The famous fashion stylist and icon Iris Apfel shared a thought-provoking story about her time studying under renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead. She talked about taking an art class where she gained important insight: everything is influenced by its surroundings and nothing exists in a vacuum. This implies that every creation or concept is shaped by the larger context in which it emerges. Political, social, and economic circumstances all interact to create the background against which concepts and things are born.

Consider the growth of a tree in a forest. This tree's height is caused by a variety of factors, including competition from other trees, soil quality, and sunlight exposure, in addition to its genetic composition. Similar to this, every piece of art or concept is a part of a complex web that is shaped by the era in which it was produced. Apfel learned to see art, culture, and society more comprehensively as a result of this lesson, realizing how intertwined everything is.

Pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead emphasized the value of viewing societies as dynamic systems influenced by a variety of factors and concentrated on comprehending cultures through their particular contexts. As Apfel has applied this holistic approach to her own work and observations about fashion and culture throughout her life, it is clear that her teaching style had a significant influence on her.

By offering this perspective, Apfel emphasizes the timeless maxim that comprehension of context is essential to fully appreciating any form of artistic or cultural expression. This viewpoint pushes us to examine the underlying layers of influence that shape our world rather than just the obvious.