After studying textiles and fashion and with several years of experience as an in-house and freelance designer, Gudrun decided to take the plunge: in 1974, she founded Gudrun Sjödén AB. The big chains were producing her pieces individually, but Gudrun was designing full collections and always viewed her garments as part of a whole. She would finally be able to embrace and develop everything she had learned throughout her studies, which made her the distinctive designer she is today.

 

The new company had a clear purpose: to create, manufacture and sell designed and coordinated garments for active leisure. Sales at that time were aimed at shops and department stores in the Nordic region, and the first collection, called “Active leisure in natural materials,” had an environmental approach to the choice of materials.

 

Despite years of professional experience, starting a company was a journey filled with challenges, lessons and insights. But Gudrun was committed to finding a uniquely expressive style and to filling the world with colorful design. Her vision required courage and innovation. Every garment should not only be part of a larger collection, but should also be imbued with a certain feeling.

 

After two years of supplying clothes to shops and department stores throughout the Nordic region, Gudrun and her team decided to stop wholesale activity to external stores. And that same year, the company opened its first ever colorful store on Regeringsgatan, in downtown Stockholm. For Gudrun, this was the true beginning of Gudrun Sjödén AB. She finally had a place to present complete collections, and in the store, her creative vision could come into full bloom.

 

In one newspaper, which referred to her as a well-known designer and clothing manufacturer, Gudrun said that she had intentionally tried to avoid the “traditional, commercialized store style.” Instead, she had designed a store as unique and inspiring as her clothing.

 

Regeringsgatan 30 is still a Gudrun Sjödén store today. The shop underwent a transformation in 2012 and is now bigger and more beautiful than ever before. The new interior decor is infused with Nordic heritage and gives visitors the sense that they’ve stepped into another world.

 

An exciting new journey began with the store on Regeringsgatan. Gudrun Sjödén now has 22 concept stores in seven countries. Over the years, each location has become a little oasis of color, design and a personal touch.

 

The Gudrun Sjödén brand has become synonymous with high quality and functionality with flair. 1978 marked the beginning of the company’s mail-order sales, an initiative that took off quickly and opened doors to customers throughout the country. Customers could easily order Gudrun’s unique and colorful designs without having to visit the shop in Stockholm.

 

By this point, the company had sales of SEK 2 million, an impressive figure amounting to over SEK 10 million in today’s value.

 

Mail-order sales introduced a new avenue for availability and became a key part of the business. It was also an opportunity for Gudrun to showcase her talent for connecting with customers on a personal and engaging level. And it paved the way for the company to open a webshop in 1997, as Gudrun Sjödén had already been shipping to customers for 20 years.

 

Thanks to their practicality and sturdy design, sailor shirts and henleys have long been favored by farmers, soldiers and workers. These timeless tops inspired Gudrun, and as blue-and-white striped French sailor shirts gained popularity, she was quick to feature stripes in her designs.

 

Gudrun introduced the classic essential striped sweater in 1978 and the garment has become a favorite of hers and of customers alike. The first essential striped sweater had long sleeves and centimeter-wide stripes. The classic design has evolved over the years, but has never lost its original charm. It has been modified with different fits and necklines, but the stripes are ever-present as a constant reminder of the classic roots of this garment.

 

The sweater has now been joined by the equally popular essential striped dress – a style that has become just as key to Gudrun’s collections. The essential striped sweater is a tribute to the past and to the future. Every stripe tells a story, every thread is woven with care, and the result warms the body and spirit alike.

 

1980 marked the beginning of a shift in the mail order business, when Gudrun Sjödén introduced her popular catalogues that were quickly to become iconic. The first catalogue was a simple, folded, duplex-printed sheet of paper. The main colours, orange and grey-green, appeared in various tones. Gudrun designed the entire layout by hand. This gave the catalogues a unique and authentic look and feel.

 

Her customers were longing for more than just the products, they wanted a personal connection, a narrative, too. So Gudrun filled the pages with hand-written descriptions conveyed in a personal tone. The catalogues became more than simply a set of collections. Each one was a diary in which Gudrun shared her interests and wrote about whatever brings her joy. Her narratives gave customers more background about the clothes plus an insight into the person behind them – they continue to be a significant feature of the catalogues today.

 

Each one takes us on a journey of creative design and colour, filled with anecdotes and observations that offer readers a richer, more engaging experience. These catalogues have become collector’s items over the years, cherished by those who appreciate their artistic and personal value.

 

When Gudrun Sjödén released her first collection in 1974, she was designing clothes for an active lifestyle. It was called “Active leisure in natural materials” and included a hooded sports jacket with a zip and practical pockets. A predecessor to today’s parka.

