Style icon, industry savant, and most recently designer extraordinaire, Iris Apfel has been adorning us with her quirky style and business savvy ways for, well, nearly a century. Her latest endeavor, designing her own handbag line, not only reflects her unique personal wardrobe but her keen sense of humor. The self-proclaimed “geriatric starlet” delights in celebrating her years as reflected in the collection’s name, Extinctions. Emerging from a humorous exchange between Apfel and her business partner Lisa Nunziata, who says, “When I met Iris, I told her I’m the last of a dying breed, and she shot back, ‘If you’re the end of a dying breed, then I must be extinct.’” And so, Extinctions was born, complete with evocative, fossil-like branding in the image of a dodo bird. 

As expected, the collection hardly lacks luxury, using exotic materials like Mongolian lamb, hair calf, and snakeskin. However, as an advocate of “good design and high quality at a [reasonable] price” Apfel has set the retail price points between $228 and $398. “It’s an odd bird, like me,” she explained to WWD, naming the large, red double-handled bag in Mongolian lamb as her favorite piece. A lover of color, known for taking fashion risks, she jokes about her affinity to big bags, claiming necessity due to her famous oversized glasses. The wait is on, but not for long. The collection will drop at better department stores this October—just in time to tote all our necessities in Mongolian lamb this winter.

Joining her HSN exclusive jewelry and previous handbag collaborations with the retail network, the new line is just one of the projects Apfel has her hand—and creativity—in. She’s also designing a full line of eyewear with Eyebobs for 2013 (following the ‘Iris Sunreader’ style available now), mentoring fashion students from the University of Texas, and filming a biographical documentary by Albert Maysles. “I’m used to living on the edge of a volcano. I love what I do. My life is my work,” Apfel said. “I have a lot of creative juices — I like to use them up or it chokes me.” We only hope we have half of that going for us when we hit 90 years.