Iris Apfel, the iconic style maven hailing from Queens, New York, renowned for her distinctive oversized spectacles, has passed away at the age of 102, as announced on her Instagram account.
Recognized as a “geriatric starlet,” Apfel gained widespread recognition as a textile designer and fashion luminary, achieving the pinnacle of her fame in her later years, during her 80s and 90s.
A flamboyant interior decorator, she became a mainstay on the front rows of Parisian fashion shows for over five decades, her signature cropped white hair, large spectacles, vibrant lipstick, and chunky bead necklaces establishing her as a whimsical figure among New York’s elite.
Apfel adorned two floors of her Park Avenue residence with a collection of works by prominent 20th-century designers, amassed over her extensive lifetime.
In 2005, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York hosted a landmark retrospective of her wardrobe, where Apfel candidly revealed her penchant for sourcing captivating jewelry from Harlem thrift stores as readily as from luxury retailers like Tiffany’s. Embracing vibrant hues and unconventional silhouettes, Apfel encouraged young women to eschew the contemporary “uniform” of dark tights or jeans paired with a sweater, boots, and a leather bomber jacket.
Instead, she urged them to “embrace their uniqueness” and “express their individuality.” She humorously reassured them, stating, “If you wear something and it doesn’t quite work, fret not—the fashion police won’t come knocking.”
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