INSPIRED by China, the latest collection from Scandinavian born designer Gudrun Sjoden is unique. Comfortable, functional clothes that work with each other, born to be layered.

It's apparently the norm in Sweden to wear a skirt over your cropped trousers or to add a scrunch-shirt to a smooth knit top, to wide hair-band your hair or add a berry coloured head scarf, but what would folk say here in Cumbria if we walked about like that?

Well I know one woman who looks fantastic in the Swedish look that's starting to make waves over here. Joanne Colley lives at the end of a farm track at the back of the valley of Kentmere. For 11 years she worked as a journalist at The Westmorland Gazette. If anyone had told her then that two years after leaving her desk in Kendal, she'd be translating in Swedish and working as the English PR representative for one of Sweden's strongest fashion labels from her beautiful cottage in the hills, she'd have thought them crazy.

Being fluent in Swedish may not always help on a CV here in the Lakes, but for Jo it's proved invaluable.

Gudrun Sjoden is a company she truly admires, not only for its reputation in Sweden as a leading fashion design company, but for its ability to break free from its roots, spreading across the globe through its successful mail-order company.

With collections such as Noa Noa in hundreds of stores across Europe, we here in the UK are starting to get a feel for this Scandinavian look, with it's easy air of comfort - ageless, timeless and definitely individual.

While the Gudrun Sjoden label might not yet be heading for our stores, her latest collections are certainly accessible to everyone and definitely worth a look.

Gudrun insists on using real' women for her fashion shoots and this makes flicking through her Look Book' (catalogue) even more fun... you can relate to the women, the way they wear the clothes, the fact that, after a while you don't notice their age, height or waist line. They all look beautiful because they're being themselves. I would love to see more designers following suit.

Gudrun says: "I create clothes for people like me. For strong, aware women who appreciate cultural, social and intellectual values more than surface appearances." She says that most of the collection is cut in generous, soft fabrics of a high quality that don't require a perfect body and allow for a few extra pounds and some imperfections. "It is created for women who want clothes that express their personalities. Clothes that show who they are."

The catalogue is produced in seven different languages for as many markets. The UK is her fastest growing market.

For your own free Look Book' call free on 0800-569912 or visit on-line at www.gudrunsjoden.com