Designer Iris Apfel: biography, family, career

Are you interested in fashion shows and biographies of famous designers? Then you should have heard at least a few words about Iris Apfel. The biography of this famous woman, who devoted her entire life to design and collecting, often falls on the main strips of magazines and newspapers. Large glasses and bright outfits make her recognizable even at a respectable age. She is already 95 years old, but this lady does not think about rest, doing her favorite things all day long. The story of Iris Apfel should begin with the 20-ies of the last century.

early years

The future fashion-diva in the family of Barrelov was born. The mother is Jewish, has Russian roots, which Iris Apfel herself often mentions. In many respects it was Mother who influenced her career. She kept a small fashion boutique, and my father sold mirrors. By the way, a certain percentage of his daughter's success was made by him, thanks to his connections with famous American designers.

Childhood Iris Apfel was not in the richest areas of New York. From the age of 12 the girl had an interest in various accessories and clothes. In some ways you can see the influence of a mother who could not live without updates. My father, on the contrary, did not like to spend time trying long to buy the first suit he saw. Iris Apfel was a complete child, because of what often faced with ridicule from the adolescents. Cigarettes helped to lose weight, as Iris herself admitted. She smoked a lot, but quit when she realized that she was starting to depend on nicotine.

First steps

Iris Apfel attended art school classes and studied art history. Already in 19 years began to make advertisements in the newspaper Women's Wear Daily, which at that time was the most authoritative in New York. However, for a long time this occupation of the girl was not carried away. Then she worked together with Bob Goodman - a famous illustrator of the United States. Soon, Iris Apfel was interested in interior design. To master this field was helped by a father who had known acquaintances.

Husband

With the future husband designer Iris Apfel met in 1948, when she was 27 years old. They met at a resort in New York. Karl Apfel fell in love with a bright girl, which he told her in a telephone conversation a few weeks later. In 4 months the young man made a proposal to the girl.

Fashion designer Iris Apfel always speaks very warmly about her wife, with whom she lived soul to soul (he died in 2015). The heroine of our article has no children. Fashion-diva explains their absence by lack of time for personal life due to the fact that all the forces were spent on building a career.

Career

For a while, Iris Apfel worked as an interior designer. Once she picked up the walls for the walls. Looking through a huge variety of options, she realized that she had found her vocation - a textile designer. To realize the ideas she could thanks to the company Old World Weavers, which in the 50's founded together with her husband. Very quickly the company grew, gained weight in the world market, becoming eventually one of the most popular in this field. Weaving machines of the company restored and reproduced ancient fabrics. Products were in demand among large organizations, famous designers, collectors, aristocrats.

Ornaments of Iris Apfel became recognizable all over the world, and she finally felt happy. Old World Weavers, by the way, exists today. True, the company is run by other people. In the early 90's, the spouses sold their offspring, but Apfel remained with him as a consultant. She does not regret the sale.

Fashion-diva also engaged in major projects for the restoration of interior spaces in the White House.

Exhibitions

Iris Apfel boasts an impressive collection of accessories. Until 2005, the designer could not think that someone would be interested in them. She was engaged in her favorite work, when suddenly she was asked several accessories for the exhibition. The curators were amazed to see the huge collection of Iris. It became clear that a couple of things can not be done. Soon was organized a separate exhibition, in which the focus was the wardrobe Apfel. The exhibition was a huge success.

Surprising that the designer treats his exclusive outfits as the most common things. On a weekday can surprise with a bright dress or suit. Often Iris is called "Rare Bird in Fashion Style".

In 2009, another exhibition was held by the Institute of Costumes. Expositions were awarded the best outfits Apfel. By the way, this honor was awarded only to Yves Saint Laurent in the 80s of the last century. The audience could see more than 80 costumes and 300 best designer accessories, which she collected all over the world.

House

The apartment of our heroine, located in New York, rather like a palace. The walls are hung with paintings and a lot of mirrors in golden frames. Everywhere - statues, Venetian chairs. Minimalism Iris does not like. She likes abundance and texture. This is why the apartment resembles a palace from the time of Louis XV, when there was not a single free meter in the rooms. There are many things from different countries and even eras. Everything was brought by Iris from her travels around the world.

Style

Apfel, buying clothes, never adhered to any framework. She can be called the oldest teenager in the world. Accessories and outfits, she did not buy to collect the best collection in the world. For her, it was excitement. She was not so much attracted by the simple purchase of clothes, but rather the search for the perfect combination in detail.

The designer does not consider himself a collector. Every accessory, every outfit does not lie beside her. Huge glasses, beads, bracelets - these are indispensable features of the style of Mrs. Apfel. She does not pursue fashion trends, does not buy expensive, unnecessary jewelry. She herself combines the elements of the outfits, getting exquisite, original costumes. Iris repeatedly surprised others with her extravagant style. It is an example of an exquisite taste that borders on bad taste, but it does not break this line. It is difficult to find someone who could repeat something like that.

About Russia

As already mentioned above, Iris Apfel has Russian roots by her mother. The fashion designer has always been admired by our girls. In the 50's, she visited Sochi and Odessa. I remembered later about poverty, strict border control and the beauty of Russian women. He wants to visit Russia again, now to Moscow.

Today

Despite the venerable age, Iris Apfel continues to pursue her favorite business, traveling, being shot in advertising and participating in various projects. In 2011, a collection of cosmetics for the company MAC. Glory at a respectful age did not blind her, she still watches with all her mind and interest all around. Do not like Iris street fashion and deliberate outrageous, but to the style of punks, she is positive. In 2012, the designer conducted classes in one of the universities of Texas. In 2013 I got on the list of the most fashionable women, who are already over fifty.