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"Be a work of art or wear a work of art," Oscar Wilde once declared. Harold Koda, former curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, expanded on this notion, stating there are those "who have the confidence, imagination, and means to do both." Iris Apfel was undeniably one of them.
The decorator, interior designer, expert in antique textiles, and enduring style icon, passed away last March at the remarkable age of 102. This January, Christie's will honor her legacy through a special online auction titled "Unapologetically Iris: The Personal Collection of Iris Apfel", opening on 28th January.
A true maximalist, Apfel's sartorial alchemy was unparalleled. She orchestrated ensembles that blended iconic names - Dior, Lanvin, Norman Norell, Oscar de la Renta, Gianfranco Ferré, James Galanos, Simonetta, Giorgio Armani, Nina Ricci, and Christian Lacroix, to name but a few - with treasures from the farthest corners of the globe, a Transylvanian belt, Tibetan necklaces, a Venetian doge's hat, even a ponytail crafted from horsehair, once destined for upholstery weaving.
In the introduction to Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel (2007) by Eric Boman, Harold Koda captured her essence, describing her style as "the 'anything goes' bravura of fashion at its most imaginative." Iris Apfel didn't just wear clothes - she narrated stories, curated fantasies, and redefined what it means to live unapologetically through style.
Christie's auction encapsulates Iris Apfel's essence perfectly: the lots include an eclectic mix of garments and accessories from Haute Couture houses and flea markets, as well as paintings, sculptures, furniture, and decorative objects from her homes in New York and Palm Beach. Each piece embodies her imaginative style and her embrace of excess. Yet, beneath her bold eclecticism lies a discerning eye, her expertise and taste are indeed evident in every choice.
Naturally, the collection brims with evening gowns, feathered coats, statement separates, and opulent capes and jackets. In a world currently enslaved to the trendy yet boring neutrality of beige, Apfel's wardrobe bursts with color - vivid emerald greens, flaming persimmons, passion reds, and shocking pinks, alongside a kaleidoscope of multicolored patterns and designs adorned with intricate embroidery or shimmering sequins.
Some pieces come with their own accessories, revealing her passion for layering: a Valentino plaid wool coat with an Empire-style fit, for instance, is paired with a YSL necklace of black and white wooden triangles and hearts, along with a mix of resin necklaces in black, white, and red, all accompanied by a generous array of bangles.
The collection also features bespoke pieces made for Apfel, some crafted from fabric remnants, alongside haute couture treasures juxtaposed with her 2021 H&M collaboration. The auction is therefore a veritable feast of textures and materials - velvet, satin, brocade, taffeta, leather, and fur - reflecting her rich distinctive style.
Entire lots in the auction are devoted to Iris Apfel's iconic accessories. One features Yoruba-style headdresses; another is dedicated to her trademark oversized glasses.
Jewelry abounds, with a dazzling array of necklaces and mixed jewelry pieces sourced from around the globe. Highlights include an Eastern European gold-tone bib necklace, a beaded and mirrored adornment from Pakistan, a necklace strung with orange seed beads and silver-tone chimes, and six orange, silvered metal, and lapis-colored stone chokers likely from Afghanistan.
Bangles are present by the hundreds, many crafted from lucite, plastic, or natural materials. One particularly whimsical lot features a beaded basket overflowing with bangles, a playful treasure for fans eager to channel a touch of Apfel or even indulge in the spirit of Nancy Cunard.
The auction also includes an impressive selection of interior design pieces, offering a glimpse into Apfel's illustrious career as a decorator. Having studied art history and museum administration, Apfel began her professional journey with a stint at Women's Wear Daily and as an assistant to fashion illustrator Robert Goodman. She later worked with interior designer Elinor Johnson before founding Old World Weavers in 1950 with her husband, Carl.
The firm specialized in weaving reproductions of antique period fabrics, a venture that required the couple to travel extensively in search of rare textiles and mills capable of creating them. These journeys also fuelled their passion for discovering unique treasures, whether in elegant shops or bustling markets.
Among the interior offerings are exquisite screens, including a French giltwood four-panel painted canvas floor screen, as well as lamps, chairs, footstools, ottomans, and vibrant ceramic pieces.
Notable highlights include gilt-japanned Chinese export table cabinets, intricately crafted mirrors, and ceramic pieces that perfectly reflect Apfel's singular vision and flair for the extraordinary.
Much like her wardrobe, Iris Apfel's interior treasures reflect her dynamic personality and sense of humor. One lot features a life-sized wooden ostrich (she had named it "Gussy") with a hinged wing that opens to reveal a bar space, whimsically paired with a plush Kermit the Frog perched on its back and another lot featuring a lime-green figurine of Iris herself riding a scooter.
These playful pieces embody her wit and irony, calling to mind a quote from Boman's Rare Bird of Fashion: "Wit and humor are key components to my philosophy of dressing. Never take yourself or an outfit too seriously."
Some items even seem to double as displays for her fashion obsession. A Black Forest-style figure of a standing terrier, originally an umbrella stand, is presented with a pair of miniature eyeglasses, and an assortment of bangles, and necklaces arranged on a pewter tray.
In some cases, there appears to be a resonance or a striking dialogue between Iris Apfel's art pieces and her clothing: one ensemble, featuring a Krizia black quilted silk nylon jacket with bow-adorned shoulders and sleeves, recalls the opulence of a 17th-century Spanish School portrait of Margarita Teresa (1651 - 1673), Infanta of Spain. In the painting, the Infanta wears a red and silver silk gown with a jewel-encrusted stomacher and rows of decorative bows in her hair.
Such a collection might overwhelm the sensibilities of the staunchest minimalist. Yet these lots reflect Apfel's celebrated "more is more" philosophy, a vivid expression of her individuality as a "rara avis" of fashion who defied trends in favor of personal storytelling.
Christie's auction showcases more than 200 items, with starting prices as low as $200, though they are certain to climb. The online sale will run from January 28 to February 13, with select highlights displayed in Florida at the Miami Design District on January 24 - 25 and The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach from January 29 - 31. Additional collection highlights will be on view at Christie's New York from February 8 - 12. This event joins the ranks of other auctions of iconic private collections, such as André Leon Talley's, and is expected to generate at least $250,000, with proceeds benefitting a charitable trust.
These treasures will be beyond the reach of most of us (we can just hope that museums secure a few key pieces...), but we can still go through them on Christie's site and learn more from Apfel's legacy. Her ability to craft a narrative through clothes and accessories, as well as her enduring wisdom and memorable quotes (such as "When you don’t dress like everyone else, you don't have to think like everyone else" from a 2011 interview with The New York Times) will indeed continue to inspire many of us.
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