From February 27 to April 16, an exhibition of Iris Apfel takes place in Paris. The European celebration of American diva, which will be 95 years old this year, is arranged by Bon Marché Rive Gauche - a store whose managers skillfully balance on the verge of luxury, design, fashion and where commerce is heated by brilliant newsmakers.
Iris Apfel was born in Queens, New York. Dad owned a company for the production of windows and mirrors. Mum is from Russia, in the same Queens contained boutique. She graduated from the Department of Art History at New York University and went to work in the newspaper about Women’s Wear Daily fashion, after that to the famous fashion illustrator Robert Goodman.
Of course, her brilliant career was largely determined by marriage. 68 years ago, she linked fate with Karl Apfel, a business man. In the 1950s, the couple founded the textile company Old World Weavers, which created replicas of historical fabrics from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century. Among those who liked the taste of Apfel, there were birds of high flight - Greta Garbo, Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis and Estee Lauder. Actually, it was in this direction that Apfel realized her gift - textiles and interior design. In the period from 1950 to 1992, the year she invented and designed many interiors. Biography fact: nine US presidents invited her to restore historical interiors in the White House at various times.
In search of fabrics, upholstery, wallpaper samples and antique furniture, the couple begins to travel a lot. Having passed all of Central America, through Africa, they fall into Asia. Of course, Iris's tenacious eye attracted all the most extravagant and characteristic. Returning to New York, she cultivates a very personal style, combining high fashion and accessories found at flea markets. It is ridiculous, but this notebook was given the title of it-girl only in 80 years. But as an interior and textile designer, Apfel won her own retrospectives: Rara Avis (Rare Bird): The Irreverent Iris Apfel in 2005 at the Metropolitan Museum of Costume Institute. The exhibition was wildly popular: more than 150 thousand spectators, as if spellbound, were looking at somersaults of color, form, and risky offers by ladies of respectable age.
Today, in connection with the exhibition, Iris recalls her visits to Paris. “For the first time we were here with my parents. And then my husband and I went twice a year for 50 years. ” The exposition in Bon Marchè and the capsule collection of Iris in Paris are organized around 10 outlets of the beautiful fashionista: Iris in the Museum, Iris in the flea market, Iris prepares to sail to Bato Mush and so on. All images are made by the French graphic artist Eric Zhirya.
The exhibition runs until April 16.
