Christie’s presents: Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel
Iris Apfel – Photo Credit Ruven Afanador
Online Auction opens on 28 January through 13 February 2025 | The collection highlights will tour to Miami and Palm Beach.
UNAPOLOGETICALLY IRIS: THE COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL 48 TEN PAIRS OF EYEWEAR VARIOUS DESIGNERS, INCLUDING CHRISTIAN DIOR, EMILIO PUCCI, LATE 20TH/21ST CENTURY Comprising four eyebobs X Iris Apfel sunglasses, one pair of black Selima Optique Iris Apfel X Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche sunglasses, one pair of amber Christian Dior 2040 1970s Sunglasses, one pair of pink Emilio Pucci sunglasses, one unbranded pair of sunglasses with rainbow rhinestone frames, one pair of black Rara Avis by Iris Apfel reading glasses with +2.50 magnification, and one pair of Italian faux tortoiseshell frames $200-300 | £170-240 | €200-290 "I have more pairs of glasses than I could count -- and the bigger and brighter, the better." Colorful, 2024
NEW YORK – Christie’s is delighted to present Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel, an online auction celebrating one of America’s most iconic style-makers. The online sale, which showcases Mrs. Apfel’s legendary flair for fashion, accessories, and interior design, will be open for bidding January 28 - February 13.
For nearly half a century, Mrs. Apfel was beloved for her embolden aesthetic, known for seamlessly combining colors, textures, and patterns in new ways, redefining traditional notions of fashion and design. She was undeniably a trendsetter, instantly recognizable by her oversized oval glasses, blue eyeshadow, feather boas, and arms adorned with chunky bangles. Her originality was unmatched, with a distinctive style characterized by an eclectic mix of high and low fashion, harmoniously blending couture with flea market discoveries. Unapologetically Iris features over 200 pieces of fashion, accessories, and design from the collection of Mrs. Apfel, showcasing the brilliant and bold personal style of a New York City icon.
UNAPOLOGETICALLY IRIS: THE COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL 158 A MIXED GROUP OF TURQUOISE COLORED JEWELRY IN LUCITE, RESIN AND SILVERED METAL ALEXIS BITTAR, JIANHUI LONDON, RARA AVIS AND OTHERS, EARLY 21ST CENTURY Including an Alexis Bittar bangle, Jianhui London necklaces and bracelet, Rara Avis bracelets, stone studded lucite cuffs and bangle among others $300-500 | £250-400 | €300-490
The sale is a rare opportunity for fashion enthusiasts, offering a diverse range of completely unique clothing items and accessories spanning eras, including ready-to-wear pieces and couture garments from the 1950s to the present. Highlights include a Feather Coat Dior Haute Couture, (Estimate $800-1,200) a Pink, Red and Yellow Color Block Shirt Gown Carolina Herrera, (Estimate: $800-1,200) and a Case of Eighteen Multicolor and Pattern Iris Apfel X Zenni Eyeglass Frames (Estimate: $400-600).
UNAPOLOGETICALLY IRIS: THE COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL 51 A MULTICOLOR FEATHER COAT LABELED DIOR HAUTE COUTURE, PARIS, 21ST CENTURY The coat three-quarter length with feathers in black, blue, green, brown, grey, purple and burgundy, and bearing small clutch closures down center front. Sheer lining to the interior 36½ in. (92.7 cm.) long excluding feathers $800-1,200 | £650-970 | €780-1,200
A distinguished collector and expert in antique textiles, Mrs. Apfel began her career as a decorator and during her life consulted on prestigious restoration projects, including at the White House. Together with her husband, Carl, she co-founded Old World Weavers, an internationally renowned textile company. Beyond her contributions to fashion, the sale will also honor Mrs. Apfel’s passion for interior design, featuring decorative art pieces and items from her homes in New York City and Palm Beach. Featured in the sale is a Carved Ostrich-form Bar 'Gussy' Italy, circa 1975 (Estimate $6,000-8,000).
UNAPOLOGETICALLY IRIS: THE COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL ■30 A CARVED OSTRICH-FORM BAR 'GUSSY' ITALY, CIRCA 1975 Of life-sized ostrich form with proper right wing opening to reveal bar space, together with a plush Kermit the Frog 80 in. high; 49 in. wide; 25 in. deep $6,000-8,000 | £4,900-6,500 | €5,900-7,800 LITERATURE Ferrise, J. (2018, March). Why I Love: Gussy, my Ostrich Bar. InStyle. I. Apfel, Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon, New York, 2018, p. 40, similar object illustrated. Maysles, A. (Director). (2014). Iris. [film] Vail, A. (2016, October 11). Iris Apfel's Home in New York City is a Fashionista's Dream. Architectural Digest.
“I used to have my own interior-design business, and every year I’d do a few big buying trips. In the ‘70s I went to Italy and visited the workshop of a fabulous wood carver. I knew I wanted him to make me something, and since I love ostriches, I came up with the crazy idea of having a life-size one carved out of this beautiful bleached wood. Then I thought, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it was a bar too?” So I designed the wing on a hinge, which allows you to open the ostrich and fill the belly with booze.
We ended up producing six in total. I sold four of them to clients—one went to the mayor of Dallas, another to a la-di-da hotel. But I kept two for myself that I named Gussy and Gustavo.
Gustavo lives in the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., and Gussy lives with me in Palm Beach. My apartment there is a little cuckoo, so she fits right in, especially with Kermit the Frog on her back. (Kermit tipples, you know, and now he’s half crocked because of the bar.) I love Gussy to pieces, mainly because she’s attractive and useful, but she also puts up with both Kermit and me. What more can I ask for?”
Select highlights from the collection will be on view in Florida at Christie’s Miami on January 23 - 25 and Palm Beach, at The Colony Hotel from January 29 - 31. The full collection with be on view at Christie’s New York from February 8 – 13.
UNAPOLOGETICALLY IRIS: THE COLLECTION OF IRIS APFEL 3 A TRI-COLOR BLOCK SILK SHIRT DRESS LABELED CAROLINA HERRERA, CIRCA 2020 Of pink and red and with a yellow sash, floral-shaped rhinestone button closures down center front, together with an unlabeled cream wool dress coat with embroidered pink and green floral down one side and rhinestone button closures, possibly Italian 55½ in. (141 cm.) long $1,200-1,800 | £960-1,400 | €1,200-1,700 LITERATURE I. Apfel, Colorful, New York, 2024, p. 10, exact dress illustrated. A. Haque, Harper's Bazaar. "Celebrating 100 years of Iris Apfel," March, 2022. Online. Exact dress pictured. This dress was gifted to Iris Apfel from the house of Carolina Herrera on the occasion of her birthday, and worn at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach for a photo shoot with Harper’s Bazaar. The coat is likely late 20th Century and possibly Oscar de la Renta.
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