Fashion Icon Iris Apfel's More-is-More Aesthetic is Coming to an H&M Near You
H&M’s latest collaboration is a glamorous and vibrant project created in partnership with a true style icon – the incomparable Iris Apfel. The Iris Apfel x H&M collection celebrates the 100th birthday of the beloved tastemaker.
The fashion industry is filled with larger-than-life personalities, but centenarian Iris Apfel takes the crown. Renowned for her flamboyant fashion, humorous quips, and bold outfits, Apfel champions the idea that style and inspiration can come from anywhere and anyone, regardless of price. Inspired by Apfel’s unique flair and more-is-more aesthetic, the Iris Apfel x H&M collection, dropping in stores now, is a collection that offers an assortment of stunning pieces designed for everyone.
The collection honors Apfel’s unwavering independence and original sense of style through a playful mix of textures, patterns, and cuts—and perhaps even the new town she calls home, Palm Beach Florida. A jacquard suit with peapod embroidery and pearl peas and a voluminous frilled tulle jacket seem to exude the same sense of whimsy and humor the icon is known for, while a shaggy green cropped jacket with a pink floral lining recalls the iconic colors associated with the Florida beach town and one of its iconic hotels, The Colony.
A line of jewelry and accessories has also been designed to complement the wardrobe. Apfel’s fondness for layering jewelry and chunky statement pieces is well-known, and the collection of accessories features plants, animals, and otherworldly treasures. Jacquard loafers, featuring crystal frogs instead of a typical buckle, were a highlight that could be worn by maximalists and minimalists alike. One can’t miss the cheeky use of the number 100—Apfel’s age—in many of the pieces.
In celebration of the collaboration, Apfel hosted an intimate luncheon in Palm Beach at The Colony Hotel’s Solarium, inviting top models and fashionable friends of all ages from the Miami area. Model Tess McMillian, who stares in the collaboration campaign, donned a chic floral pussy bow dress for the luncheon, topping off her look with a graphic eyeliner, a beauty look one could imagine Apfel herself trying in the ’60s. Winnie Harlow wore a chic knit ensemble, while Shea Marie wore a matching set in a green palm print.
Apfel, who is known to scour a flea market like the best of them, shared that she “love[s] doing high style at affordable prices,” and loves that this inclusive collection can be worn by all.
“She epitomizes personal style – a style that is both beautifully flamboyant and eclectic as well as totally ageless,” adds Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s Creative Advisor for Womenswear. “She shows what fashion is all about: it’s a means of expressing yourself, who you are or want to be and a way to have fun. She’s a true inspiration!”
The Iris Apfel x H&M collection is available to shop from today at hm.com.