She has painted with Team PatMcGrath, holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and creates the make-up we see in major brand campaigns, most recently Magda Butrym’s. I met up with Marianna Yurkiewicz for a chat about her career, ways to overcome challenges and working with Pat McGrath.
Let’s start at the beginning – how did your career as a make-up artist begin?
My career is unusual, I never thought I would become a make-up artist. I was involved in sports, but I always had a talent for painting, for art. In high school I used to paint myself and my friends, walking around unconventionally painted (laughs), smeared with glitter, bronzing blocks and pearl crayons. It was an intense image, but I was proud of it. While painting my friends at boarding school, I thought I could take it to the next level. However, sport was a big part of my life and I wanted to be a physiotherapist, so I chose to study it out of reason, but I didn’t get in. I remember that the world broke down for me, I didn’t know what to do instead of studying in Warsaw. Taking advice of my at the time boyfriend’s mum, I registered as unemployed and signed up for courses in make-up, massage… If anyone asked, I have a masseuse certificate! I took courses on everything because it gave me a lot of fun. Then I thought I would like to do make-up. Of course everyone around me was surprised and usual questions followed – what kind of job is that, you won’t make money… I didn’t care – no matter what others said, I was sure of what I wanted to do. I bought Kryolan cosmetics and went to my first job, assisting on TV. The stylist I worked with made the biggest eyes and said, “What are you painting with? You can’t do no-makeup makeup with that!”.
What were your next steps?
For the next three years I painted everything and everyone. I started like everyone else, at weddings, events, I wasn’t making any money… It was a beautiful time, I remember my desires and aspirations from that period, I even signed up for a makeup championship!
How did that go?
I didn’t win (laughs). I painted my friend’s sister, who was not a professional model, and we had our ‘before and after’ qualifying photos taken by a photographer who mainly takes passport photos. Even though I didn’t qualify I still went to the event to admire other make-up artists. There have been quite a few moments along my path where I felt that nothing was going to come of it and I would have to give it a rest, and then a breakthrough came along that allowed me to move forward.
Did you have a lot of situations at the beginning of your journey where you wanted to give up?
I’ve never wanted to give up, but I had to re-evaluate the meaning of my work and what it was supposed to mean for me. I was interested in photos, in models, I did my amateur attempts at shoots. I’ll never forget my first tests (which were still done on grono.net or Fotopasja and Maxmodels), I was betting all-in on one card. I thought it was too difficult – I looked up to make-up artists like Eryka Sokólska or Wioletta Uzarowicz, who taught me and worked on wonderful shoots. At the time, it seemed far-fetched to me. The first agency that represented me in Poland also seemed out of reach at the time. Today I’m at a point where I’ve done everything I aspired to at the beginning.
Do you look at make-up from an artistic point of view?
I didn’t treat make-up as make-up per se. I didn’t take a technical approach to it, but at first I learned some technique at workshops. Then I decided it was time to work on my own shoots, work as much as possible through trial and error.
Did you want to work out your own aesthetic?
I wanted to get pleasure from what I saw. When I was a child I painted on paper, then I switched to people. I didn’t think about money because I wanted to do it for pleasure first and foremost. I dreamt of my make-up on the cover of Vogue more than of monetary success. These dreams often kept me awake thinking about what make-up I would do on a model the next day. To this day I’m still learning a bit about the business approach, navigating collaborations and other commercial matters. I preferred to turn down commercial assignments that could have not produced a satisfactory result. The visual experience of creating and the aesthetic aspect of it builds me up, but the fact that they are so important to me complicates things a bit.
Your inherently artistic, eye catching aesthetic has earned you recognition abroad. How did this come about?
After a while I was quite known in Poland. I did a lot of shoots, test runs with elements of abstraction, body art… But often I didn’t have good enough pictures, casting or other important elements, so these works were judged harshly, as strange, misunderstood. I wondered why people didn’t accept or appreciate me. It wasn’t because of a lack of talent, it was because what I was creating was different. At that point in time a different aesthetic was en vogue. In spite of that I worked with Anja Rubik, or on the first season of Poland’s Next Top Model. When I was doing one of the shoots a friend showed me Pat McGrath. He said: “Marianka, you should be doing stuff like this.” Then I saw the John Galliano shows for Dior, the beautiful, avant-garde make-up, and I thought to myself, this is amazing and Pat is extraordinary. I dreamed about it, I wanted to do anything to be able to achieve it. I wanted to work with the best – at the agency representing Pat McGrath.
