20 minutes with Iris Apfel
Joanique’s moment with the global style icon
PARIS — The City of Light is alive as it breathes all-out fashion.
Malou Romero, the woman behind the jewelry and accessories brand Joanique, and this columnist, as a creative consultant for the brand, took part in the most prestigious fashion accessories trade show Premiere Classe held at the Jardin de Tuileries.
According to Malou, it was the best for the brand to date since its participation three seasons ago. An equal amount of new clients, great press, modest orders and surprising sales made this trip quite an achievement. But it was on Day Three when Joanique experienced a memory to last a lifetime.
On March 6, while having our daily dose of coffee in Joanique’s A17 booth at Jardin de Tuileries, our dear Filipino friend Karen Nejal (sales manager of W. Britt in New York, whose booth happens to be beside Joanique’s) called our attention and said, “Guys, she’s coming!” Malou and I didn’t exactly know what she meant so we looked at the hallway and saw a crowd forming around the head event organizers escorting the fashion legend — Iris Apfel.
At the height of Fashion Week, Apfel was seen at the front row of the Dries Van Noten show. She was also at her current exhibition Iris in Paris at the Le Bon Marche. Despite her busy schedule, she took time to visit the Premiere Classe.
We were overjoyed and overwhelmed when the 94-year-old icon arrived at Joanique’s booth. She was with a modest entourage, which consisted of a couple of assistants, security and events power team.
Apfel trained her eyes on the display and took notice of the captivating Maskara clutches. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the clutches closer. “Where is this made? What is the material?” Apfel asked in her typical New Yorker accent. Malou replied, “The hand-painted clutch slings are made of acacia wood and these are made in the Philippines.” Immediately, the style-setter replied, “Wow! I’ve never seen anything like it. It is very original,” Apfel told Malou on Joanique’s distinct creations.
From the collection display, Apfel’s chosen favorites were the vividly colorful Arao (from last season’s collection) and the piece from the current collection — Datu, a black and metallic silver clutch sling, which Apfel said she would come back for to purchase. Apfel then left Joanique’s booth and selectively went to curated booths.
Malou almost broke into tears of joy and couldn’t believe that the icon passed by her booth. “Being able to meet Iris Apfel was a humbling experience. It was truly an honor that our artisans were recognized for their talents,” she said.
After two hours, Apfel found her way back to Joanique’s A17 booth to get the pieces she chose to purchase. Malou modestly handed the Arao clutch as a token of appreciation. “It was a privilege to have Iris Apfel in my booth. Our hard work has paid off by being noticed by the fashion legend,” Malou said.
This special moment inspired Malou to continue to globally showcase the brilliance of the Filipino artisans and continue to show the world what’s truly Filipino. No matter what obstacles and challenges come, Malou said, “It’s all worth it.”
