How I Found My Inner Iris Apfel While Exploring Her Bold And Vibrant Collaborative Collection With H&M
Do you know who Iris Apfel is? Let me tell you, she is an absolute queen! Born in 1921, Apfel is an American businesswoman, interior designer, and at the age of 100 years old, a fashion icon who turned to model at the young age of 97. She is renowned for her famously eclectic taste, flamboyant fashion and fearless individuality. And recently, H&M collaborated with her to create a collection that is an ode to her. And what’s more, I go the chance to not just check out the collection but pretty much experience it in a unique way. The Iris Apfel x H&M collection was truly as fierce, glamorous and vibrant as I expected it to be. The brand’s latest collaboration with the renowned Centennial Queen offers an assortment of alluring garments and accessories, designed to ‘Find your Inner Iris.’ From the very first look, the wonderfully wild apparel inspires you to dress for the joy of fashion; to open a portal to a truer you, a gateway to creativity and a path to personal style. It really showcases the beloved tastemaker’s unique flair and more-is-more mindset exquisitely.
This collaboration truly works because Iris herself champions the idea that style and inspiration can come from anywhere and anyone, regardless of price.
This collection dives deep into the thrill of pattern clashing, vibrant colours, extravagant accessories, and the idea of consonance in chaos. It features a mix of playful textures, patterns and cuts as well as a vivid colour palette of canary yellow, emerald green, radiant violet, vivid turquoise and sunset orange— which immensely brings the apparel to life. Key garments include a jacquard suit with peapod embroidery and pearl peas, a voluminous frilled tulle jacket and a flouncy tiered skirt & blouse set in a stunning iris flower print. A line of jewellery and accessories has also been designed to complement the wardrobe. Taking inspiration from the style icon’s love of layering and fondness for chunky statement pieces, the accessories pull from diverse themes, including plants, animals, and treasures from another world. Elements such as flowers, fringes and frogs, prints and pearls, beetles, brooches and bows, chains, charms and colour have been incorporated beautifully.
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The event held by H&M India was an adoring exhibition of the Iris Apfel collaboration. The moment I entered the venue, I was immersed under pink lighting, which in a single moment, seemed to pull me away from my mundane reality altogether. On one end of the perimeter, there was an installation with a digital photobooth setup where everyone could have their photos, videos or boomerangs taken and then sent directly to their phones. There was a health bar with the most interesting and refreshing drinks like- Strawberry Spiced Iced Tea, Love Yourself smoothie, Psychedelic Purple, Santa Monica Sunrise and Charcoal Cola. Next to this, there was a booth with some really appetizing Vegan Hors d’oeuvres including- Saigon Rice Paper Rolls, Cocktail Kebabs, Kaffir Lime Pie, Baja Black Bean Canapes and more.
The left periphery led to another room, where the collection was on display. I, for one, was mesmerized by the visual merchandising done by the team. The concept of ‘More is More and Less is a Bore’ was manifested all too well. Pieces from the collection were styled on mannequins in Iris’s famously eccentric manner, which has quite evidently fascinated and inspired generations of fashion enthusiasts around the world for decades. The entire display was done up with such playful and sprightly elements, highlighting how Iris has made pattern clashing into an art, combining every colour under the sun, and mastering the harmony in maximalism. Iris is famous for her stunning collection of costume jewellery which too was reflected well in this collaboration. The jewellery and accessories displayed gave me a peek into her refreshingly bold and uncompromisingly unique universe. Through the collection, I could perceive her unwavering independence and ageless sense of style, which is kind of ironic considering it was birthed in celebration of her 100th birthday!
To most people’s surprise, the activity that H&M had in store for us all, was a sound healing session. With all of the bold and bright elements surrounding us, this almost seemed bizarre. But taking into consideration that Iris loves styling things that don’t look like they have been put together, but rather complement each other, as if they were a set to begin with. We were told to lay down on our backs, close our eyes and try to relax and listen. The session was held by two delightful certified instructors who guided us every step of the way. They used a variety of instruments such as a gong, Tibetan singing bowls, bells, and cymbals to produce sonic frequencies to induce tranquillity. At first, I had thoughts continuously running through my head, but after some time my mind yielded to the vibrations and sounds around me. There was a stillness that I could feel with every breath entering my body. In fact, I remember thinking that I wouldn’t be surprised if I opened my eyes and instead of the room ceiling saw a vast blue sky with trees all around me; almost as if I were transported to another realm in the middle of a forest on a deserted island. I felt as if my body was sinking into the floor yet floating while absorbing different surrounding energies.
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In this digital age, we’re so reliant on our sense of vision, that once we deprive ourselves of it, we can feel all of our other senses get heightened. At one moment there was a scintillating aroma wafting through the air, and during another, I could feel the vibrations resonating through every cell in my body. My being was enveloped in a pure, radiant aura and after the session was over it took everyone a few minutes to readjust to the ambience. Everything was quiet and peaceful, and I could feel a connection with myself I had never felt before. It truly was an immersive and calming experience and I most definitely found my Inner Iris. In fact, it all made sense then; in Iris’s words- “Style is within. When you’ve found yourself, you’ll find your style.”
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