More colourful women – that’s Gudrun Sjödén’s vision. We quite simply need more COLOURFUL female role models – women who find their own way, realise their dreams and express their personalities. In order to ensure that these spirited women receive the attention they deserve, we organise “The Most Colourful Woman of the Year” competition every other year. Our customers nominate women who they think should be recognised. Of the nominations, eight go forward to the final, and the winner is chosen by a jury, which includes Gudrun Sjödén herself. These are the worthy winners:
Hanna Bruce runs the linen weaving mill and company, Växbo Lin, in Hälsingland, Sweden. Her vision is to both manage and develop a unique craft heritage. Växbo Lin is the only complete linen weaving mill in Scandinavia. With her company, Hanna manages a Swedish cultural heritage profitably in a depopulated area.
Frenchwoman Pascale Goldenberg lives in Germany. Her idea is for women to embroider small squares with birds and flowers which other women in the rest of the world can buy and sew into a bag or cushion. This is “Threads Connect Women” which has given women in war-torn Afghanistan the opportunity to help support their families.
Carolina was the first lucky winner of “The Most Colourful Woman of the Year” competition. Carolina built up her own company in a short time, with the idea of inspiring big ideas in a small world. She does this by creating beautiful everyday products with a memorable text designed to inspire the reader to stop and reflect for a short while. Her company is called Kreativ Insikt (Creative Insight), and Carolina’s products are sold in around 270 stores in Sweden and 60 stores in Finland.