IMOGEN TUTTON
FASHION DESIGNER, 45 The founder of Mrs Tutton equestrian wear label shares her style favourites.
Describe your style. Modern country: stable to street and everything in between. What influences what you wear? My horses and my teenage daughters; all my clothes have to work with one and be approved by the others! You left Melbourne for the Mornington Peninsula 10 years ago. Did your wardrobe change? Yes. I grew up in the country in hand-me-downs, then worked in the legal and advertising worlds in the city. All of a sudden I needed clothes to plant tree lines, ride horses and still be presentable at the shops. What inspired your clothing brand, Mrs Tutton? It was a very natural evolution from making a few things for myself to wear with the horses into a small collection of essentials for women like me. It’s been shaped by what I find missing from my wardrobe and my reluctance to waste time wandering through shopping centres. What will you be wearing from your range this summer? Our ‘January’ linen polo to ride in, ‘Sunday’ linen shirt dress after a recovery dip in the lake and, as the night cools down, our ‘December’ linen shirt with jeans for a barbecue on the deck. What about footwear? I wear gumboots year-round on the farm — my favourites are Ilse Jacobsen short boots. I also like Birkenstocks for everyday running around and Tod’s leather sandals for ‘proper’ days. How do you finish an outfit? Lipstick, earrings and a hat — every day. More specifically, Nars lip crayons from Mecca, pearl studs for riding helmets (very ‘country lady’ but I love them), and Reinhard Plank hats. They’re kooky and practical in equal parts. You’ll be splitting your summer holidays between the farm and Byron Bay. What are your suitcase essentials? Clarins fake tan sorts out the farmer’s tan, a hat, earrings from Citizen Nomade in Byron and my Mrs Tutton linen shirt dress for over the top. What’s your go-to beauty brand? Dr Hauschka skincare. It’s gentle and biodynamic. What do you love to have in the house? I get a lot of joy from fresh flowers and candles — Lumière candles are heavenly. And my favourite item is my leather butterfly chair, which was custom-made by a saddler. For more information, visit mrstutton.com