7 things to know about the late Iris Apfel

Famed for her over-the-top sense of style Iris Apfel was one of fashion's most beloved icons. The news of her death was revealed by a representative of her estate who shared that the fashion star had died at age 102 in her home at Palm Beach in Florida.

Amassing a global appeal, we take a look back at what made Apfel a gem in the world of fashion and design.

A REBEL IN DENIM

Apfel was famed for her love of fashion from a young age. Her unrelenting passion for self-expression could be seen in her adoption of denim jeans while attending the University of Wisconsin in her youth. At the time, the style was associated with men, lumberjacks in particular.

FROM THE FLEA MARKET TO THE WORLD

The cherry on top of her renowned style other than being a maximalist was her round-framed glasses. The habit, something she shared in her memoir Accidental Icon, was adopted after she found a pair at a flea market.

WHITE HOUSE IN VOGUE

Before her unique sense of style was catapulted to the pages of Vogue magazine, Apfel was known as the First Lady of Fabric for working at the White House as the interior designer, crafting looks for nine different administrations.

Her White House gig was made possible by the company she founded with her late husband Carl. They cofounded Old World Weavers, which was where textiles and materials for the home of several presidents were sourced. To create the materials and ideas, People magazine shared that Apfel and her husband charted the world looking for different inspirations.

LEGEND OF THE MET 

Known for celebrating innovative history in fashion, one of the Metropolitan Museum's first living icons to be celebrated honoured Iris Apfel's love for costume jewellery. Titled Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection, the collection featured 40 pieces that celebrated the relationship between clothing and accessories.

Speaking to The New York Times, Apfel shared in her later years that she was no longer attending the annual Met Gala as “it’s not affordable any more. It’s totally corporate now,” she said, adding “they used to be really beautiful and fun. Now the corporations buy tables, because who can afford such a ticket?”

THE WORLD'S OLDEST SUPERMODEL

After the Met Gala honour catapulted her to global stardom, Apfel started to enjoy late-in-life fame. In 2019, she had her first modelling contract with the internationally renowned IMG Models and quickly amassed a great following for her campaigns.

EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS

True to her jubilant spirit, Apfel had a home in Palm Beach that was decorated throughout the year as a Christmas wonderland, capturing the late icon's love for colourful and joyful spaces. She was also known to have decorated a legendary surfboard as a Christmas tree for The Royal Poinciana Plaza.