I was reunited with my dear friend Elizabeth Cutler this past September when we were asked to be part of Modern Luxury’s Dynamic Women issue. It was an honor and privilege to be asked and wonderful to spend this much time with Elizabeth. It was a rare moment and we seized it. We picked up where we left off in San Francisco and had a ball with this photo shoot.
First stop was Pin Me Up where we had our hair and makeup done. For wardrobe Elizabeth chose Veronica Beard and I chose Chicago designer Swaby. Elizabeth wore her mother’s Verdura maltese cross cuff and held her selenite sphere for the shoot. As a Reiki master it’s a tool of the trade. I wore Chicago fine jewelry designer Sidney Garber.
Voila the final story:
Elizabeth Cutler and Marcy Carmack met in San Francisco 25 years ago, sparking an instant friendship, rooted in laughter, honesty, and a shared instinct for what helps a woman feel her best. Today they bring their complementary passions to Chicago and the North Shore— Cutler as a Reiki master guiding clients toward inner balance and self-love and Carmack as a sought after fashion stylist, elevating personal style with confidence and ease.
Together these dynamic women unite the physical and energetic, believing that true beauty is as much about how you feel as how you look.
Over the decades, they championed one another through life‘s challenges and milestones. Cutler reclaimed herself after decades of unhealthy relationships. Carmack lost her mother at eight but found the courage to move to New York after college without a job or connections— ultimately styling the future first Lady of California. Along the way, they’ve drawn inspiration from women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg— whom Cutler and her daughter once watched from the gallery of the US Supreme Court— and Maya Angelou, whose presence at a New York AIDS fashion event Carmack produced left a lasting impression.
Their latest chapters reflect their continued growth. Cutler has been invited to be the on-call Reiki master for the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and provides free Reiki sessions to those in medical crisis. Carmack was named to the School of the Art Institute Style Council by designer Nick Cave and co-created Fashion Coffee Hour a weekly virtual series was over 200 original programs.
Whether for spiritual alignment or style Elizabeth Cutler and Marcy Carmack are living proof that beauty from the inside out - and women supporting each other - elevates everyone around them.
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So many thanks to Wendy Levy and the team at Modern Luxury.
