Iris Apfel

Iris Apfel (1921–2024) was an American fashion designer, businesswoman, and style icon known for her oversized glasses, bold accessories, and eclectic clothing.

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Carl Apfel: An American textile executive who co-founded the interior design firm Old World Weavers with his wife, Iris. Their partnership built the textile business that shaped Iris Apfel’s early career.
Old World Weavers: An interior design and textile firm founded by Iris and Carl Apfel in 1950. The firm’s fabrics and design commissions formed the foundation of Apfel’s working life.
Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection: A 2005 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcasing Iris Apfel’s clothing and accessories. The exhibition established her personal collection as a subject of museum study.
Maximalism: An aesthetic approach that favors abundance, layering, ornament, and visual complexity. Apfel’s layered clothing and accessories are a widely recognized expression of maximalist style.
Estée Lauder: An American businesswoman who founded the Estée Lauder cosmetics company. Lauder’s late-life visibility as a businesswoman offers a parallel to Apfel’s rise as a public figure.
White House restoration: A series of projects restoring and redecorating rooms in the White House under multiple administrations. Old World Weavers completed textile and restoration work for several White House administrations.
Iris (2014 film): A documentary by Albert Maysles following Iris Apfel’s life, work, and public profile. The film made Apfel’s design philosophy and everyday style widely visible.
Personal style: An individual’s distinctive way of choosing and combining clothing and accessories. Apfel treated dressing as self-expression rather than compliance with fashion rules.
Mildred Constantine: An American curator and design historian who organized exhibitions of contemporary craft and design at the Museum of Modern Art. Constantine helped bring Apfel’s clothing and accessories into museum exhibitions.
Textile design: The creation of fabrics through choices of fiber, structure, color, pattern, and finish. Apfel’s business expertise centered on sourcing, designing, and using textiles.