Iris is one of the great docos that puts you in the life of a New York style icon

REVIEW: Some of the best docos merely put you together with someone who is simply great company.One such person is Iris Apfel.

Iris (M)

Director: Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens)

Starring: Iris Apfel, Carl Apfel

Rating: ***1/2

Only one woman has this much wear-with-all

Not all good documentaries must convey an urgent message to viewers, or capture the most important moments in history for posterity.

Some of the best docos merely put you together with someone who is simply great company.

One such person is Iris Apfel. This vibrant, straight-talking, 93-year-old woman is revered in US fashion circles as a true maverick, continually reinventing her look with myriad styles that defy all description.

“I like to improvise,” says Iris. “Getting dressed should be like playing jazz. There is too much sameness in this world.”

Proving her words to the last letter is the great American doco-maker Albert Maysles (Bob Dylan’s Don’t Look Back), who sadly passed away shortly after completing this fascinating project.

Like all of Maysles’ works, the structure of Iris is simple and effective. The cameras are left rolling, and the subject is left to her own devices.

With her husband Carl always at her side, Iris covers an immense amount of territory on any given day. A superbly shrewd shopper (and haggler), Mrs Apfel also plays the media game to perfection.

However, Iris’ active mind is invariably focused on just the one thing: her next great outfit, and the spectacularly eccentric accessories (Apfel has one of the world’s largest private collections of costume jewellery) that will cap it all off.

Originally published as Iris is one of the great docos that puts you in the life of a New York style icon