Sydneysiders Jacqueline “Jac” Hunt and Lisa “Jack” Dempsey have been dressing men and women in elegant knitwear since 2004. They work with cashmere, silk, linen, cotton and Merino wool to make dresses, tees, shorts, shawls, shirts and pants.

In the interests of longevity, the colour palette is muted. Black, white, nude, tan and grey are mainstays, alongside softer shades of colour and the occasional print. Where the label stands out is with relaxed cuts and simple details. This makes the pieces are trans-seasonal and easy to wear. They’ll linger in your wardrobe well beyond a few seasons.

Dempsey and Hunt met while working at Marcs. Initially they spent time together because they had to – at airports and hotels, on their way to international fabric fairs. As friends and directors of Jac + Jack, they continue to visit shows in Italy and elsewhere in their hunt for fabrics. They describe their approach as “chef-like” in that they always start with the raw materials.

Once they find something beautiful, it's passed on to small manufacturers in locations as diverse as India, Hong Kong and Australia. The finished garment always takes precedence: if the duo believes a supplier is particularly good with cashmere or any another material, it's handed the job. No buts. The brand started online and didn’t move into retail until six years later. The duo believes nothing beats a good in-store experience, an ethos that’s easy to see reflected at each location. Each one is radically different to the next, echoing the garments' need to “say something”.