American Iris Apfel, a famous fashion and textile icon, died on Friday at the age of 102.
Abbeville's commercial agent, Lori Seal, confirmed the death and described the interior designer as “extraordinary.” The cause of death was not revealed.
Apfel was born on August 29, 1921, in New York. She and her husband, Carl, ran a textile manufacturing company called Old World Weavers. Specializing in restoration work, she participated in projects in the White House during the era of six US presidents. Among Apfel's famous clients were Estée Lauder and Greta Garbo.
This North American woman was known for her irreverent dressing style, mixing, for example, high fashion with street market pieces. With her big, round, black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick, and short, white hair, she stood out at every fashion show she attended, the Associated Press wrote.
Iris Apfel stimulated museum exhibitions, and the production of Albert Maysles' biographical documentary “Iris” revealed to the Associated Press.
Apfel said, according to what was quoted by the news agency: “I am not beautiful and I will never be beautiful, but that does not matter (…) I have something much better, and I have style.”
Apfel has risen to late fame on social media, amassing nearly three million followers on Instagram. On TikTok, where she talked about fashion and promoted collaborations, the American attracted 215,000 followers.
“Working with her has been the honor of a lifetime,” Seale said in a statement. “I will miss the daily phone calls that began with the familiar question: 'What do you have for me today?'
Apfel's fame exploded in 2005, when the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York organized the “Rara Avis” exhibition, which means “rare bird” in Latin. The museum described the designer's style as “intelligent and very personal at the same time.”
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, was one of several museums in the country to host a traveling version of the exhibition.
Later, Apfel decided to donate hundreds of pieces to Peabody, including couture dresses, to help the venue build what he called “an amazing fashion collection.”
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Shirley Farmer is a contributor to Brytfmonline.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessibility, Shirley writes stories that provide useful information and meaningful context, making complex topics easier to understand for a broad audience.