NEW YORK — Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer, and fashion celebrity renowned for her unique style, has died. She was 102.

Lori Sale, Apfel’s business agent, confirmed her death and described her as “extraordinary.” No cause of death was specified. It was also confirmed on her verified Instagram page on Friday, a day after she celebrated her 102nd and a half birthday on Leap Day.

Apfel, born on August 29, 1921, was known for her irreverent, eye-catching costumes that combined haute couture with huge costume jewellery. A traditional Apfel ensemble would include a feather boa, strands of chunky beads, bangles, and a jacket embellished with Native American beadwork.

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

With her large, round, black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick, and short white hair, she stood out at every fashion event she attended.

Her style has been the focus of museum exhibits and the documentary film “Iris,” directed by Albert Maysles.

“I’m not pretty, and I’ll never be pretty, but it doesn’t matter,” she commented at one point. “I’ve got something far better. “I have style.”

Apfel achieved late-life stardom on social media, accumulating nearly 3 million followers on Instagram, where her profile reads: “More is more & Less is a bore.” She gained 215,000 TikTok followers as she waxed eloquent about fashion and style and promoted previous collaborations.

“Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things,” she stated in a TikTok video. “You can simply buy your way to being fashionable. I believe you have a natural sense of style. It denotes inventiveness and boldness.”

She never retired, saying “Today” that “I believe retiring at any age is a fate worse than death.” Just because a number appears does not mean you have to stop.

“Working with her was an honour of a lifetime.” “I shall miss her regular calls, always greeted with the usual question: “What have you got for me today?,” Sale said in a statement. “A testament to her voracious drive to work. She was a visionary in every sense of the term. She observed the world through a unique lens equipped with massive, unusual spectacles perched on her nose.”

Apfel was an expert in textiles and ancient fabrics. She and her husband Carl ran Old World Weavers, a textile manufacturing company specializing in restoration work, including projects at the White House for six U.S. residents. Apfel’s celebrity clients included Estee Lauder and Greta Garbo.

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

Apfel’s celebrity skyrocketed in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City staged a show about her called “Rara Avis,” Latin for “rare bird.” The museum characterized her approach as “both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic.”

Her individuality is generally seen in her mingling of high and low fashions—Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century church vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers.” According to the museum, her “layered combinations” broke “aesthetic conventions” and “even at their most extreme and baroque” showed a “boldly graphic modernity.”

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, was among several museums nationwide that held a touring version of the display. Apfel later donated hundreds of pieces to the Peabody, including couture gowns, to help them establish what she described as “a fabulous fashion collection.” The Museum of Fashion & Lifestyle, located near Apfel’s winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, also plans a gallery to display artefacts from her collection.

Apfel was born in New York City to Samuel and Sadye Barrel. Her mother owned a store.

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

In her later years, Apfel appeared in advertisements for M.M.A.C. Cosmetics and Kate Spade, contributing to her reputation. She also created a line of accessories and jewellery for Home Shopping Network, worked with H&M on a collection of brightly coloured apparel, jewellery, and shoes that sold out in minutes, launched a makeup line with Ciaté London, an eyeglass collection with Zenni, and collaborated with Ruggable on floor coverings.

In a 2017 interview with APA.P.t the age of 95, she claimed her favourite modern designers were Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo, and Naeem Khan, but added, “I have so much, I don’t go looking.” When asked for fashion tips, she replied, “Everyone should find her own way. I’m a strong advocate for individualism. I don’t like trends. If you learn who you are, what you look like, and what you are capable of, you will know what to do.”

She dubbed herself the “accidental icon,” which inspired the title of a book she published in 2018, replete with keepsakes and style ideas. Odes to Apfel abound, ranging from a Barbie in her likeness to T-shirts, eyewear, artwork, and dolls.

Apfel’s husband died in 2015. They had no children.

SOURCE – (AP)

Major League Baseball players have encountered an unexpected issue ahead of the new season: a defective outfit.

Players and spectators have previously expressed issues about the new jerseys worn this season, and on Thursday, as spring training games began, MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) executive director Tony Clark expressed concern over the pants.

