On 29th October, my dear friend Imogen Taylor turns one hundred. This post is a celebration of her, and everything she has taught me.
A few years ago, on a fresh September morning, during London Design Week at the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, an event was held to celebrate the launch of a new trimmings collection for Colefax andFowler. It was, on the surface, a moment to mark a new chapter. But for me, the day became something more personal. I got to sit down with my long-time friend Imogen Taylor, and enjoy an afternoon recording her stories and memories.
Design events are often about what comes next. This one reminded me how much of our work is shaped by what came before.
My friendship with Imogen Taylor has been built over many years, grounded not only in a shared love of design but in conversation, humour and honesty. We are both only children, perhaps explaining the ease with which we have always talked, long emails, photographs exchanged, thoughts shared. During lockdown, when so much of life paused, we stayed connected in small ways, later meeting outside again, barefoot in the sunshine, grateful simply for company.
Always a Christmas catch up with Imo and Tatti
As of this day 29th October 2026 Imogen will celebrate her 100th birthday. She remains sharp, observant and wonderfully funny, with a clarity of thought that comes from having seen fashions, trends and industries rise and fall many times over. Time has not dulled her curiosity; if anything, it has refined it.
Through Imogen, the presence of John Fowler has always felt close. Working alongside him shaped her eye and her discipline - a deep respect for proportion, comfort and restraint that sits at the heart of what we still recognise as timeless English decoration.
Colour, in those days, was done by eye. There were no charts or ready-made palettes. Pigments were mixed, tested directly onto walls, adjusted slowly until they felt right. It was an intuitive and highly skilled process, dependent on experience rather than formula.
Imogen often recalls standing for hours while Fowler dictated notes, absorbing not just instruction but rhythm and pace. She tells a story of a new secretary who once sat down while taking dictation. A small moment, but one that marked a subtle shift in expectations and attitudes. These anecdotes remind us how much working practices evolve, even while the underlying principles remain the same.
Working in interiors inevitably means working with beauty and craftsmanship, and it is a privilege. That privilege carries responsibility and this is something Imogen has always understood instinctively. Designing beautiful spaces should never mean overspending for the sake of appearance. Clients place enormous trust in us, and that trust deserves care, discretion and honesty.
Over the years, Imogen has been someone to talk through the realities of running a business. Her advice has always been remarkably consistent: hold onto your values, because the fundamentals of good work do not change.
We share a belief that there is no such thing as universally “good taste”. Taste is personal. The role of the designer is not to impose, but to interpret and guide clients to understand what works for them and why. That delicate balance between creative judgement and collaboration is something she understands deeply.
Early in my career, Imogen arranged work experience for me with Emma Burns, introduced me to Brook Street, and allowed me to see houses she had worked on alongside Nancy Lancaster and John Fowler. These were not grand gestures, but acts of generosity that shape a career in lasting ways. Imogen once gifted me a piece that had belonged to John Fowler at the Lodge, later lived in by Nicky Haslam. It now sits in my office, a small but constant reminder of continuity, of ideas and values passed from one generation to the next. One day, it will be passed on again.
Imogen reminds me not to take things too seriously. One of my favourite stories of hers is of Nancy Lancaster preparing to meet the King of Sweden, dressed impeccably in a full ball gown and emerald tiara, posture perfected from years of riding side saddle. Upon arrival, she found the King waiting in shorts, a polo shirt and dock shoes. The absurdity of the moment dissolved any formality, and laughter broke the ice immediately.
The launch of a new collection is, of course, about the future. But sitting with Imogen that day felt more like a celebration of continuity: of friendship, mentorship, and the passing on of knowledge. Design evolves, technology changes, and tastes shift, but certain things endure. Working in design is a privilege. Not simply because of the beautiful things we encounter, but because of the people, stories and values that shape the work itself. These are the elements that last far longer than any trend or collection, and the ones I hope to carry forward in my own practice.
Our outdoor meetings through Covid
