The Iris Apfel Surfboard Tree for the Royal Poinciana Plaza

Iris Apfel Surfboard tree hero IIHIH

The annual Holiday Tree Reveal and Celebration at the Royal Poinciana Plaza took place in Palm Beach with fashion icon Iris Apfel as this year’s honored guest and Surfboard Tree designer. We love to cover this event because it’s filled with Christmas fun, fashion and surfboards..  a hard to beat combination.

Iris Apfel Surfboard Tree

Iris looked nothing less than regal beneath her Surfboard Tree
Iris looked nothing less than regal as she sat beneath her Surfboard Tree

As they have done now for the past 5 years, the Royal Poinciana Plaza invites an artist or designer to create a “Surfboard Tree” for the Palm Beach Resort at Christmastime. This year it was the legendary 101 year old fashion icon Iris Apfel who was celebrated with these limited edition Barbie Dolls back in 2019.

Iris Apfel posing for photos beneath her Surfboard Tree
Iris Apfel posing for photos beneath her Surfboard Tree

Iris has always been a rule breaker and when people ask her about her rules of fashion she vibrantly replies, as only Iris can, that rules are a waste of time. This rule breaking was in her DNA early on as her self-admitted “denim obsession” was pitted squarely against the world she found herself in. In the 1940’s, Iris continually visited a male shop for jeans—they refused to sell them to her because “women do not wear jeans, young lady.” Well, that did not deter Iris, and she insisted upon it until the owner finally phoned her to say that he had ordered a custom pair for her. The result? “Smashing,” according to Iris.

The tree that glowed from within featured surfboards decorated with pink line art drawings, patterns and text. The base of the tree was encircled with multiple strands of various sized beads emulating Iris’ inimitable style of chunky jewelry.

Iris Apfel Surfboard tree
The Iris Apfel Surfboard Tree for The Royal Poinciana Plaza

Her signature spectacles embellished the tree and boasted her fun ethos “More is More and Less is a Bore”

"More is More and Less is a Bore" is engraved on the arm of the oversized glasses
“More is More and Less is a Bore” is engraved on the arm of the oversized glasses

In addition to the unveiling of the tree on December 1st, the family event was celebrated with music, food, activities for children, photos with Santa and, as they did last year for fashion designer John Hartig of Libertine, fashion presentations.

 

In the spirit of Iris, it was requested that attendees dress like the bespectacled icon with oversized glasses, layered necklaces and bracelet bangles.

Dressed as fashion icon Iris Apfel, Grace Kelly, 8 months, and Annabella Gallardo, 3, of Jupiter decorate cookies during the annual Holiday Tree Reveal and Celebration at the Royal Poinciana Plaza. photo: Megan McCarthy / Palm Beach Daily

Participating retailers created clothing and accessories that emulate the icon’s style, themed “Dress Like Iris”,  with merchandise specifically for the collaboration.

The window alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet pays tribute to fashion icon Iris Apfel during the annual Holiday Tree Reveal and Celebration at the Royal Poinciana Plaza
The window alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet pays tribute to fashion icon Iris Apfel during the annual Holiday Tree Reveal and Celebration at the Royal Poinciana Plaza, photo: Megan McCarthy / Palm Beach Daily
skirts adorned with Iris Apfel's face
Six hand embroidered skirts adorned with Iris Apfel’s face are for sale during the annual Holiday Tree Reveal and Celebration at the Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach.
Iris Apfel and Santa
Fashion icon Iris Apfel sits with Santa near the holiday surfboard tree designed by Apfel at the Royal Poinciana Plaza December 1, 2022 in Palm Beach. photo: Megan McCarthy / Palm Beach Daily

See the previous artist surfboard trees here

holiday surfboard trees royal poinciana

The Royal Poinciana Plaza

photos by @capehartphoto for The Royal Poinciana Plaza and Megan McCarthy / Palm Beach Daily.