Travail en Famille launches their debut range

New fashion label Travail en Famille (www.t-e-f.co.uk) has become the latest addition to the British scene, with a debut range of limited edition accessories for men and women named Terres Inconnues.

Motivated by the renaissance in British manufacturing, Travail en Famille has been created by Susan and Alek Stoodley, a mother-son duo with strong fashion credentials – Susan is a former fashion buyer at Liberty and Alek has been walking the  shows at Men’s Fashion Week.

The Terres Inconnues collection, which comprises of unisex silk scarves and travel bags, stems from a desire to translate their admiration for the pioneers of yesteryear; using as inspiration both men and women – amongst them Amelia Earhart, Violet Cressy-Marcks, and Fridtjof Nansen – they retell these stories through their intricate prints, rich in meaning, detailed with symbolic flowers, maps and portraits.

Though silk square scarves may be a familiar item with women, much of the collection was designed with men in mind, harking back to the days when fighter pilots in WW1 and WW2 would pair silk scarves with their aviator jackets for warmth. The printed duffel bags are canvas, nubuck and leather – suited perfectly to men and women.

The process of sourcing the right manufacturers has been a journey in itself, with mother and son searching for the best printers, the best fabrics and the best craftsmen – all, of course, in Britain.

And, because they manufacture in Britain they can make limited runs, making each piece even more individual.  They have also teamed up with British talent in the form of embroiderer Jenny King, whose work can also be seen in collaborations with Mary Katrantzou, Erdem and Topman. 

The collection is available from www.t-e-f.co.uk