American style icon Iris Apfel to be honoured at Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards

Celebrated style icon Iris Apfel will receive a special honour at the upcoming Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards. (Photo: Iris Apfel/Facebook)

TORONTO—Celebrated style icon Iris Apfel will receive a special honour at the upcoming Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards.

The 96-year-old American fashion and interior designer will be honoured with the inaugural International Style Icon Award.

The New York-based Apfel was the focus of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which centred on her personal collection of vintage and designer fashions.

Apfel was the subject of the 2014 documentary “Iris” by filmmaker Albert Maysles (“Grey Gardens,” “Gimme Shelter”) and she has also collaborated with an array of brands, including creating a collection with Toronto-born MAC Cosmetics.

Celebrity fashion favourites like London-based Erdem Moralioglu and New York-based Tanya Taylor are among the Canadians in contention for this year’s CAFAs, which honour homegrown talent within the arts and fashion community.

This year’s gala is slated to take place on April 7 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.