Iris Apfel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iris Apfel
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Iris Apfel at O Cinema Miami Beach to present IRIS in 2015
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Iris Barrel
August 29, 1921 Queens, New York, U.S.
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| Died | March 1, 2024 (aged 102) Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Years active | 1950–2024 |
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Carl Apfel
(m. 1948; died 2015) |
Iris Apfel (born Iris Barrel; August 29, 1921 – March 1, 2024) was an American businesswoman and fashion icon. She was also an interior designer, fashion designer, and actress.
Iris and her husband, Carl, ran a textile business from 1950 to 1992. They even worked for the White House for nine presidents. After she retired, Iris became very famous for her unique style. In 2005, a special show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art featured her amazing jewelry collection.
She became a true fashion icon. A movie about her, called Iris, came out in 2014. At 97 years old, she even signed a contract to be a model!
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Early life and education
Iris Barrel was born in Astoria, Queens, New York City, on August 29, 1921. She was the only child of Samuel Barrel and Sadye "Syd" Barrel. Her father's family owned a glass and mirror business. Her mother had a fashion boutique. Both of her parents were Jewish.
Even though she grew up on a farm, Iris often took the subway into Manhattan. She loved exploring Greenwich Village. As a child, she started collecting jewelry from antique shops there. This was the beginning of her amazing collection from all over the world.
Iris studied art history at New York University. She also went to art school at the University of Wisconsin.
Career highlights
When she was young, Iris worked for Women's Wear Daily. She also helped interior designer Elinor Johnson. This job helped her find rare and special items for decorating homes. She also worked as an assistant to an illustrator named Robert Goodman.
Old World Weavers
On February 22, 1948, Iris married Carl Apfel. In 1950, they started their own textile company called Old World Weavers. They ran this business until they retired in 1992.
The Apfels were experts in making copies of old fabrics from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. They traveled to Europe twice a year to find fabrics they couldn't get in the United States.
Working for the White House
Iris Apfel worked on many design projects. This included helping to restore parts of the White House. She worked for nine different presidents:
- Harry S. Truman
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John F. Kennedy
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Richard Nixon
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald Reagan
- Bill Clinton
Iris said that working for the White House was often easy. They usually wanted to copy what was already there. The only exception was Jacqueline Kennedy. Iris remembered that Mrs. Kennedy hired a famous French designer. This caused some changes, but Iris liked Mrs. Nixon, calling her "lovely."
Fashion and later career
Through their travels for business, Iris and Carl bought unique clothes from different cultures. Iris would wear these clothes to fancy parties.
In 2011, Iris Apfel became a visiting professor. She taught at the University of Texas at Austin in their textiles and apparel department.
In 2016, she appeared in a TV commercial for a French car, the DS 3. She also became the face of an Australian fashion brand called Blue Illusion. That same year, she worked with a technology company called WiseWear to create smart jewelry. Her biography, Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon, was published in 2018.
In 2019, at 97 years old, Iris signed a modeling contract with a big agency called IMG. Tommy Hilfiger encouraged her to become a formal model because so many people wanted to work with her.
Personal life
Iris and Carl Apfel did not have children. This was partly because their work involved so much travel. Iris did not want her children to be raised by a nanny.
Iris and Carl were married for 67 years. Carl died on August 1, 2015, when he was 100 years old. Iris celebrated her 100th birthday on August 29, 2021.
Death
Iris Apfel passed away at her home in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 1, 2024. She was 102 years old.
Legacy and recognition
Museum exhibitions
On September 13, 2005, The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City opened a special show. It was called Rara Avis (Rare Bird): The Irreverent Iris Apfel. This was the first time the museum had an exhibit about a living person's clothing and accessories who was not a designer.
The show was very popular. It then traveled to other museums, including:
- The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida
- The Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, New York
- The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts
A museum in Boynton Beach, Florida, is planning a special gallery. It will display Iris Apfel's clothes, accessories, and furniture.
Documentaries
Iris Apfel was the main star of a documentary film by Albert Maysles. The movie was simply called Iris. It first showed at the New York Film Festival in 2014.
Iris was also in another documentary called If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast. This TV film came out in 2017.
Barbie doll
In 2018, Mattel created a Barbie doll that looked just like Iris Apfel. This made her the oldest person to ever have a Barbie made in her image. It was a very special honor from the Barbie brand. This unique Barbie was not sold in stores. However, Mattel also made two "Styled by Iris Apfel" Barbie dolls that people could buy.
Awards and honors
In 2013, The Guardian newspaper listed her as one of the fifty "Best-Dressed over 50."
Iris Apfel received the Women Together Special Award of the Year. This was at the 12th Annual Women Together Gala in New York City on June 7, 2016.
In November 2016, she received the Pioneer Award for her work in fashion. This award was given at the United Nations in New York City.
In 2017, Iris Apfel was honored by The New Jewish Home at their Eight over Eighty Gala.
See also
In Spanish: Iris Apfel para niños
