1921-2024 IRIS APFEL Goodbye to a Fashion Icon

WITH HER UNIQUE STYLE AND BOUNDLESS ENERGY, THE CENTENARIAN INSPIRED THE FASHION WORLDAND BEYOND

- HEDY PHILLIPS

Iris Apfel had the right idea. "The world can be a gray place, so colors, patterns and textures are a way to bring some fun to life," she told People in 2022. It was a philosophy she lived by. Almost always seen wearing bright colors and artfully mismatched prints-and with her trademark saucer-size glasses-Apfel was not only a magnet for bold and beautiful designs, she was the original style influencer, decades before the term would become commonplace.

So when she died on March 1 at age 102, reportedly of natural causes, her celebrity fans and 3.1 million Instagram followers paid tribute. "Unforgettable legend, undeniable icon, unbelievably creative, and unlike anyone I've ever met!" wrote Christie Brinkley, who helped Apfel ring in her birthday in August. Fashion designer Donna Karan declared, "If I'd have to name who the best dressed woman in the world is, it would be Iris." Vera Wang called her "Forever an inspiration."