Then you left?
I travelled to Paris, doing my first tests there, and during that time I also made the decision to move to London, where Pat’s agency is based. I thought that I was young, I could stay in Poland, but on the other hand I was getting feedback that something wasn’t right and I didn’t feel like myself one hundred per cent. I wanted to feel in tune with my aesthetic and have opportunities to develop. I left Poland overnight to follow my dreams, and I submitted my portfolio to many agencies. I got myself a flat in London, but it turned out that I couldn’t stay in the flat on the spot.
Have you found yourself in a foreign country without a place to stay?
A friend of mine picked me up from the airport with a huge suitcase. When she looked at the flat I had arranged on Brick Lane she wouldn’t let me stay there. She took me in. She asked me why I had come to London. I said – to work. To which she said: “And have you sent any emails to agencies?”. Well, I hadn’t (laughs). I was such a freshman that I had no idea how to do it. I was learning English with a native speaker, Chris, who was preparing me for the job. The clash with reality was difficult, I didn’t know the language well, but I started working. I managed to send emails to agencies of an average level compared to what I aspired to, I didn’t get a response from all of them. I had various appointments, but I was afraid to write to Pat’s agency because I thought I wasn’t good enough. In the meantime I went back to Poland for a while to sort out other things. It was a difficult time where I had doubts about what to do next – I ended up putting everything I had into make-up. One day, a friend in London helped me with a portfolio that had been put together in Poland on an iPad. She had me put in all my weirdest work, which had not been accepted in Poland. We put this portfolio together and wrote an email. I thought it wouldn’t work.
Did sending that email work out?
The next day I was in a meeting at Pat’s agency. I pulled out my portfolio and heard “You’re talented!”, instead of the previous “You’re weird!”. They asked if I had anything to add, to which I replied that what they were holding in their hands was enough. They were shocked by this reply. I walked out from the giant glass building and thought I was going to faint. I quickly saw them again, and they told me to prepare a portfolio for Pat. I’ve worked with the agent who recruited me on runway shows for years .
What was your first job for Pat?
One day, while I was back in Poland, I received an email. It sounded like this: do you want to work on the Dior show this weekend? Do you fancy going? In such a tone! I thought I was going to fall off my chair. I instantly bought the tickets and flew.
How did you feel while being thrown into such a challenge?
I couldn’t sleep at all before that show. I was so young, and I was supposed to paint at the Haute Couture show. I was saved by the fact that I was working with a Polish model – Marta Dyks – but I was still nervous. The sheer coverage perfect skin and glitter lips combo was a classic Pat look. The funniest thing is that at four o’clock in the morning, when there were no models yet, they started doing a make-up test on me, which they didn’t finish. I had no experience, but I understood the demo and used my intuition. I knew what I needed to get in terms of skin preparation. I was afraid to approach Pat for approval, but when she saw my make-up she was happy.
How did you initially approach your work with Team Pat?
I think I was rejecting the scale of it at the time. We were left on campaigns for Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, shoots with Patrick Demarchelier, Juergen Teller… at the shows Anna Wintour wandered between us. I knew that everything had to be perfect, there was no room for error and there was a whole queue of MUAs waiting to take my place. I took part in tests, make-up trials, and saw a lot of ideas that never saw the light of day at shows. I won’t forget the first test at Galliano. I was inspired by the people and the talent.
Pat McGrath is little talked about in Poland, most people associate her with her cosmetics line at Sephora, but she is a true fashion make-up legend. It’s not just another make-up brand, it’s a legacy.
It’s fashion heritage known all over the world. You can’t get any better than that. I had to scurry my painted models to Pat McGrath before the shows and she approved of my work, my make-up and of how the skin was prepared. Pat sees everything, who has an eye for what. I was the skin person on the team, only later did I realise how important that role was. It’s where the most outstanding people come together to create world-class stuff….
