Short, white hair; oversize glasses with black, round frames; red lips; stacks of bracelets and necklaces — you can't paint this picture without culminating in a portrait of Iris Apfel. She's a superstar for a seemingly endless list of reasons, from her unmistakable personal style to her contributions to White House interior design. And now she's becoming even more iconic after being signed to one of the world's most prominent modeling agencies, IMG, at age 97.
"Who would think I would be a 97-year-old cover girl?" Apfel said in an interview with WWD. Perhaps she was being humble, but no one would ever doubt her ability to strike a pose considering how much experience she's had — and all without "a proper agent," as she put it. Apfel has modeled for M.A.C. and Kate Spade ad campaigns, appeared on the cover of Dazed & Confused, and was the star of a Vogue Italia spread, all during her 80s and 90s.
It's hard to know what took so long, but IMG finally took notice and decided to add Apfel to its roster of models, which includes Kaia Gerber, Gigi Hadid, and Karlie Kloss. "[Apfel] radiates creativity and inspiration and we’re so excited to explore new and unique opportunities with her, where her natural gifts can be shared with the world," IMG president Ivan Bart told WWD. At 97 years old, Iris continues to prove that age is just a number and shouldn’t be something that defines you."
And Apfel, who has no intention of walking the runway but looks forward to print opportunities and brand collaborations, couldn't agree more. "I don’t think a number should make any difference and make you stop working," she told WWD. "I think retirement is a fate worse than death."
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