Iris Apfel, 97, sees no decline in her near future. In fact, she just signed a contract with IMG. With such a powerful agency backing the tastemaker turned model, there’s no telling where Apfel will go from here.
Having never had a proper agent, Apfel still possesses a spectacular resume. Aside from taking part in design restoration projects at the White House throughout nine different presidencies, Apfel has already had a taste of the modeling world, landing ad campaigns with MAC Cosmetics and Kate Spade before ever being a signed model.
It’s no surprise that IMG would be interested in representing an icon like Apfel. The agency, founded by legendary sports agent, Mark McCormack was brought into fruition based off of the idea that models could be managed in the same vein as professional athletes, and other entertainers. The agency believes that their talents’ popularity can be leveraged into strong personal brands beyond the magazine page or runway, which is perfect for Apfel who’s already had a documentary that followed her career as a stylist and designer, as well as a museum retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
In a recent telephone interview with WWD, the fashion industry news-journal where she began her career in fashion, Apfel stated that she’s not looking to do runway work now that she’s a professional model. She’s simply hoping to “just stick around,” aiming for more opportunities in terms of print and digital work as well as collaborations similar to the ones she did with Bon Marché in Paris as well as Bergdorf Goodman.
According to Apfel, there’s no time like the present to continue to pursue her career. Even in her 90s, she doesn’t think a number should stop her from working, and we agree. If you love what you do, keep doing it!
