photographer / David James
model / Imogen Watt @Wilhelmina
interview / Koko Ntuen
How long have you been in NY?
I have been in NY for almost two months playing the tourist but I just started modeling with Wilhelmina. They are really nice, they have really beautiful white orchids all throughout their office.
Do you miss home? Where is home?
I miss my mum, but I love traveling. Home is in New Zealand in my garden. Who is the last person you talked to? What did you talk about?
I just emailed one of my favorite people in the world, her name is Maria and we have been friends since we were eleven. Our birthdays are one week apart exactly. We talked about meeting up in London (she lives in Sydney).
Who are you crushes?
I have a ‘crush’ on my boyfriend. I love dressing up and at home I always make flower crowns with flowers from my garden, but here in NY of course I cant. A few nights ago he came home with a rose crown for me. Now that the flowers have dried a bit it looks even cooler. He is pretty crush worthy (laughs).
What are your morning rituals?
Product wise every morning I moisturize and then usually just put on mascara. Right now I am obsessed with the little mangoes here so I eat those for breakfast a lot. I want to be one of those people that have lovely organised mornings where they drink their coffee and have breakfast sitting down while reading the paper, but I’m not, I’m a snooze button pusher.
What campaigns would you want to do?
Internationally I love Comme des Garson, Vivienne Westwood, Issey Miyake and Maison Martin Margiela a lot as designers. In New Zealand I would love to do a 27names campaign I love their clothes so much. Or a campaign for “The Caker’. Though I don’t even know if you can really do a ‘campaign’ for a cake shop? I really just want to get to try all her cakes in beautiful clothes being photographed. Its not technically fashion related but her cakes are all so beautiful (and delicious), I cant wait to get the cookbook she just published.
![]()
What magazine would you like to be in?
I would like to be in Dazed and Confused and I would like to be shot by Billy Kidd for Vogue. His work is beautiful.
What food to you miss most from home?
I miss my mums cooking, especially this desert she makes with stone fruit like plums, nectarines and peaches, red wine, cinnamon scrolls and star annis. Its so amazing and I miss sunday bunches with my friends at Dizengoff in Ponsonby. I have never had such amazing eggs in my life.
What do you think of America?
I love NY, its great, there is so much to do and the art galleries and museums are amazing. Its a very creative city I feel. Every day I check out this website called niftynyc to see whats going down.
Who is your best friend?
I have a few friends I am very, very close to, I couldn’t pick one.
What is the longest book you ever read?
I read excessively so I don’t know. I read a book called Shantaram in Tokyo that was huge. It’s a really good read. One of my favorite places to go in NY is the bookstore Barnes and Nobel in Union Square. I go there at least a few times a week to get a coffee, read and then wander round the markets they have in Union Square.
What do you like most about modeling?
I like that you can experience things a lot of people don’t get to experience. I have made a lot of wonderful friends and got to travel to some amazing places. That sounds like the typical model answer but basically getting paid to travel the world is pretty great most of the time.
