"When you don’t dress like everyone else, you don’t have to think like everyone else..."

This week, the world lost a huge personality born not too far from where I live in Queens. Iris Apfel – the businesswoman, fashion icon, and actress – died at the age of 102 in Florida. She was born in 1921 to Jewish parents; her mom owned a fashion boutique and her father ran a glass business. She would ride the subway into Manhattan, and explored Greenwich Village, shopping at antique stores. She studied art history at New York University and the University of Wisconsin. For over 40 years she ran a textile firm with her husband, Carl Apfel, traveling to buy varied textiles from across the globe. Throughout her life, she also worked on various design projects, including restoration work at the White House for several presidents.

Known for her statement glasses and colorful outfits, Apfel believed in living large and that each person should let their inner style free. In particular, she remained outspoken (perhaps moreso) in old age, where she didn’t let her gray hair or cane interfere with her statement looks. In 2005, the Met exhibited a selection of her closet, inviting high-end fashion designers and schoolchildren alike to marvel at her wardrobe. At the age of 97, she signed a modeling contract with a global agency.

I thought this statement from the NYT obituary summed it up her uniqueness perfectly:

In a world where globalization means that the same shops are found on every street corner in all big cities, where social media means the same images permeate the ether in the digital sphere, where designers often seem to default in the belief that there is safety in numbers, and where fresh ideas are as rare as bluebells in the snow, the sense of discovery that once made dressing a delight has become generally dulled. Ms. Apfel was an antidote to all of that. Her legacy is in her wardrobe and the courage and joy it took to wear it — just as she wanted.

Photo Credit: MiamiFilmFestival under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

Indeed, her most famous quote lives on without her – “When you don’t dress like everyone else, you don’t have to think like everyone else.” As someone who has spent the last 20+ years largely dressed in black and grey in this city, I find myself inspired by this call to think differently, and drawn to this idea to take true joy in being different. Rest in peace, Iris Apfel.

-Reshma