Tom Lane was founded in 2015 by former fashion design graduate, 26-year-old Jayne Ireland. Having grown up on the family farm with a passion for design, the young entrepreneur had to decide between farming and fashion. Following a successful internship with Sophie Hume during her degree, Jayne’s love of fashion took over and after discovering a huge gap in the market for quality socks, Tom Lane was born.

The brand is named after the road Jayne’s family farm on, with the farmhouse providing a hub for the brand in the early years. The family spent many hours gathered around the kitchen table talking through ideas and design plans. It was very much a collaborative approach from the beginning, with her farmer father accompanying Jayne to cloth mills and Jayne teaching her fiancée to sew! Fast forward four years and Tom Lane now sources wool from the finest mills in Britain and works with local makers close by to her home in the Vale of Belvoir. As the brand continues to expand and grow a loyal customer base, family values remain at the core of the business.

The collection comprises bed, every day and shooting socks, men’s and ladies jumpers, and throws. Jayne uses a range of different wools; the jumpers are made from ultra-soft pure lambswool or lightweight merino and socks are made from alpaca, cotton or cashmere, all depending on the style and purpose for wear.

Alpaca is a customer favourite and due to its numerous beneficial qualities, is one of the most sought after and luxurious wools there is. Similar to cashmere but more hard wearing – alpaca proves the ‘perfect pairing’ for socks.

“I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel for knitted garments, I want to produce knitwear of the finest quality in contemporary and wearable colourways. Being a farmer’s daughter, I have it engrained in me to ensure things are of a good quality and well made. I genuinely enjoy giving a good customer service and receive a real sense of job satisfaction when I see returning customers because of it.”

The designs of the shooting socks are entirely unique to Tom Lane, with Jayne sketching the patterns and choosing colourways to suit. Craftsmanship is at the heart of her brand, to produce timeless products with durability and style.

Collections are available to explore online at www.tomlane.co