 

The first parka was introduced in 1980 and has been a firm classic Gudrun piece ever since. It makes a welcome return in a variety of colour combinations and new patterns, year after year, sometimes in both the spring and autumn collections. Its practical purpose and robust design have remained the same for four decades, keeping out the wind and rain. Ready for all kinds of adventures, whatever the weather.

 

Gudrun Sjödén has designed a variety of unique jackets for different seasons over the years... from longline to shorter styles, crafted from both warm and cooler fabrics. But our parka is a classic that we never grow tired of and it holds a special place in our hearts. Thanks to its ageless appeal and unbeatable practicality, it never goes out of fashion and is as much of a go-to piece today as it was in 1980.

 

It had always been Gudrun’s aim, as both a designer and a businesswoman, to grow and expand her company’s activities in Sweden and further afield. Her visions and aspirations knew no bounds and 1981 proved to be a pivotal point in the company’s journey. Gudrun decided to launch her unique fashion style on the international stage and this marked the beginning of an exciting and expansive period. Germany was the first country, outside of Scandinavia, to get a taste of Gudrun Sjödén’s colourful and unique design style.

 

Gudrun began selling her products via mail order from the modest surroundings of her sister’s kitchen in Rosstal, a small picturesque market town in Bavaria. With a feel for what her German customers wanted and plenty of determination, Gudrun laid the foundation for what would eventually become a successful market. The quality-conscious Germans welcomed Gudrun Sjödén’s clothes with open arms, they appreciated the aesthetic and practical qualities of her designs.

 

The success on the German market was the start of the company’s global expansion. Gudrun Sjödén has sales in more than 50 countries today.

 

The USA was the next country in which Gudrun Sjödén established a presence. In 1983, sales took firm root on the west coast in sunny California with the launch of a mail order business and two colourful stores. Unfortunately, the stores had to close in 1990. Photos taken in front of the iconic red Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco capture those happy years in California.

 

Gudrun was given a warm welcome when she returned to the USA for a new attempt in 2012. Her essentials collection, with solid colour jersey pieces and harem trousers, was met with great sales success. The American customers embraced Gudrun’s boho and artistic style, which gave women greater confidence about their right to freedom of expression through their clothes.

 

It took courage to set up a new venture. But despite the previous setbacks, Gudrun Sjödén is now stronger than ever in the USA. The company has two stores there today. One in the bustling metropolis of New York and an outlet store in Minneapolis. Thanks to her ability to create clothes that touch the heart and soul, Gudrun has firmly established herself as a popular designer on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

In the brand’s early years, a handful of garments were available in sizes for both women and men. Then in 1984, Gudrun Sjödén took the next step and introduced unisex clothing. The catalogue was a blaze of colour in true 80s fashion, with women and men posing in matching outfits.

 

The classic straight stripes from 1979 featured on the unisex tops, catching the eye with their inclusive and playful style. As well as this timeless design, the range included jackets, trousers and knitwear in a spectrum of colours and patterns.

 

Launched alongside these unisex styles was a line of clothes in unique Gudrun style aimed specifically at men.

 

Gudrun Sjödén branched out into creations for children too. The catalogues in the 80s included small, colourful pieces among the many styles for grown-ups. Children’s clothes were introduced into the stores to get a feel of the market before the first colourful collection for children was launched in 1992. At last the whole family could express their style in colourful attire and unique patterns, whatever their age and gender.

 

Large and small, printed and embroidered, appliquéd or knitted and in a host of different colours – no motif is as dear to Gudrun as the rose. Her very first rose design was named “Rosamunda”. That was in 1988 and it featured in a small collection of unbleached cotton underwear. It quickly became popular and was followed by roses in every colour of the palette wending their way across jacquard cardigans.

 

The rose has become an essential part of Gudrun’s identity as a designer and is a motif she loves to paint whenever the opportunity arises. Her passion for roses blossomed especially in the 90s and this enchanting flower appeared on both the clothes she designed and the front of catalogues. In the 2000s, her roses made an exciting tour of the world, inspired by different cultures: on embroidered jackets in China, colourful georgette pieces à la Frida Kahlo in Mexico, “folk style around the world” in Hungary and on beautiful wool in warm, rich colours in Bhutan.

 

This love of roses culminated in the 2010s in the biggest and most magnificent roses the brand has ever seen. Resplendent blooms in a blaze of brilliant colours, celebrating the flower that Gudrun never tires of redesigning in exciting, new ways.

 

The 80s was a decade filled with colourful creativity and dynamic designs, and in 1989 Gudrun opened her third brick-and-mortar store in Sweden. With two stores already enjoying thriving business, one on Regeringsgatan in the heart of Stockholm and one on charming Grönegatan in Lund, it was time to take the next step.

