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You instantly knew her from her striking style. Iris Apfel, one of the fashion world’s most iconic figures—usually dressed in bold colors and intriguing shapes, including her gigantic fashion glasses—passed away last March at age 102, leaving behind a beautifully curated collection of items that’ll be on view for free at Christie’s New York from February 8 to 13.
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Apfel, who began as a decorator who eventually consulted at the White House, co-founded Old World Weavers, a textile company with her husband Carl that became renowned. The New Yorker became quite a distinguished collector and expert in antique textiles but also a fashion icon in her 80s. The New York Times described her as “tallish and thin, with a short crop of silver hair and scarlet gashes on lips and fingernails, a little old lady among the models at Fashion Week and an authentic Noo Yawk haggler at a shop in Harlem or a souk in Tunisia.
“Many called her gaudy, kooky, bizarre, even vulgar in get-ups like a cape of gold-tipped duck feathers and thigh-high fuchsia satin Yves Saint Laurent boots.”
As Christie’s writes in a press release, “her originality was unmatched, with a distinctive style characterized by an eclectic mix of high and low fashion, harmoniously blending couture with flea market discoveries.”
That’s why more than 200 pieces of Apfel’s fashion, accessories and design—spanning eras, including ready-to-wear pieces and couture garments from the 1950s to the present—are up for auction at Christie’s through February 13. But the public has a chance to view them for free at the “Unapologetically Iris” exhibit February 8-13. It’ll include select highlights like Apfel’s Feather Coat Dior Haute Couture, (estimated at $800-$1,200) a Pink, Red and Yellow Color Block Shirt Gown Carolina Herrera, (estimated at $800-$1,200) and a Case of Eighteen Multicolor and Pattern Iris Apfel X Zenni Eyeglass Frames (estimated $400-$600).
Below are some photos of the incredible items you could see at Christie’s.
You can see everything up for auction here and view the exhibit for yourself at Christie’s, 20 Rockefeller Center, between 10am and 5pm, February 8-13.