“A lot of the rhetoric is confirmation that the trousers are see-through,” Clark stated, according to ESPN. “It’s been a continuing conversation, with each day bringing something new that appears to make less sense than you’d like.

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

“Universal concern,” Clark remarked, “is the pant.”

The jerseys for the new uniforms, designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, have already received criticism from fans for seeming cheap, lightweight, and having an unappealing appearance. Meanwhile, a Baltimore Orioles player described the new jerseys as “a knockoff” from TJ Maxx.

“It’s disappointing that we’ve landed in a place where the uniforms are the topic of discussion,” Clark said.

According to a news release, Nike collaborated with over 300 athletes to create a more breathable, lightweight, and stretchy jersey.

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

The corporation has yet to react to CNN’s prior request for comment on criticism of the uniforms, and Fanatics has declined to comment.

Players wore them during last season’s All-Star Game, and Nike and MLB reported that they were favourably received.

“They’re designed to be performance wear rather than what’s traditionally worn, so they’ll be different,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said of the uniforms.

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

“I think after people wear them a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.”

This year’s Opening Day is set for March 28, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will play two regular-season games in Seoul on March 20 and 21, marking the first MLB games in South Korea.

SOURCE – (CNN)

Birkenstock, a popular footwear manufacturer, startled investors with a cautious view in the New Year despite its pricey-yet-folksy sandals being popular among buyers of all ages.

The German shoemaker, which went public in October, released its first quarterly results after the IPO on Thursday. Despite good sales, the business issued a cautious view for 2024, predicting a “modest headwind to impact margins.”

Birkenstock shares fell about 8.5% on Thursday following the news.

Birkenstock Spooks With Cautious Outlook Even As Its Sandals Stay On Trend

The company forecasts adjusted earnings for the year to be roughly 30% lower due to “planned ramp up costs” compared to 32% in 2023.

It also expects sales to increase by 17% to 18% in 2024, compared to the previous year, as the company expands into new areas and invests in more retail outlets and delivery systems.

The company stated that a 6% increase in unit sales and a 14% increase in average selling price would result in a 20% increase in revenues for 2023 compared to the previous year.

“Their sales did exceptionally well in the quarter. The full-year sales guidance for the coming year was also higher than expected. In an interview with CNN, Abigail Gilmartin, a retail equities research analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, stated that their margin statement was the primary cause of the stock’s decline.

“They have extremely great profitability, which was a major issue during and after their IPO. This year, margins declined primarily due to inflation, and they advised a little more conservatively.

Birkenstock Spooks With Cautious Outlook Even As Its Sandals Stay On Trend

Because of the brand’s consistent demand, she claimed the company did not have to resort to significant discounting throughout the holiday season. Gilmartin stated that this year’s distribution centre investments represent a “near-term headwind” required for future growth.

“We expect margins to reaccelerate as additional capacity comes online,” she said. “Overall, the brand is healthy, with significant sales growth in the fourth quarter and promising first-quarter trends thus far. The company produces extremely high-quality items. Once you put on a Birkenstock, you realize how pleasant the footbed is.”

Birkenstock sandals, which range in price from about $50 for a low-cost waterproof foam version to well over $200 for its iconic premium leather styles, are popular among both older comfort-seeking consumers and younger TikTok-inspired shoppers, according to Beth Goldstein, a footwear analyst with market research firm Circana.

“It is a premium product, but compared to other luxury items, Birkenstocks are fairly accessible,” she said.

Birkenstock Spooks With Cautious Outlook Even As Its Sandals Stay On Trend

Birkenstocks, she said, experienced a rebirth about ten years ago, owing to collaborations with high-fashion labels and new additions such as fur-lined versions. Then the pandemic struck.

“The ease of these sandals matched with the informal comfort dressing trend, which was already in place prior to the pandemic and accelerated during it. Birkenstock was at the vanguard of it,” Goldstein explained. And it could remain there for the time being.

“There is no evidence that consumers are gravitating toward dressier styles. “Consumers still value casual comfort,” she said.

SOURCE – (CNN)