Fashion icon and designer Iris Apfel has just celebrated her 102nd birthday!
Five days ahead of her big 102, Apfel took to Instagram eager to start the countdown towards her 102nd run around the sun, sharing her 101st birthday portrait channeling One Hundred and One Dalmatians‘ iconic villain, Cruella de Vil.
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The caption reads:
“5 more days til 102…Til then, that’s Cruella de Vil to you!”
On Tuesday Apfel reached the birthday milestone, sharing the celebration with her 2.8 million instagram followers. Apfel poses for her portrait, pretty in bright pops of pink and red. She writes:
“102 TODAY… who would’ve thought!!”
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From a young age, Iris Apfel presented a keen interest in art, design, and fashion. She attended New York University and the University of Wisconsin, where she studied art history.
In 1950, Iris and her husband, Carl Apfel, founded Old World Weavers, a textile company that specialised in reproducing antique fabrics. Their business gained significant recognition for its unique offerings and attention to detail.
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Iris Apfel’s iconic personal style emerged as a blend of bold and eclectic expression. She often mixed high-fashion items with flea market finds, vintage clothing, and hand-crafted accessories. Her ability to layer and combine different elements set her apart from conventional fashion norms. Her style has always remained uniquely her own.
“More is more & less is a bore,” says Apfel whose posts on social media capitalise on breaking ageing stereotypes especially when it comes to fashion.
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Iris and her husband Carl Apfel worked together on various interior design projects, contributing to the aesthetic of prestigious historical spaces such as the white White House to luxury hotels around the globe. Their work attracted attention and solidified their reputation as creative individuals with a distinct eye for design.
In 2005, filmmaker Albert Maysles released a documentary titled “Iris,” which provided a closer look into Iris Apfel’s life, style, and unique perspective on fashion. The film garnered widespread attention and introduced her to a broader audience, solidifying her status as a fashion icon.
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Iris Apfel’s unconventional style caught the attention of the fashion industry, leading to modeling contracts and collaborations with prominent brands like MAC Cosmetics and Kate Spade in her later years.
For Apfel, it’s more about being stylish than being fashionable.
“Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things,” she shared in a video that’s since gone viral for three reasons Apfel’s audience adores – she’s authentic, daring and refuses to conform.
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Apfel!
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Feature Image: Instagram / @iris.apfel