…that everyone imitates. Sometimes we don’t realise how many trends on Tiktok are taken from the world of high fashion, or straight from the catwalks, even from under Pat’s hand. How what comes out of that world influences our clothing, make-up, behaviour. How culturally important it is.
Yes. It took me years to accept it. It’s a bit of our Polish mentality – I just couldn’t accept it. I didn’t want to speak up in this context for fear of being misunderstood. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. I’m thankful that we talk about it, because sometimes I don’t even remember some things, it was just work for me at the time.
You’ve worked with Team Pat over the years, do you have a favourite show from that period?
Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy. The first show I worked on for them had beautiful crystal masks. It was an experience I had never experienced before. I saw all the models prepared like that, it was an amazing sight, and in the end I witnessed the creation of it all.
Do you often talk about working with Pat?
No, out of respect for the team and the work. They were very reserved about their privacy in terms of intellectual creation. I don’t post too much about it, I wouldn’t want to damage the relationships I’ve built. I wouldn’t want to risk it all for a post.
I’ve heard about Pat treating her techniques and concepts with a lot of respect. Did you feel this in the team?
Yes, there was a respectful but also humble atmosphere. It wasn’t for everyone to work on every show, I always thanked them for the opportunity and got up at four in the morning in solidarity with the whole team, even if I haven’t been working at that particular show.. I had developed a position for myself in the team, I felt comfortable there.
Did gratitude and persistence pay off in this environment?
Yes, everything has its time and path. Even in the team, for people to start noticing me I had to earn it, nothing was given on a platter, especially trust and loyalty. I heard opinions from the outside about the atmosphere in the team. For me, the most important thing was that we were doing the best things. I might have faced the biggest challenges, but that’s what gave me a real opportunity to grow. I’ve worked on other shows a few times. The models were not always prepared at the same level.
Have you also had shows where it was difficult?
At the Rick Owens show I was taken to by a make-up artist friend, even before working for Team Pat. At the time I wasn’t prepared well enough yet, and I couldn’t do the skin the way it needed to be done. I was painting the model for an hour, and she didn’t like it. I painted her too heavily because I didn’t have the right products. The make-up artist who brought me in washed off her make-up right in front of my very eyes and did it again by himself. I went back home and cried in the underground. I was worried that no one would take me to work on any show after that. Despite this, I didn’t give up, I pulled myself together and did everything to straighten out my situation.
Has your martial arts training taught you persistence?
Sport gives me a backbone, so despite the nature of my work I stand my ground. I look at life realistically. Thanks to sport I am able to enjoy this job, I returned to sport because I survived a professional burnout. When sport wasn’t present in my life because of my 7-day-a-week job, after a while I found that it wasn’t possible to live without it. I had to give myself a breather for the sake of being good at my job. This business is difficult and demanding, plus I set the bar so high for myself, nothing was ever good enough for me. I was young and had a different mindset, which made me feel burnt out at one point. From the perspective of a more mature and experienced person, I believe that everything has to be done step by step. If it’s all happening at once while you don’t have support and a lot rests on you, it’s possible not to be ready for it. Now in my thirties I’m more relaxed, it’s about loving the work and not letting it become a curse.
It is said that if you work doing what you love, you won’t work a single day, but with this mindset it’s easy to fall into workaholism. Do you agree with this?
My head was not resting at work, work was my obsession, my quest for perfection. I knew I could always be better. We often compare ourselves to others – someone who did better, was luckier… It was only later that I learned that what is – is enough. I look at myself from an outsider perspective. I had to start my career in Poland, so I can’t compare myself with those who started in Paris or New York. We have to be proud of ourselves, that despite having less opportunities we made it, we are great. We don’t appreciate ourselves enough.
How did your collaboration with Pat end?
