With a big celebration in the pipeline, we catch up with Gudrun Sjödén, queen of colour, quirk and individuality, to discover what keeps her inspired after fifty years at the helm of her own brand
Welcome Gudrun, we hear you’re in celebratory mood…
Absolutely! We’re celebrating fifty amazing years of creativity! That’s half a century of designing clothes for women who are not afraid to stand out from the crowd.
That’s incredible. How did it all start?
I’ve always been fascinated by clothes. While studying at Stockholm’s University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, there was a strong focus on textile handicrafts, which had a huge impression on me and shaped my creative style. My first job was in classic tailoring, however, it was the late Sixties and fashions were cutting-edge, innovative and fun – I was itching to get out there and make my own mark on the industry.
In 1974, I registered the Gudrun Sjödén trademark and created my first collection – active leisure wear in natural materials. It was such an adventure! Two years later, I opened my first store in Stockholm and things took off from there.
Your designs are so distinctive, what inspires you?
I’ve always been inspired by my heritage and my travels, whether it’s traditional Nordic folk art, the natural hues of the Swedish countryside or the richer, more jewel-like tones of places such as Morocco. I see my collections as a love letter to colour.
I love contrasts and surprising combinations – nothing run-of-the-mill – simply functional, multi-seasonal pieces that are flattering for all ages and all figures. However, what I love the most is meeting customers who are so enthusiastic, they’re a huge driving force for me.
You clearly love what you do. What drives you on?
Creating sustainable, eco-friendly clothes is our main focus and at the core of everything we do. At Gudrun Sjödén, we believe that the first step in minimising the adverse environmental impact on humanity is to reduce consumption, so all of our made-to-last designs are intended to be worn until threadbare. They’re heirloom pieces that should be passed on from generation to generation for a new lease of life with every new owner.
Inspiring stuff. What achievements really stand out for you?
We’ve been using organic cotton – my favourite fibre – for almost three decades now. We established a working relationship with a supplier in Northern Greece back in the 1990s and have been growing together ever since. In fact, as part of our commitment to better environmental practices, our supplier switched to new machines and the cotton farmer switched to new crops – a process that takes three years. We’re always looking to reduce our carbon footprint in everything that we do. Where possible, we recycle and have reduced the use of plastic and packaging, we use chlorine-free paper in all our printed materials, and we opt for sea or rail transportation rather than air or road for our garment shipments. Gudrun Sjödén has also supported our suppliers to establish water-saving digital printing techniques in order to produce our colour-rich classics, without ever compromising on quality.
What a breath of fresh air! So, back to your anniversary plans…
We recently held an interactive exhibition in Stockholm, charting our journey from the very beginning, and there will undoubtedly be lots more celebrations to come throughout the year, with plenty of colour. As with everything, my aim is to spread joy and to add fun and sparkle to everyday life.
For more information and inspiration, visit gudrunsjoden.com and follow at: @gudrunsjoden.ldn
