Curated by: Rachel Rutt

We ask fashion’s preeminent talents to mine their inspirations. Rachel Rutt, the model, designer, artist and talented knitter behind sustainable and handmade knitwear brand Rutt, shares her eclectic mix.

The knitter behind sustainable handmade knitwear brand Rutt, shares her eclectic mix.

1. “Louise Bourgeois’s art always grabs me for its ability to find a balance between heartbreak and true love, pleasure and pain. To me, she somehow manages to not be restrained by her medium, which I think can be quite difficult when working with textiles, as she often did.”

2. “In 2011 I drove around Lebanon and visited Beirut with friends, staying with their local family in various locations. Always I remember the kindness of each person I encountered … and the cuisine is heaven. After the disaster last year, I was reminded of the deep resilience of its people, how often they have encountered severe strife in their long and rich history. My short time there left a great imprint on the way I view how life should be led, how small daily tasks done thoughtfully are intrinsic to the beauty of the whole.”

3. “I learnt to knit at age 15, my first year living in Australia [after moving from Japan]. My teacher put emphasis on the versatility of knitwear and its innate ability to rebirth. Once an item is outgrown or outdated, it can be undone and renewed – that was what sparked my interest. Later I came across the work of Kenzō Takada and Jean Paul Gaultier, which showed me that knitwear could also playfully instigate dialogue through colour and pattern.”

4. “Australian poet Lucy Van’s new book, The Open, has been a joy to read. I find the wisdom and humour of her words on crosscultural dilemmas, unknown or forgotten family histories, and generational colonial impact offers a sense of empathy to anyone who has experienced displacement.”

5. “I like Martino Gamper’s 100 Chairs in 100 Days and its 100 Ways. I love the idea of don’t think just do, cutting out some of the nonsense with an added splash of comic relief.”

6. “British fashion artist Louise Gray’s mantras always nourish and provoke my personal sense of responsibility to action when it comes to sustainability. ‘Wanting What You Have’, says it all.”

Hand-knitted intarsia ‘Beirut?’ sweater, made by Rutt while in Lebanon. Rutt in a campaign for her brand. Maman (1999) by Louise Bourgeois in London. A look from Kenzo autumn/winter ’94/’95. Rutt one-off top, $200. Rutt bag, $200. Rutt pants, $325. Pages from 100 Chairs in 100 Days and it’s 100 Ways (2010) by Martino Gamper. Andy Warhol and Louise Bourgeois in 1987. Rachel Rutt The Open (2021) by Lucy Van. Artworks, left and above, by Louise Gray.