In pictures: New York fashion icon Iris Apfel’s extravagant career

102-year-old Iris Apfel died right in the middle of the Paris Fashion Week. The eccentric New York fashion icon, known for her extravagant style, also has 3 million followers on Instagram. It was on this platform that his death was announced on the night of March 1, causing many reactions from celebrities and fashion experts. “An icon, a legend,” Jeremy Scott, Moschino’s former artistic director, wrote in the story. “The most amazing,” New York City Instagram user Liz Eswain wrote in the comments.

During her long existence, Iris Apfel has left her mark in the history of fashion and style. Known for her XXL round glasses, colorful coats and gorgeous necklaces, she has signed a capsule collection with H&M in 2022 for her 100th birthday. “The key to good style is knowing who you are,” she said in a promotional video for the collection. And he continues. “Only when you dress the way you want are you free to think the way you want.” A message he repeated often throughout his life. Freedom of clothing or this “secret to a long and happy life” according to Iris Apfel, who revealed the cover of her book in late 2023. Colorful (color, French), with a release date scheduled for August 2024.

“Never mind, you’ve got style!”

Born to a Jewish family in Queens on August 29, 1921, Iris Apfel was not only a fashion businesswoman, but also very passionate about interior design. Her apartment, located in the heart of Manhattan, was an amalgamation of her passions for clothing, art and design. Two stories high, it housed an entire collection of designer clothes that, at 94 years old, were still seen in the front rows of fashion shows. “I don’t have any rules, they’re just a waste of time. No trends, no rules,” he said in a 2016 Citroën ad. And to finish. “One day someone told me: “You are not beautiful and you never will be. But it doesn’t matter, you have style.”