The Working Wardrobe: Imogen Kwok

Fascinated by the intersection of culture, design and cuisine, Imogen Kwok approaches food with an artistic sensibility – using unconventional techniques to create visually stunning dishes for the industry’s leading fashion brands, design studios, galleries and art fairs. “The methods I use for cooking are not always kitchen tools,” she tells PORTER. “One of my favorite tools at the studio right now is a sewing kit with threads, fabric samples, rolls of ribbon and various pins. I view these materials in a similar way to how I view raw ingredients – to be played with and manipulated into dishes, because my food is so strongly shaped by aesthetics. That’s how I fuse fashion and food together – in a natural way.”

Food designer Kwok initially studied art history, working in galleries such as the Lehmann Maupin and David Zwirner in New York City, before pivoting towards culinary school and training at Michelin-star restaurants Eleven Madison Park and Blue Hill At Stone Barns, intending to become a food stylist. Now based in London, her unique creative path has resulted in an eclectic working week – from conceptualizing clients’ events, testing recipes and food styling in her studio by day, to brand launches, fashion previews and private film screenings by night. “I can spend all morning covered in flour and powdered sugar from recipe testing, then be in 4-inch heels that same evening,” says Kwok. “I embrace that duality. When I was cooking in restaurants, there wasn’t any flexibility for personal style because everyone wears the same chef’s white jacket – and, of course, practical, sturdy shoes. Now, I love that I can be in both worlds.”

“I have a kitchen-equipment kit with the tools I need for the job, but I also always carry a ‘nécessaire kit’ for my transformation,” she says. “Two pairs of shoes, dry shampoo, face wipes, micellar water, and a small mirror that can sit on the desk while I write emails ­– which means I can multitask while putting on makeup. It’s a physical, often messy, and totally hands-on job to create the perfect scene for my tablescapes. I can be wielding a hot-glue gun one minute, then, immediately afterwards, tidy myself up and be dressed for a party or product launch.”

Read on to discover more about Kwok’s best tips for great style and her beauty must-haves…

“This blue Coperni dress is great because of the sheer fabric, asymmetric cut and detailed ruching along the neck. It’s quite revealing and bold with the aquamarine shade, but I’m OK with that – I’m down with being the center of attention sometimes.”

“I am very fussy about denim. I look for high-quality pieces with a nice thickness that aren’t too stiff, and Toteme makes some of my favorite jeans. I have five Toteme styles in all, each in multiple colors. I especially adore the brand’s barrel-legged style in black, which I have been pairing with either lace-up loafers, or my Toteme mules. The high-waisted cut holds in your tummy at the perfect spot, just above your belly button, which allows you to wear it with either a tucked-in shirt, crop top or a boxy T-shirt, as well as a one-piece such as the tight ones by Skims, which I also love. I am only 5 foot 2 inches, so I prefer clothing that elongates my legs and makes me look taller. Toteme’s jeans fit perfectly.”