I got a proposition to work a three-week marathon – London, Paris, Milan, Bangkok. It was too much for me and I decided to take a break. It started to overwhelm me a bit. You’ll be shocked, but I had a European jiu jitsu championship. I wrote to my agent openly that I would like to go with them, but I had been preparing for the championships for so long… Preparation at this level is demanding – I have to eat properly, sleep properly, take care of myself. Training is hard, you put a lot on the line and take risks. I was afraid of his reaction, someone in Poland would say that it was stupid to resign. But I knew I wanted something different in my life at that moment. This is intuition. I know that I am where I am thanks to the fact that sport has been important to me since I was a child. I wouldn’t have made it without it – it taught me to be disciplined, to stubbornly reach for my goals. I don’t rule out coming back, after some time, but I have to be ready for it, and on different terms. I’m working on my name. You can be an assistant to the greatest, but you can also spread your own wings.
You also painted as head (chief make-up artist responsible for the entire make-up concept – ed.) at Gosia Baczynska’s show at Paris Fashion Week. What was that experience like?
I don’t remember things like that, that I did such a thing (laughs)! If Instagram was so popular back then! For me at the time it was just work. I created looks with painted legs, and a Shiseido team from Japan flew in for me. I was late for my show because I had to work with Pat on the Lanvin show beforehand, I hadn’t told anyone about it yet (laughs). I was late for my own show! Gosia was unhappy, but it worked out great.
Are focused on sport now?
I used to train jiu-jitsu as a hobby, but people encouraged me to compete professionally. Now I’m investing in travel and competitions. I always want to surround myself with the best – I’ve worked with Pat in make-up, the same way I want to attract the best in sport. People appreciate that.
How do you feel navigating the world of social media?
I find it hard to write about myself. I’m learning to do it, but I still prefer to talk to someone else, have someone else write something, or take a picture. That gives me more pleasure than self-promotion. That’s good, but business-wise… not really optimal. I don’t like to be cornered. Content is created when I want it to be out. This is my intellectual value. I don’t retouch, I don’t use filters.
Especially in an age of constant exposure – the algorithm promotes daily activity. I personally prefer to publish content when I have something to say.
This is inspiration – you have to feel it. If I have a surge of inspiration, I put up a post. And then it’s great. I’ve got a massive portfolio for a couple of years of posts, I could put them in every day, but that’s not the point. I have to be happy with it, there has to be more meaning in it for me, the same with the workshops I run. I want them to be valuable. Sharing your passion with others builds you up, you can change someone’s life. I teach that you can make it despite adversity. There is always a goal.
In your workshops you share the secrets of make-up, but since you were the skin person at Pat’s team – is there room for skincare?
Yes, well-groomed skin is everything. Why do the models at Pat’s look like this? Because skin is everything. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the Japanese skincare professionals and I’ve developed my tricks with them.
Your favourite skincare products – one for you and one for the models!
For models – Embryolisse. I have a soft spot, because I used to stand in queues outside Parisian pharmacies where I bought them in multipacks. That’s what all the make-up artists have always had. Also Caudalie Beauty Elixir. For myself, I love the rose mask from Sisley. As I apply it to my face… Well, there are products that turn on memories, that are sensorial. That used to be my dream product – a mask from Sisley. Game changer.
For more, visit the workshop (laughs).
Yes (laughs) We work there like we would work a fashion show, I’m standing over the model with the girls, 1 on 1. I kept wondering if the students would be happy, and they were downright thrilled. The girls are tired of the Instagram aesthetic, they get into a routine. I want to break that routine.
Are they tired of doing Kim Kardashian’s make-up on everyone?
Very much so. I was lucky enough not to be inundated with social media. I used to have more control over what I looked at than I do now. I looked at albums, art, went to exhibitions and had lots of archive inspiration ripped out of newspapers, which I still keep now. My brain remembers every situation and I don’t want to recreate things that aren’t mine. I want to create on my own and not look at other people’s work as much as I do on social media. I still have this awareness today. What I see influences what I make.
What are your plans for the future?
I believe that everything is still ahead of me. I believe that I myself can create culturally impactful looks like the biggest names had. Everything has its time, you need patience, humility and you need to be ready for it, to be able to accept it. I am waiting for this moment of being ready.
You can find Marianna Yurkiewicz on Instagram at @mariannayurkiewicz and @yurkiewiczbeauty
