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If your jewelry box looks a little sparse or your wardrobe is in desperate need of unapologetic glamour, here’s your chance: Iris Apfel’s closet is opening to the public. Beginning Wednesday, September 17, The RealReal’s SoHo flagship (8 Wooster Street) will host the “RareFinds: Iris Apfel Archive Edit,” a curated estate sale featuring more than 150 garments and 250 pieces of jewelry from the late icon’s personal collection. Pieces will also be available online, but let’s be real—this is the kind of thing you want to experience in person.
Apfel, who passed away in March 2024 at the age of 102, was a true original. With her signature oversized glasses, layers of chunky necklaces and fearless mashups of flea-market finds with couture, she made maximalism not just fashionable but aspirational. This is the woman the Met’s Costume Institute once dubbed Rara Avis (“rare bird”), and now you can literally step into her plumage.
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The lineup doesn’t disappoint. Think 1980s and ’90s power suits from Gianfranco Ferré, Ungaro and YSL Rive Gauche. There’s statement outerwear by Roberto Cavalli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Rucci and Michael Kors, alongside rare gems from New York legends Todd Oldham and Willi Smith. And of course, the jewelry—a riot of color, scale and sparkle, from fabulous costume baubles to pieces with genuine museum pedigree. Whether you’re eyeing a Tom Ford-era Gucci dress, a Dior by Galliano gown or a pair of playful Moschino separates, the collection offers both brag-worthy investments and accessible pieces.
Behind the scenes, UOVO Fashion partnered with The RealReal and Apfel’s estate to carefully preserve and authenticate every item. “Through expert care and handling, and a deep knowledge of time periods, designers and collections, the UOVO team identified the provenance, authenticity and condition of each item,” said Brennan Lowery, UOVO Fashion’s general manager. You’re not buying just another secondhand coat—you’re buying a piece of fashion history, catalogued and climate-controlled to perfection.
The sale runs through October 1, and if recent Christie’s and Doyle auctions of Apfel’s belongings are any indication, things will move quickly. In an era when The RealReal reports nearly 30-percent year-over-year growth in vintage searches, the timing feels just right. So clear some space in your closet, or better yet just lean into Iris’s mantra: More is more, and less is a bore.