Home Tags Iris Apfel

Tag: Iris Apfel

2017 Highlights: Oh the Places We’ve Gone… (and people we’ve met)

2017 was a pretty incredible year for me. I got to be in an Olay campaign with my mom, was profiled in Vanity Fair, danced with the Rockettes, judged Glamour’s Beauty Awards, was on a billboard in Times Square, and meet so many of my idols! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If I’m being honest the whole year was a bit of a blur. Which is why every New Years Eve, I take an hour to go through my Instagram feed, blog posts and just reflect on all the incredible things that have happened. So here we go, my top moments of 2017 (in no particular order)!

  1. Being profiled in Vanity Fair. I mean… #goals.

2. Seeing my face on a billboard in Times Square! I hosted a Facebook Live with Sophia Bush for Sunglass Hut that was streamed on a billboard in Times Square. It was incredible.

3. Getting this Owl necklace from Iris Apfel’s personal jewelry collection. She hosted a trunk show of her one of a kind vintage pieces she’s thrifted throughout the years and I walked away with this incredible piece.

4. Being in Greece with Patricia Field and Debi Mazar, two women I’ve literally admired my whole life. From cruising around Mykonos in an ATV, to epic lunches overlooking the Mediterranean, this vacation was the definition of paradise.

5. Getting to judge Glamour’s Beauty Awards for the 2nd year in a row.

6. Being in an Olay campaign with my mom and being apart of the 28-day clinical study for the famed Regenerist and Total Effects moisturizer.

Also being in Health Magazine for the campaign!

7. Got to workout with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and learn their moves thanks to Gillette Venus!

8. Getting to hug Joe Biden!

9. Walking in my first fashion show for Livari during fashion week!

― READ ON →

Charlie Meets Iris

Iris apfel lara eurdolianLast night was a big night! It was the debut of Macy’s Front Row event which I had the pleasure of attending earlier in the month. For anyone not familiar it’s their annual fashion show event which features their exclusive collections and sensational designers like Calvin Klein, I.N.C International Concepts, RACHEL Rachel Roy, Allia, Tommy Hilifiger, William Rast, and the debut of Betsey Johnson’s collection inspired by DreamWorks Animation. Hosted by Brad Goreski and Giuliana Rancic the show also features performances by Ariana Grande and Flo Rida. It was also the debut of the Iris Apfel for I.N.C International Concepts — the Iris Meets INC collection and she was at Macy’s last night to promote the line and do a Q&A with Vogue.com Style Editor Edward Barsamian (I hope you all watched it on my snapchat: @prettyconnected). iris-apfel-at-macys

After months of seeing the gorgeous window displays of her collection every time I walked by Macy’s I was so excited to see it in person and be reunited with her. Literally the last time I saw Iris was when I interviewed her in 2012 for her bag launch. It’s been 5 years and it’s just incredible how much she’s done in that time. She never stops! And she’s still every bit as charming, hilarious and gracious as I remember. And get this! In the middle of her talk she goes, “Is that a puppy?! Can you please bring that puppy to me?”

iris-apfel-macys-event

So I just about had a heart attack which I covered up by going on stage (in front of a massive crowd) so she could meet Charlie. She then asked how old he was, and I told her Charlie’s was a senior rescue dog somewhere around 10 years old but I’ve only had him for 4 months. To which she replied, “so we both like older men.”. I was so touched. Especially since after the presentation was done she asked if Charlie could sit on her lap for the photos. iris-apfel-edward-barsamian-macys-inc-talk

She brings so much joy to so many. I mean the crowd almost had me in tears each sharing what an inspiration she’s been, that for my dog to bring her joy was probably the best gift I could get. And speaking of gifts everyone check out the Iris Meets INC collection (she’s wearing the collection in the photo!)– it’s filled with all kinds of fun updated mod looks and a ton of incredibly Iris approved jewelry.macys-inc-iris-apfel-clothing-collection iris-apfel-macys-inc-collection

Check out the Iris Meets INC collection at macys.com

PC Interviews The Unstoppable Iris Apfel at the Launch of Extinctions

Word can not describe what a joy it is to say, I MET IRIS APFEL! Reconciling that with the fact that I got an exclusive interview, an autographed bag and a compliment on my outfit — it’s a miracle I didn’t pass out.

She is exquisite, a true fashion icon and tastemaker; she’s done restoration design projects at the White House for nine US presidents, had an exhibit dedicated to her at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a custom collection collaboration with MAC Cosmetics and now at the age of 91 she’s launched a new luxury handbag collection, Extinctions by Iris Apfel. I have been a longtime fan and there’s really no better way to say this, that women is my hero.

I joined Ms. Apfel at Henri Bendel’s for the launch of Extinctions. She was so welcoming and lovely, words can not describe her grace and ability to make you feel like you’re the only person in the room when she talks to you. Don’t let her age fool you, she’s so sharp and endearing (and what a sense of humor!), I could have listened to her all night.

Unfortunately, I had some technical difficulties with the sound quality so I transcribed most of the interview below. However, I had to include at least a part of the interview for you to see just how incredible this woman is.

PC: How did this handbag collection start and why Extinction?

IA: I was invited to do an accessories collection for HSN, and handbags was one of the things I started to design. And I was very pleased with the output and after the first bag it was so beautifully finished and so elegantly done. So I called Lisa [Nunziata, President of L & Leung Design Group], who owns the company to thank her. She said she was very happy to hear from me and happy I appreciated it because she worked very hard and is very passionate about what she does. She pays a great deal of attention to detail and she feels like she’s the last of an old breed. And I said if you’re the last of an old breed then I must already be extinct. So we had

― READ ON →