ilene yarmark kulk

I graduated from FIDM with a degree in Fashion Design and worked in the garment industry from 1979-1999, 10 years with my own clothing line, Max & Mabel. 

 

From 2000-2019, I photographed other manufacturers’ lines (clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, accessories), preparing their web photos, look books, and catalogs.

 

In 2013, an amazing thing happened. One of my clients, Donna•M, called and said she wasn’t bringing professional models to her next photo shoot. She'd started working with a personal color consultant, Jennifer Butler, and planned to bring regular women whose inherent hair, skin, and eye colors were appropriate to what she was producing that season. 

 

I didn’t know what to expect. But, the shoot was amazing and the women looked incredible in the clothes. One of the gals brought her husband along and, in between shots, I asked him "so...did you have your colors done?" To which he responded, “Oh yes, ever since I had my colors done, I’m like the go-to guy in business meetings!” Hmmm...I thought, interesting.

 

After shooting a couple more seasons using regular women in their correct colors, it finally dawned on me that, after wearing all black for probably 25 or more years, I actually did NOT look good in black.

 

I decided to have my colors done by Jennifer Butler, after which a light bulb went off in my head. OMG, this makes so much sense! Physiologically your DNA determines which hair, skin, and eye colors you have. Why wouldn’t it make sense to harmonize what you wear with your inherent coloring? When you decorate your house, you harmonize the upholstery, rugs, pillows, walls, etc.

 

I’m a Summer! Definitely no black for me. Yet, there I was with a closet full of black clothes. I kept a few black things to wear working out or around the house. But, after finally understanding what and why certain colors worked for me and others did not, every time I put on those black clothes, even for just around the house, I had to take them off because they did not look good. How did I not know this for 25 years of wearing all black outfits? Crazy. 

 

In 2017, I trained to become a Professional Personal Color Consultant with Olga Kamova at the Image and Color Institute International in Cupertino, California. This is now my third career and the one about which I am definitely the most passionate!