IRIS APFEL THROUGH THE MAYSLES LENS

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“Style is all attitude. Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.” and Iris Apfel has enough for everyone. The 91-year-old style icon and designer of jewelry, handbags, eyewear and most recently makeup – in collaboration with M-A-C cosmetics – is set to star in a documentary by Albert Maysles, who created the much beloved yet haunting Grey Gardens. Apfel allowed Maysles and his team to follow her in her day-to-day life as a fashion connoisseur in a fly-on-the-wall technique which allows Apfel to tell her own story in her own words.

Throughout the documentary you meet Apfel’s family, friends, and colleagues – Linda Fargo of Bergdorf Goodman, Bruce Weber and Duro Oluwo to name a few – through them the audience understands that she has given her life to fashion. She is a pillar of strength, experience and individuality in this fickle industry from the quirky ensembles and business savvy to her willingness to dole out advice to upcoming designers and future fashion icons. “A trend can be a wonderful thing if it works for you. But if it doesn’t, it’s useless, and you can look freaky”.

In a world that seems to lose all respect and consideration for women once they are no longer young and fertile, we are inevitably attracted to energetic older ladies who still put themselves out there. We look at them and think: that is what I want to be when I grow older. Curious, intelligent, sassy, lively, creative, elegant, and colorful: I want to be like Iris Apfel.

IRIS APFEL PROMO from Laura Coxson on Vimeo.