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United States Iris Apfel was an American businesswoman, interior designer, and fashion figure known for her distinctive style and extensive career in textiles.
Collaboration with H&M for a capsule collection, reflecting her love of colour, prints and textures. The Iris Apfel x H&M collection included a stunning assortment designed for everyone.
Collaboration with Zenni Optical to create the Iris x Zenni Zentennial collection.
Partnership to create an exclusive NFT Holiday CryptoCard Collection for charity.
Collaboration with the retailer HSN.
Mattel made a silver-haired Barbie in her name. In 2018, Mattel created a Barbie doll in Apfel's image, making her the oldest person to ever have a Barbie made in her image. Mattel also made two 'Styled by Iris Apfel' Barbie dolls that were commercially available.
Tapped to create a limited collection for MAC cosmetics at the age of 90.
Collaborated with Hugo Boss.
Collaborated with Airbnb.
Collaborated with Etsy.
Starred in campaigns for eBay.
Fashion clothing line for Macy's called 'Iris Meets INC'. The fashion icon teamed up with Macy's INC International Concepts for a collection of “must-have” clothing and jewelry.
Collaborated with Ruggable.
Collaborating with Australian brand @erstwilder.
Collaboration with technology startup WiseWear on an upcoming line of smart jewelry.
Was the face of Australian brand Blue Illusion and appeared in campaigns for them.
Performed in a television commercial for the French car DS 3 and fronted campaigns for Citroen.
Fronted campaigns for Kate Spade.
Fronted campaigns for Magnum.
Launched collections of vases and accessories with Istanbul-based glassware brand Nude.
Partnered with British beauty brand Ciaté London for a new beauty capsule collection at 101 years old.
Launched a jewelry collaboration with Bernardaud called Be Bold Over, featuring necklaces, rings, and sculptural pieces.
Iris Apfel was born Iris Barrel on August 29, 1921, in Astoria, Queens, New York City. Her father, Samuel Barrel, owned a glass and mirror business, and her Russian-born mother, Sadye Barrel, owned a fashion boutique. Growing up, Apfel developed an early interest in fashion and design, often exploring Manhattan’s antique shops and collecting unique jewelry from a young age. She pursued her education in art history at New York University and attended art school at the University of Wisconsin. Her early career included work as a copywriter for Women’s Wear Daily and assisting interior designer Elinor Johnson, where she refined her talent for sourcing rare items.
In 1948, she married Carl Apfel, and two years later, in 1950, they co-founded Old World Weavers. This textile firm specialized in reproducing 17th, 18th, and 19th-century fabrics, requiring them to travel to Europe bi-annually in search of materials not available in the United States. Their business gained significant success, attracting high-profile clients such as Jackie Kennedy and Greta Garbo. Notably, Iris Apfel served as a restoration consultant for the White House across nine presidential administrations, including those of Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Bill Clinton, until her retirement in 1992.
After her retirement, Apfel’s unique personal style led to a new wave of recognition. In 2005, The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art featured her collection in an exhibition titled “Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection.” This marked the first time the Met focused on a living individual who was not a designer. Her increasing visibility led to numerous collaborations and a modeling contract with IMG in 2019 at the age of 97. Apfel continued to be an active and influential figure in fashion, celebrating her 100th birthday in 2021 and passing away on March 1, 2024, at the age of 102.
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