History
"In December 2002, a well-known Memphis Image consultant, Carolyn Bendall, and her husband, Kirk Bendall, purchased Fashion Academy and brought it to Memphis. Carolyn was a graduate of that prestigious image consulting institute and had been personally schooled by the guru of color analysis, Gerrie Pinckney."
(Barbara Bradley, The Commercial Appeal)
In 1972, Gerrie Pinckney formed Fashion Academy and introduced the world to
her original concept of developing a wardrobe around one's skin undertone color and personality/lifestyle. Pinckney did not invent color analysis, but she was the first one to apply it to wardrobe and makeup. In fact, it was Pinckney who taught color analysis to Carole Jackson, author of the best seller, Color Me Beautiful. This new concept created an excitement that swept the fashion world. George Pinckney, Gerrie's son, explains, "From '79 to '86 everyone was doing (color analysis). But maybe one out of 20 people were really educated and had the tools to do it. The science of it really got prostrated. After '86 it took a dive."
Why? Color analysis at that time was based on the seasons system that used four seasons of the year to describe the colors best suited for four skin types. It was good for its day, but it was too confining, too difficult to use, and not as accurate as it should have been to accommodate all races.
Gerrie Pinckney then decided to go after the flaws in the system with the help of son, George, and new computer technology. The result of years of research was a new skin undertone determining system that uses six spectrum cards (instead of the old draping method) to establish which colors are most becoming on an individual based on their skin undertones, hair, and eye color.
The system is simple and precise and is available only through Fashion Academy trained consultants. After 33 years, Fashion Academy continues to be a leader in the image industry.
Under Ms. Bendall's direction, Fashion Academy not only provides
up-to-date comprehensive training for certified image and color consultants worldwide, but they also do corporate seminars, retail
sales training, continuing education courses, keynote addresses at
conferences, trade shows, individual consultations, fashion shows,
and much more.