Fashion in Film presents the Great Gatsby in 3D
Matt Tyrnauer, director of Valentino: The Last Emporer moderates the discussion with Albert Maysles and Iris Apfel
Friday afternoon, film director Matt Tyrnauer sits down with Albert Maysles and Iris Apfel to discuss accomplishments, New York City and Maysle's cinéma vérite documenting the life of Iris Apfel. Over a span of 9 presidents and 42 years running a textile business with her husband, 91-year old Apfel has become widely renown as a pioneer of fabric and an icon of fashion. A steady stream of front-page press, countless collaborations and an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2005) testify to the far-reaching impact of Apfel's snazzy style. Apfel shares her experiences in interior design and the humble beginnings of Old World Weavers--a company she formed with her husband and a third partner. When asked about her observations of New York City over the last few decades, Apfel responds, "People look so dreadful. Especially when you see everyone in the summer with flip-flops...there's no discipline left, and very little morality... nobody seems to care." She ends on a positive note, asserting that "New York is where it's at. If you can't find it, it doesn't exist. I think there's an excitement and there's a beat, but it would be so much prettier if people cleaned up a bit."
Here are some highlights of the dialogue:
MT: Iris you've been quoted as saying that you were surprised that you would have to get an entertainment lawyer at the age of 90.
IA: It's pretty sexy
MT: What is it about the world and fashion in particular today that allowed you to become a rock star at 90 basically?
IA: I got past the people and everything is nuts. I think people's values are upside down. I don't know why they make such a fuss about me. I have a friend who was with me one day and waiting and waiting and waiting. He said "Jesus Christ, they carry on like you invented Penicillin."
It's amazing how there are so many women--and young women--who have no frame of reference. And they're so concerned about how they look and the media has ruined it and upset so many people, especially people who are getting on in years. I don't know how you can be so silly as to look at a retouched photo of somebody who's only 16 to begin with, with flawless skin and a gorgeous figure and if you don't look like that you get very upset and frankly, the garment market doesn't pay attention to older women. That's one of the reasons I think Valentino did so well because he did cater to women.
Everything has to be young, it has to be young, which is lovely, but 18 to 20 odd years old can't afford to buy couture clothes. I mean they look wonderful in them--I don't know if they look wonderful because they don't even know how to carry it. And I think attitude has a lot to do with it. I think now they look like clothes, where are you going with the girl.
MT: When you're shooting verite like this, I find that you discover things about your subject, Albert, that you didn't know when you started--you have preconceived notions and you're surprised and sometimes the film's about something that you didn't think it was about, so can I ask you what's surprised you about Iris and the film that you're making?
AM: Well, somewhat tangential to that. You may notice that in magazines and newspapers in the last year or two--all of a sudden--you see in New York Times for example, a full page of just the head of somebody. That never happened before. And I don't know what may have brought it on. It may well have been a photograph (that I didn't take), but a photograph of Iris full face in the NY Observer. And of course--as I pointed out before--she has a face that you want to see over and over and over again. And all these stories that were told just now come across even stronger when we get them on film, when we film the stories themselves and there's nothing you need add to it.
Matt Tyrnauer getting personal with Albert and Iris
MT: Iris you've been quoted as saying that you were surprised that you would have to get an entertainment lawyer at the age of 90.
IA: It's pretty sexy
MT: What is it about the world and fashion in particular today that allowed you to become a rock star at 90 basically?
IA: I got past the people and everything is nuts. I think people's values are upside down. I don't know why they make such a fuss about me. I have a friend who was with me one day and waiting and waiting and waiting. He said "Jesus Christ, they carry on like you invented Penicillin."
It's amazing how there are so many women--and young women--who have no frame of reference. And they're so concerned about how they look and the media has ruined it and upset so many people, especially people who are getting on in years. I don't know how you can be so silly as to look at a retouched photo of somebody who's only 16 to begin with, with flawless skin and a gorgeous figure and if you don't look like that you get very upset and frankly, the garment market doesn't pay attention to older women. That's one of the reasons I think Valentino did so well because he did cater to women.
Everything has to be young, it has to be young, which is lovely, but 18 to 20 odd years old can't afford to buy couture clothes. I mean they look wonderful in them--I don't know if they look wonderful because they don't even know how to carry it. And I think attitude has a lot to do with it. I think now they look like clothes, where are you going with the girl.
MT: When you're shooting verite like this, I find that you discover things about your subject, Albert, that you didn't know when you started--you have preconceived notions and you're surprised and sometimes the film's about something that you didn't think it was about, so can I ask you what's surprised you about Iris and the film that you're making?
AM: Well, somewhat tangential to that. You may notice that in magazines and newspapers in the last year or two--all of a sudden--you see in New York Times for example, a full page of just the head of somebody. That never happened before. And I don't know what may have brought it on. It may well have been a photograph (that I didn't take), but a photograph of Iris full face in the NY Observer. And of course--as I pointed out before--she has a face that you want to see over and over and over again. And all these stories that were told just now come across even stronger when we get them on film, when we film the stories themselves and there's nothing you need add to it.
Oscar winning costume designer Catherine Martin speaks Friday evenining about the costumes for the Great Gatsby
Friday evening, festivities conclude with a Q&A with Catherine Martin and a showing of the Great Gatsby in 3D. For the first time, my honey and I sat through an entire 3D movie, and it was quite entertaining. Perhaps Tribeca Cinemas is giving the public a taste of what's to come!
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