Rachel Rutty photographed by JonathanHokklo
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EPISODE 15 FEATURES RACHEL RUTT
Weaving her magic, by Natalia Parsonson
We live in a our throwaway society. "Landfill fashion" has become a phrase - we literally buy clothes to throw them away. With fast fashion brands dropping new stock into store sometimes as often as every week, we're consuming new clothes like never before. The average woman wears just 40 % of what's in her wardrobe, meanwhile it's cool to declutter. Or is it? Have you considered where all that "clutter" ends up when you remove it from your house?
Rachel's handiwork - she's jeans genius at extending the life of her denim
In this Episode, fashion model and Heart People frontwoman Rachel Rutt makes the case for making mending great again! Rachel is a mad-keen mender, weaver, knitter and sewing person. She is especially excited about patching up old denim, and wants to make that a craze - why buy pre-ripped jeans? "If you wear them enough, they will get there." Authentically aged denim is much more satisfying. By mending your clothes, you deepen your connection to them, argues Rachel.
Listen to Rachel's story of being home-schooled, shaving her head as a kid, finding herself in modelling and learning to harness the creativity within. Can fashion be a beautiful, supportive place to be? It can!
"It's problem solving. Creativity is literally just finding a solution that isn't obvious, trying something out, pushing yourself...I really think it's something everyone has inside of them that needs to come out." - Rachel Rutt
playlist: HEART PEOPLE
Heart People is an attitude as well as a dance music band...
Heart People music
"A duo born of the collective creative consciousness of former Canyons (Modular / DFA) member Ryan Grieve and model / visual artist Rachel Rutt, craft a unique and expansive sound incorporating elements of dance music with emotive vocals and lyrics.
Their debut EP "Homecoming" sets out to blur the lines between pop and dance music, taking cues from heroes The KLF and The Eurythmics. Heart People is a multi-sensory experience with strong visual accompaniment to their ever expanding soundtrack."
Rachel Rutt by Byron Spencer
Rachel on the cover of Dazed & Confused Japan, April 2010
PEOPLE & PROJECTS WE TALK ABOUT...
Robbie Spencer is a stylist, who started became fashion director of Dazed & Confused in 2013. He started as an intern there 14 years ago. "Dazed has been a school for me, for a lot of people," he told Business of Fashion. "It’s a place where so many amazing people have come out from since Jefferson [Hack], Rankin and Katie Grand began the magazine together.
Edward Enniful is the new EDITOR-IN-CHIEF of UK Vogue. The Ghana-born, London-raised fashion icon started working for i-D at the age of 17, assisting fashion director Beth Summers before landing at full time gig a year later. Rachel worked with Enniful at i-D. In the late '90s he became a contributing editor to Italian Vogue, and the mid-2000s to US Vogue. Right now, Edward Enniful is on top of the world.
It's very possible that Nick Knight is actually god. "Nick Knight is among the world’s most influential and visionary photographers, and founder and director of award-winning fashion website SHOWstudio.com. As a fashion photographer, he has consistently challenged conventional notions of beauty and is fêted for his groundbreaking creative collaborations with leading designers including Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen. Advertising campaigns for the most prestigious clients such as Christian Dior, Lancôme, Swarovski, Tom Ford, Calvin Klein or Yves Saint Laurent as well as award-winning editorial for W, British Vogue, Paris Vogue, Dazed & Confused, Another, Another Man and i-D magazines have consistently kept Knight at the vanguard of progressive image-making for the past three decades. He has directed award winning music videos for Bjork, Lady Gaga and Kanye West." Just saying.
WELLMADE CLOTHES is a fabulous Australian responsible fashion site that's part sustainable fashion marketplace, part magazine and resource for digging into the issues, so you can shop for things eco sneakers by French brand Veja or eco swimwear made from recycled ocean plastics, while reading articles about new gen sustainable designers or the problems of landfill fashion. Rachel Rutt and Ollie Henderson starred in this early campaign for the site.
Baserange is an edgy European basics label with a focus on sustainable fabrics and ethical production. Based between Denmark and France, they produce their collections in France and Portugal and aim to keep their collections as "clean" as possible, using certified Öko-tex dyes and organic cotton, bamboo, and natural fibres such as silk and linen.
They say: "Baserange is underpinned by a strong belief that sustainable products should not be a luxury. This philosophy has led to the affordable pricing of the label." Oh, and St. Vincent is a fan. She wears their pink velvet set in the vid for New York.
WOOL AND THE GANG is s beautiful thing. Founded by AURELIE POPPER, JADE HARWOOD and ELISABETH SABRIER, they sell "fashion in a kit" so you can join their "global knitwork" with the needles, patterns and sustainably sourced wool yarn you need to make your own gear. 3 cheers!
THEY SAY: "KNITTING HAS A TON OF BENEFITS FOR YOU. THE RESULT?
Reduced stress and anxiety levels. Just what the doctor ordered.
Improved dexterity as you give your hands and mind a work out at the same time.
You'll unleash your creativity and you'll soon be glowing with pride once you've finished.
Your memory will improve. (Some even say it can reduce chances of dementia.)
You'll be able to meet new peeps, knitters are everywhere!"
BOOT CAMP
Are Rachel's RM Williams boots glued to her feet? She's rarely seen out of them. Find out more on this page about the history of the brand, their materials, techniques and craftsmanship, here.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE WARDROBE CRISIS CONVERSATION. WE'LL HAVE A NEW EPISODE FOR YOU EVERY WEDNESDAY. CAN YOU HELP US SPREAD THE WORD? WE'D LOVE YOU TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS & LEAVE A REVIEW IN iTUNES.
Until next time,
Clare x