She called herself a “geriatric starlet”: a professional model from the age of 97, an iconic interior-designed and entrepreneur, Iris Apfel died March 2, at the age of 102.

The celebrity´s representatives confirmed Apfel´s death in her Palm Beach home in Florida. 

A unique character, Apfel lit up every place she entered and left an unforgettable legacy in the world of fashion and design.

She stated about fashion: “If you study it, you realize that it is a reflection of politics, of social life, of the economy. That is, our way of life.” 

Born Iris Barrel in 1921, she grew up in Queens, New York. She was an art student and began her career as a copywriter for Women’s Wear Daily.

In 1950, Apfel founded a textile company with her husband Carl. Their firm restored the White House for nine presidents, including Harry Truman and Bill Clinton.

At 90, she was a teacher at the University of Texas at Austin.

At 94, a documentary by Albert Maysles was produced about her life. 

She became the first 97-year-old model in the world and modelled for Vogue Italia, Kate Spade and M.A.C. 

“Through living her life on her own terms she messaged to women that they don’t need to hide in the shadows as they age, they actually can continu