s agent Lori Sale said working alongside her was “the honour of a lifetime”.
“I will miss her daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: ‘What have you got for me today?’ Testament to her insatiable desire to work,” Ms Sale said.
“She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens – one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose.
“Through those lenses, she saw the world as a kaleidoscope of colour, a canvas of patterns and prints.
“Her artistic eye transformed the mundane into the extraordinary and her ability to blend the unconventional with the elegant was nothing short of magical.”
Apfel’s agent Lori Sale said working alongside her was “the honour of a lifetime”.
“I will miss her daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: ‘What have you got for me today?’ Testament to her insatiable desire to work,” Ms Sale said.
“She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens – one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose.
“Through those lenses, she saw the world as a kaleidoscope of colour, a canvas of patterns and prints.
“Her artistic eye transformed the mundane into the extraordinary and her ability to blend the unconventional with the elegant was nothing short of magical.”
