International Image Consultant Day Date in the current year: November 23, 2024

The term “image consulting” originated in the 1970s. In 1975, John T. Molloy published the book Dress for Success about the effect of one’s clothing and image on their success in professional and personal life. One of the reasons the book was a bestseller and an international success was that Molloy didn’t base his advice solely on his opinion; he conducted actual tests to prove that our perception of a person is impacted by their clothes.

The professional field of image consulting began to take shape in the 1980s, when several firms began to offer image consulting services. Eventually, celebrities started hiring image consultants for their everyday life. The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), a nonprofit organization representing personal and corporate image consultants around the globe, was founded in 1990. It is the leading and largest professional association of image consultants that works to enhance their recognition and advance the level of excellence in the profession.

Today, image consulting is about more than just clothes. The concept have broadened to include body language, communication, etiquette, personal branding, and presentation. Contrary to a popular misconception, celebrities, politicians, executives, entrepreneurs, and other wealthy public figures aren’t the only ones who hire image consultants. These professionals can help anyone who wants to improve their image for a particular social event or to achieve certain goals. Even companies can hire image consultants.

The tasks performed by image consultants include style assessment, color analysis and wardrobe edits, shopping, photoshoots, image coaching, etiquette training, and digital branding. They take their clients through the process of evaluating the effect of their appearance and behavior on their professional image and helping them change their body language and wardrobe in order to improve their image.

International Image Consultant Day is the brainchild of two AICI members from Mexico, Hildeberto Martinez and Manolo Trujillo, who came up with the idea in 2012. Their initiative was supported by the AICI International Board of Directors, and the official proclamation designating November 23 as International Image Consultant Day was signed on May 19, 2013 at the AICI Global Conference. A year later, the holiday was recognized by Chase’s Calendar of Events.

The main goal of International Image Consultant Day is to raise awareness of the profession among the general public and celebrate image consultants who empower people, help their inner beauty shine through, and change so many lives for the better. The holiday is celebrated by image industry professionals, educational institutions that offer degrees and certification programs in image consulting, and the general public around the globe.