Wolf & Mabel in a nutshell

Wolf and Mabel is a children’s vintage clothing brand based in the UK. With an eye for detail we have created an exclusive edit of our most loved finds; clothing of beautiful quality that is unique and inspirational.

By bringing children’s vintage fashion to the fore, we hope to break the belief that kids need to wear cheap throw away clothing. Quality for us means durability, individuality, and a responsibility to reduce waste for a generation for whom a sustainable consciousness is most poignant.  

Just touching and seeing how clothes used to be tailored and finished gives me so much joy, and hunting for a gemstone amongst the rough is so much more thrilling than trawling through a store filled with rails of the same garment produced en masse. What do I look for when I'm shopping for vintage clothes? I'm looking for a quality and style that isn't available now at an affordable price. Some of the garments to me are akin now only to standard available when shopping designer brands. Beautiful fabrics, prints and even colours that now just aren't as refined as they used to be. Dresses that flow and don't skimp on fabric, hems that allow you to lengthen them as your child grows, fabric finished buttons on coats with velvet and wool trim.

SHOP DRESSES

I have always been an absolute sucker for tailoring, hence my obsession with coats.

With the hunt for beautiful vintage clothing comes the reward of individuality, and a sense of reminiscence that can spark stories of our past. Admittedly it can be a wee bit hard to part with some of the lovely pieces that come my way, but I consider myself lucky to find them and to be able to photograph them in a fun way and send them on the next stage of their journey.  Seeing the pieces on and reviving them, sharing them with others, and often triggering childhood memories is priceless.

Garments from as far back as the 1920s and '30s and even into the '80s have all these qualities that will only become more precious are rare in time. Hopefully, they will become heirlooms again and be a glimpse into the past for our children's families.

 

vintage tailored girls coats

SHOP COATS & OUTERWEAR

 

SHOP ALL CLOTHING

How it all began...

I’m Anna-Louise, and I live in  London with my two young children and husband.

Wolf and Mabel was inspired long ago in my hunt for vintage clothing as a kid in London's Portobello and Camden markets, and when I got my own place living by Brick Lane. Every Sunday I'd be up early, looking for clothes that excited me with their sense of history. It was a combination of history and family influences that shaped my interest, heightened while in East London. I was walking in the footsteps of my Great Grandparents who lived there during the 1900's as immigrants from Poland working, as many did, as tailors. With a Mum who was a knitwear selector and always spoke about garment finishing and quality and my Father who worked for St Michael all his life, British quality was something I seemed destined to embrace.

Who are Wolf & Mabel?

Named after my son’s and daughter’s middle names, given to them in memory of their Great Grandparents, Wolf and Mabel reflects both my interest in family history and all things vintage.

Having children only fuelled my fire for finding something unique to wear. Now I had two additional beings to clothe I could let my obsession run riot.. thankfully I found a channel to share this passion and not become a total hoarder.

What inspired me?

With over twenty years experience in different retail sectors, I always loved building customer relationships, adding that personal value to the beauty of something created and made. Taking time out of my day job while on my second maternity leave, I tapped into what I felt most passionate about and began seriously sourcing and sharing my love of vintage childrenswear with other people who appreciated the value of these treasures.

A piece of the past individual to you, that I hope will spark a little narrative from your childhood you can share with your own children.