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InspirationIllustration

Dublin collective pays homage to fashion’s feisty Iris Apfel in new print series

If I could live by one mantra, and one mantra alone, it would be Iris Apfel's: "More is more, and less is bore." For me, the 94-year-old fashion icon optimises the fun of street style – often clad in feathers, faux fur and more than her own body weight in jewellery, Iris's dedication to creativity and eccentricity, demonstrated through her fashion choices, is simply inspiring.

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Illustration of Iris Apfel wearing large glasses and colourful clothing against a blue background with repeated text reading "more is more and less is a bore

Therefore, when Jill & Gill – a Dublin based collaborative studio, made up of illustrator Jill Deering and printmaker Gillian Henderson – got in touch with their latest illustrative series, we just had to share.

In celebration of their first birthday in business together, the duo launched its first solo show. The exhibition saw the design and creation of 25 unique screen printed artworks, featuring the unmistakable face of Iris Apfel, to embody her colourful style.

Each limited-edition piece has been printed on 300gsm cotton paper, with each layer of the image screen-printed in a multitude of finishes and hand embellishments, informed by her eclectic permutations of designer clothing and exotic accessories.

The prints are now available to purchase online.

Screen printed artwork by Jill & Gill featuring Iris Apfel wearing oversized glasses and colourful clothing with decorative question mark wallpaper behind
Gallery wall displaying Jill & Gill's colourful screen-printed portraits of Iris Apfel, with potted plants positioned in front
Colourful screen printed portrait of Iris Apfel on a gallery wall, featuring her face with vibrant orange, pink and yellow brushstrokes and pattern details
Screen-printed portrait of Iris Apfel with bold red glitter eye patch and circular frame, celebrating her iconic maximalist style
Five screen-printed illustrations of Iris Apfel with colourful watercolour effects, suspended from gold strings on white gallery walls above a radiator
Screen-printed artwork from Jill & Gill's Iris Apfel series displayed on gallery wall, featuring colourful feathers, jewellery and botanical elements in orange and gold tones
Gallery wall displaying Jill & Gill's screen-printed Iris Apfel portraits among potted plants and exhibition text in a bright studio space
Three of Jill & Gill's screen-printed artworks featuring Iris Apfel's portrait in vibrant colours and hand-embellished details, hung on a gallery wall
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