The Apfel of my Eye!

Iris Apfel by Bruce Weber

Iris Apfel is a rare and exotic woman. Hailing from Queens in New York she is a fixture on the fashion circuit. Her unique take on fusing high and low pieces together gives her a degree of clout with what I'd imagine would be a tough market to crack. She seems to have the talent of Anna Piaggi without the almost off-putting eccentricity that goes with it. I love her opening line in the following video... "Why do you wear such large glasses?....All the better to see you with!" She ticks all the boxes for me as she's fearless when it comes to her use and composition of colour. Her grace and simple courtesy makes a refreshing change. (Does this mean I'm showing my age???)

Part stylist, part couture Svengali, Apfel originally trained as an interior designer. After completing numerous fit outs on the White House her direction with her Old World Weaver company led her to become an inadvertent fashion icon. I love her glasses...they make her look like David Hockney meets Mr Magoo. Despite that I think she'd be the coolest nonagenarian to go shopping with!