NEW YORK, June 15 — Ninety-seven-year-old American fashion maven Iris Apfel was revealed this past May as the newest face of ice cream brand Magnum, appearing in a vibrant and colorful campaign, shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. Apfel, who is at once a businesswoman, interior designer and style icon, shared with Relaxnews a look at the collaboration from her point of view, as well as a peek at what brings her pleasure in life. 

Relaxnews: How did this collaboration with Magnum come about?

Iris Apfel: I was fortunate enough to get a telephone call one day and be invited to do this project!

Were you surprised when Magnum asked you to be a face of the brand?

Of course! I was delighted. In my wildest dreams, I never expected all these things to happen to me at this stage in my life, and to be the face of a delicious ice cream was something I never even thought about!

I enjoyed working with the people, I loved the concept of the project in itself. Everything about it, especially the product. It’s very nice. I’ve done some very interesting collaborations but you can’t chew on a lipstick!

Magnum’s latest campaign slogan is Never Stop Playing. What does that mean to you?

Well, it’s the way I live. I always tell everybody I’m the world’s oldest living teenager! I love to learn and discover new things. I think I have still maintained my sense of child-like wonder. My father always used to say when I couldn’t understand something "in wonder it begins, and in wonder it ends.” It’s very true, there’s a lot of things that shouldn’t be explained, that should remain a mystery in life.

What’s the most amazing thing you’ve done in your life?

The most amazing thing is what I am doing now. All these things at 97 years old — [that] is amazing.

What are your guilty pleasures?

I don’t have a guilty pleasure, otherwise it wouldn’t be a pleasure.

You are 97 years old. You are a businesswoman, an interior designer, and a fashion icon with lots of projects on the go. What’s your secret?

I don’t have any secrets, I just do it. If I sat down and thought about it, I would be overwhelmed and I wouldn’t do it.

What advice would you give to women who might lack the courage to follow their dreams?

Just get off your butt and do something! If you just sit there and wail about, nothing is ever going to happen. If you don’t take a risk, you can’t succeed. All you can do is fail and then try again. — AFP-Relaxnews