PEM in an Hour
20. Iris and Carl Apfel
This section explores how fashion and design can be your entire life. It celebrates the exuberant remixing and inventive styling of one of the world’s most prominent fashion icons, known for her oversized eyeglasses and individuality. Few individuals lived with design and fashion as vigorously and creatively as Iris Barrel Apfel. In 1950, she and her husband Carl cofounded Old World Weavers, an international company that produced luxurious textiles based on historical examples. The couple traveled for their work to global centers of culture—Istanbul, London, Paris, Rome, Tunis, and Hong Kong—which gave them the opportunity to engage in another passion: collecting. An interior designer, Apfel furnished her homes with elegant and whimsical art and decorative objects from her travels. The Apfels’ unique and visionary approach to attire is on full display in these ensembles. Iris is known for mixing haute couture and designer fashion with street style, global cultural inspiration, flea market finds, and her own creations, while Carl was once called “a style icon in his own right” by the New York Times. We were so honored to know Iris, who sadly passed away in 2024 at the age of 102 years young. Now, we are home to the Rare Bird of Fashion collection and we regularly rotate these ensembles to preserve them. Be sure to find your favorite. Iris was famous for saying “if you don't dress like everyone else, you don't have to think like everyone else.” I will always remember Iris as an inspiration and mentor.
Moving forward, you'll see a display case of shoes.