Imogene Roache, Elizabeth Bay NSW
Words by Elisha Kennedy
Images by Andrew Butler
We have worked together with Imogene on a number of shoots, so getting to peek into her own apartment on a morning before work was a pleasure. We spoke with Imogene about the not-so-romantic parts of being a stylist, and as Imogene tells us, the importance in knowing “the difference between what is necessary, what is special, and what can be let go.”
Can you share with us a bit about your background and your journey to becoming a food and interiors stylist?
I always wanted to be a Stylist. I first worked in fashion and then interiors, where I was the in-house stylist for House & Garden Magazine for four years. Since going freelance nearly four years ago now, I’ve had the freedom to move in whatever direction I desire. My underlying love for food really took over, and I moved more into food styling, which I now style as equally often as interiors.
Can you tell us about some of the objects in your home that bring you joy?
My Syukidaruma (Sake Cup Snowman) which is a bottle and cup sake set I picked up in Japan. When nested together it’s stacked like a snowman, made from the most delicate, matte white porcelain.
A pair of Marcel Breuer Wassily chairs we picked up for a steal from an antique store, A handmade two tone chopping board made by our friend Dan in Melbourne, my plants- all shapes and sizes.
My Syukidaruma (Sake Cup Snowman) which is a bottle and cup sake set I picked up in Japan. When nested together it’s stacked like a snowman, made from the most delicate, matte white porcelain.
How do you approach the styling of your own home space, is it ever-changing?
As I get older I’ve enjoyed refining my home in a more timeless way, which keeps any changes or any re-arranging minimal. Everything at home currently is either beautiful to me or essential to home living.
Being a Stylist, a lot of props and things are accumulated over time, so it’s important to know the difference between what is necessary, what is special, and what can be let go.
Being a Stylist, a lot of props and things are accumulated over time, so it’s important to know the difference between what is necessary, what is special, and what can be let go.
Above:__IN BED linen__Duvet and Pillowslips in Kohl, Pillowslips in White.
Can you share with us something that you have read, watched or listened to recently that stuck with you?
Simple Fare by Sunday Suppers. A beautifully designed, and styled cookbook based around seasonal produce. It’s one of the only cookbooks I’ve read that teaches simple living, intuitive cooking and creates gorgeous dishes all in one.
Do you have a morning routine?
I’ve never been a morning person, but I’m big on breakfast! I’ll make eggs if I have time, otherwise oats if I’m rushing off to a shoot.
My morning routine isn’t as consistent as I’d like it to be – one day I might be at a studio shooting by 8am, and the next working from home, but a strong coffee and a delicious breakfast usually sets me up for a good day, whatever I’m doing.
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A bedtime routine?
Most importantly, dinner and glass of wine with Hugh, and a chat about anything exciting that’s happened during the day. Usually followed by a hot shower and getting into a cosy bed. It doesn’t take me long to drift off to sleep.
Which publications or media do you seek out as references for your work?
The Gourmand, Kinfolk, Cherry Bombe, Pinterest, cookbooks and nature.
Can you share with us a story from a memorable time on set?
My most memorable moments on set are the ones where the audience or reader would have no idea the time or effort that went into creating the shot. For a bathroom shoot for Belle Magazine I had my assistants cover an entire wall in individual ceramic tiles using a hot glue gun, I’ve separated the ‘pretty’ grains of rice from the ugly ones from three bags of rice on a recent SunRice shoot, and used my tweezers to carefully cover a Golden Gaytime ice cream in 100’s & 1000’s one by one.
These images would only be seen at a glance in a magazine or online, but only the team who shot it knows the lengths a stylist goes to!
What are you looking forward to this year?
A few long weekends away, and spending more time on personal projects.