A veteran interior and fashion designer who can boast designing rooms in the White House for 9 presidencies. Whether you’re red or blue, there’s no denying Iris Apfel’s command over colour and patterns. Apfel is a maximalist whose work mostly spans from the 1940s to the present day.
“The world is not black and white; there are lots of shades of grey. There are good things and bad things in every era, and I think it’s kind of very blindfolded to say one era was wonderful, as it was wonderful, but there were a lot of bad things as well.”
New Yorker Iris Apfel loved visiting antique stores in Greenwich Village because she was fascinated with unique knick-knacks and jewellery. It was this talent of finding rare items that helped her excel at her assistant interior decorating job where she refurbished apartments for resale.
“To find out who you are is like putting yourself on a psychiatric couch, but you have nobody to help you. Really it isn’t easy. I was talking with my nephew this morning and he gave me one of the best quotes I’ve heard in years ‘Personal style is curiosity about oneself.’”
Apfel and her husband Carl launched the “Old World Weavers” textile company in 1950 which they ran until 1992. Like a true entrepreneur, she simultaneously did work on projects like the White House and other reconstruction assignments while running the store. The White House would have her design spaces because they said they needed the “Iris touch.”
“You can’t try to be somebody you’re not; that’s not style. If someone says, ‘Buy this – you’ll be stylish,’ you won’t be stylish because you won’t be you. You have to learn who you are first, and that’s painful.”
Iris Apfel travelled the world to do what she loved — Collect unique trinkets! She became the face of some brands like the Australian, Blue Illusion. Taught at the University of Texas in Austin and wrote her autobiography with Harper Collins titled “Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon.”
“If you don’t learn constantly, you don’t grow, and you will wither. Too many people wither on the vine. Sure, it gets a little harder as you get older, but new experiences and new challenges keep it fresh.”
Breaking barriers, she modelled at 97 years old, got the “best dressed over 50” list, collaborated with makeup brands, eyewear brands and even had her own Barbie.
“You have to push yourself when you’re older because it’s very easy to fall into the trap. You start to fall apart – you just have to do your best to paste yourself together. I think doing things and being active is very important. When your mind is busy, you don’t hurt so much.”
Her use of bright colours that simply pop, bold patterns and dreamy decoration and design style is what makes her a Maximalist to look up to. Never in her career did she ever copy anyone’s style or even stick to any popular design aesthetic. She always “did her own thing” so to speak.
“When you don’t dress like everybody else, you don’t have to think like everybody else.”
Even after celebrating her 100th birthday, receiving so many awards and gaining so much business experience in design, you can call Iris many things… but you simply cannot call her a bore. Truly, a life successfully lived!
“I think I still keep my sense of wonder, which I call childlike, not childish, childlike. I still have a vivid imagination, and I like to try a lot of new things.”
Iris Apfel’s life is a testament to the transformative power of individuality and self-expression. Through milestones in her creative evolution, partnership with Carl, rise to fashion stardom, and fearless style, we gain a deeper understanding of the woman who defied conventions and celebrated authenticity. Iris Apfel continues to inspire people to embrace their unique identities and express themselves boldly through fashion and design. Her legacy serves as a reminder that style knows no age, and true beauty lies in the confidence to be authentically oneself. Iris Apfel, the legend of fashion and individuality, remains an enduring icon and an inspiration to generations.
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