Isobel Davies pictured. All imagery courtesy of Izzy Lane.

It’s the kind of cosy image national companies clammer to purport in adverts. The Warburtons trudge around the countryside apparently oblivious to factories and the Shreddies knitters bash out a few more tiny square masterpieces to satisfy the deserving masses. But for Isobel Davies’ North Yorkshire fashion house, the image is a reality. Employing a network of handknitters (no, really) who work to patterns in their homes, and using locally spun and dyed wool of sheep rescued from slaughter, Izzy Lane is the kind of business other companies pretend to be like.

Pieces range from Luella-ish riding jackets and heritage-style pencil skirts, to chunky men’s cardis, hot pink cashmere dresses and vegetarian shoes. Prices are fair to surprisingly low; you can pick up the cutest of berets for just £22 and that pink slouchy cashmere number is £175. And ethically speaking, Izzy Lane’s collections are priceless.

Richmond-based vegetarian, Isobel Davies enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with her flocks of Wensleydale and Shetland sheep; she scoops the rare breeds from the hands of abattoirs and gives them good, natural lives in return for some of the finest wool. Apart from these 600 strong flocks – looked after by one-time dairy farmer, turned shepherd, turned vegetarian Ernest Ayre – British Cashmere goats are employed, most of which reside in Scotland. They provide a scant amount of wool (around 100g per year, per goat) but Izzy Lane refuse to use more prolific, less ethical, imported wool.

It’s a relationship which has been recognised with several awards; Davies was recently named Re:Fashion’s Re:Designer of the Year 2008 and Small Fashion Retailer winner at the RSPCA’s Good Business Awards. Davies came up with the idea for Izzy Lane while running the first ever organic home delivery company, Farmaround, in London, through which she learned British farmers were paid a pittance for their wool. Most farmers would simply burn it while, controversially, much of our wool is imported from Australia and New Zealand. Since rescuing her first four Wensleydales in 2002, the fashion line has proved hard work, but perhaps ultimately more rewarding for the Izzy Lane team than if it had been plain sailing.

Davies says, “Most designers will go to a fabric fair in Milan to choose fabrics for their collection but I have had to learn firstly how to care for the sheep and then the long process of how to turn that raw fleece into cloth through the scouring, combing, spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing. It is all very technical but at the mills they are very skilled and knowledgeable and have taught me a lot.”

“We are working on our AW10 Collection at the moment to show at Berlin Fashion Week and then London Fashion Week. I have designed all the coats, jackets and skirts and I have invited a great designer to do the knitwear this season.”

Their most recent London Fashion Week saw Izzy Lane team up with super-model Lily Cole on hand-knitted accessories label The North Circular, and Davies has been exploring the possibilities of Arctic dog hair, so who knows what might lie in store yet for the label.

Written by Ali Schofield on Wednesday January 13th, 2010 2:14 pm

Tags:

Ali Schofield, Berlin Fashion Week, Ernest Ayre, Farmaround, Isobel Davies, Izzy Lane, Lily Cole, London Fashion Week, Luella, Re Fashion Awards, RSPCA Good Business Awards, Shreddies, Warburtons

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