 

The brand’s first outlet store was opened on Götgatan, a popular shopping street in Stockholm’s Södermalm neighbourhood. Offering customers the chance to shop for Gudrun Sjödén’s characteristic designs at reduced prices. Today, the brand’s Swedish outlet store is located in Årstaberg and is a treasure trove of pieces from past collections as well as unique vintage bargains. An outlet store was opened in Minneapolis in the US earlier this year too.

 

Gudrun’s gem of a store on Götgatan never lost its charm and the beautiful rambling patterns on its tempera-painted walls continue to enchant everyone who enters. What started out as an outlet store became a Gudrun Sjödén store selling garments from the latest collections.

 

Block printing is a centuries-old craft, whose roots date back to 7th century Japan and Korea. It is a captivating art form with a rich heritage. Originally, the technique was used to embellish religious manuscripts. Over the centuries, it was employed more widely to decorate books and textiles.

 

Gudrun Sjödén started to incorporate block printing into her designs in the 1990s and the artisanal method has featured regularly in her creative work ever since. The steps involved are as fascinating as the finished products. It is a painstaking process requiring the skilled hands of experienced artisans. Blocks of wood are carved and chiselled individually by hand to produce the patterns. Each block is then dipped into a dye paste and pressed repeatedly on metre after metre of fabric, transforming it into a beautiful canvas of patterns, shapes and colours.

 

The beauty of block printing is that it results, inevitably, in slight irregularities. This means that every print has its own unique quality. Gudrun Sjödén blends this traditional technique with contemporary designs and artistry to create styles that possess a unique appeal.

 

Safeguarding our planet has been rooted in Gudrun Sjödén’s business philosophy from the very beginning. Back in 1974, when her first collection was launched, Gudrun was already advocating the use of undyed cotton instead of conventional cotton which was usually bleached and then dyed.

 

In the early 1990s, Gudrun first set eyes on a field of cotton, stretching away to the horizon like a soft sea of white fluffiness. It was a time of growing public interest in sustainability and environmental issues and she knew that going organic, and especially organic cotton, was the right thing to do. She found her first supplier of organic cotton in Greece.

 

Shortly afterwards, Gudrun travelled to India to learn more about cotton farming and organic methods of production. Her first ever visit to India was a profound experience. With its kaleidoscope of colourful sights, this vast country was a fountain of fascinating learning and inspiration. In 1992, India became a fantastic new manufacturing country for the company. It was also the start of a life-long relationship with the country and the craftsmanship that exists there continues to inspire Gudrun to this day.

 

Nowadays, Gudrun Sjödén uses organic cotton extensively in the woven and knitted fabrics for its clothes, accessories and soft furnishings.

 

The landscape of the 90s was dynamic and eclectic, defined by a diversity of genres, styles and influences that shaped the intersection of fashion, music and culture and combined then into a unique fusion. Overall, the 90s were a vibrant and transformative decade. Yet as Gudrun’s company approached its 20th anniversary, it stayed true to its creative spirit and continued to design and deliver Nordic design. This is Gudrun’s signature style, characterised by vivid colour, bold patterns and a fondness for functionality and nature itself.

 

1993 was an especially notable year for Gudrun Sjödén, as she was presented with Sweden’s Businesswoman of the Year Award. This prestigious award not only highlighted Gudrun’s position in the fashion world, it was also recognition of the success of her vision and business acumen. In addition, it was an acknowledgement of her hard work and dedication and a testament to how she had successfully built a company and created a brand that was not just about clothes, but about a lifestyle that embraces colour, joy and the natural world.

 

Although the 90s was an era marked by change, for Gudrun Sjödén it was a time of achievement and growth. With her sights fixed firmly on the future, Gudrun continued to evolve her world of colour and design.

 

Textiles became Gudrun’s way of expressing her creativity. Designing clothes gave her the opportunity to bring more colour and personality into everyday life. By now, Gudrun Sjödén’s creative designs had been worn by women, men and children. But something was missing. Gudrun had long thought that her colourful designs would look good on more than just clothes and accessories.

 

In 1993, the company introduced bed linen, pictures, postcards and writing pads to the range. Other home decor and soft furnishings were added over the years. Eventually, the range had grown to the extent that Gudrun Sjödén could launch it separately as the first Home collection. Exquisite textiles with classic designs in true Gudrun style, showcased in a catalogue of their own.

 

The homeware collection has been a constant component of Gudrun Sjödén’s range ever since. Her distinctive designs appear on clothes, soft furnishings and ceramic products today. Providing inspiration to inject colour into our homes and create a personalised and unique look.

