Apfelicious! The Iris Apfel Sale (Day 1) by Millea Bros.

The world of fashion and design wouldn’t be the same without Iris Apfel, the legendary style icon whose fearless approach to dressing turned her into a global phenomenon. Now, collectors and admirers have the rare opportunity to own a piece of her remarkable story through Apfelicious! The Iris Apfel Sale (Day 1), presented by Millea Bros. Ltd.on Bidsquare.

As the final trove from her personal collection, this sale features the remaining contents of Apfel’s two New York City apartments, her Palm Beach residence, and several personal storage units. Together, they form a vivid portrait of her life in color, texture, and exuberant self-expression.

A Celebration of “More is More”
The sale brings together an extraordinary mix of vintage and contemporary fashion, couture, costume jewelry, furniture, artwork, and decorative objects. Highlights include Iris’s collections of Native American clothing and Kachina dolls, Chinese textiles (many exhibited in Dragon Threads at the Newark Museum, 1992), French and Continental decorative arts, and bolts of Old World Weavers fabrics and trims; the textile company she co-founded with her husband, Carl Apfel, in 1950.
Many of the ensembles offered were famously featured in Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2005–06), a landmark exhibition celebrating her eclectic style.

Featured Fashion Lots:
Each piece in the sale captures Apfel’s unique eye for layering eras, colors, and materials in ways that felt both unexpected and perfectly her own.

Group of Vintage Floral Evening Ensembles (Lot 1042)

A vibrant mix of florals and silhouettes that exemplify Iris’s love of pattern and statement dressing.
Estimate: $300 - $400

Couture Emanuel Ungaro Tunic Mini (Lot 1041)

A sculptural mini dress that balances bold color with couture craftsmanship.
Estimate: $200 - $300

Franco Lacosta Print Coat (Lot 1044)

A joyful explosion of pattern that captures the essence of Iris’s fearless fashion sense.
Estimate: $200 - $300

Paco Rabanne Orange Chiffon Long Dress (Lot 1040)

A fluid, fiery gown that radiates confidence and individuality.
Estimate: $300 - $400

Lawrence Vrba “Apfel Portrait” Shell Brooch (Lot 1193)

A dazzling, tongue-in-cheek tribute to Iris herself—an icon celebrating an icon.
Estimate: $200 - $300

Selection of Brightly Colored Bangles (Lot 1115)

No Iris look was complete without a stack of bold, colorful bangles—her signature finishing touch.
Estimate: $200 - $300

A Lasting Legacy
From statement jewelry to leopard-print décor, Apfelicious! celebrates Iris’s joyful disregard for convention and her lifelong passion for mixing the high and the humble, the refined and the wild. This final chapter of her collection offers collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share in her vision—and perhaps, her spirit of unapologetic creativity.

Explore the full catalog and bid now on Bidsquare.