 

Gudrun Sjödén began expanding on the international stage early on, back in the 1980s. Understanding how customers in different parts of the world think and behave has been pivotal to establishing and building a successful presence for the company in the global market. Customers in Germany have their own unique preferences which are different to those of customers in, for example, the States.

 

The progress of digitalisation enabled Gudrun Sjödén to extend its reach to even more customers. The company launched its webshop in 1997 in three languages – Swedish, English and German. Since then, its digital presence has grown to the extent that the website can now be read in nine different languages.

 

With more than 20 years of experience of selling clothes via mail order, the webshop entailed an upgrade in technology, while sending goods in parcels was already a deeply rooted habit.

 

The website was more than just a digital advancement. It provided Gudrun with a platform for telling customers about how she works, what inspires her and the ideas behind her designs. Anecdotes that were previously restricted by the amount of space available in the printed catalogues now had unlimited room to blossom and grow.

 

In the 2000s, Gudrun Sjödén’s customers gained access to shopping for their colourful favourites through more channels than ever before. Gudrun must-haves were now available to buy not only from physical stores but also from the webshop and mail order service. The trend in online shopping that might have seen the demise of physical stores actually boosted the brand’s expansion. The new millennium heralded a new era, and the years that followed spelled new store openings.

 

Iconic Gudrun design was gaining popularity, as more customers appreciated not only the amazing design, but also the eco-friendly materials. And when the fan-base grew in one location, a new store would open. This decade saw the opening of six new stores that welcomed customers inside for an inspirational and immersive shopping experience. Malmö and Stockholm in Sweden gained new branches, as did other European cities the likes of Stuttgart.

 

Today, Gudrun Sjödén has 22 unique concept stores around the globe.

 

In the midst of the boom in new store openings across Europe, yet another store opened in Stockholm. As the third store in a row in the Swedish capital, the latest offshoot was in the historic Gamla stan district. This unique store was located on Stora Nygatan, and offered not only the distinctive Gudrun Sjödén fashions, but also a select assortment of homeware and flowers. A place where customers could immerse themselves in colour and design.

 

In 2021 the winds of change transformed the premises into Gudrun’s experimental store and design studio. On the ground floor, customers could browse the season’s unique fashions, while the first floor housed Gudrun’s own design studio, dedicated to a creative free-flow of swatches, colour schemes, design concepts and future collections.

 

The Stora Nygatan store is still going strong, and is a thrilling boutique to visit for its unique creative ambience!

 

Gudrun Sjödén has a long-held vision of advocacy for more colourful women around the globe. With her playful patterns, she aims to inspire women to be confident in wearing bright colours and expressing their personality, but also in realising their ideas and fulfilling their dreams. Gudrun aims to demonstrate that women can both be enterprising and successful, and can blaze a new trail in a world long dominated by men.

 

In 2004, Gudrun Sjödén’s hard work and dedication were recognised when she was named Entrepreneur of the year This was proof of Gudrun’s ability to build a brand and manage a business with creativity and passion. In an interview, Gudrun expressed her hope that as a businesswoman she might serve as a role model for like-minded women.

 

Gudrun describes herself as a water colour artist and entrepreneur, and her achievements are a reminder that everyone, regardless of gender, can create something unique and meaningful.

 

One lovely spring day in 2005, Skeppsholmen Church – a historic former church in Stockholm – was transformed into a dazzling stage where Gudrun Sjödén presented an autumn fashion show. Within this magnificent dome-shaped building, fashion-lovers gathered to get an early taste of the upcoming collection that blended folkloric styles in wool with knit and velvet florals. The collection paid tribute to traditional craftsmanship and the younger fashion market.

 

The show began on a sophisticated note, with quiet colours and stylish designs. Jackets, wide-leg trousers and maxi dresses were paired with functional pieces for daily wear, like a roomy parka. The audience was drawn in by a visual celebration of pattern and colour. In a harmonious palette of coral, lime and misty blue, patterns of meandering leaves and blossoming florals danced across the soft materials that formed the common thread of this collection.

 

But what would a Gudrun Sjödén show be without an absolute abundance of colour? The show also incorporated a medley of colours and shapes – patterns of medallions and intricate embroidery filled the delightfully autumnal stage.

 

It was a wonderful show that offered a taste of what was to come in autumn 2005. For one day, the calm atmosphere within this former church was transformed into a vibrant stage upon which Gudrun Sjödén’s art was brought to life.

 

Gudrun’s Good Deed is an initiative in which each year, a portion of proceeds from selected products is donated to a special organisation or project that is close to Gudrun Sjödén’s heart. The intention behind this donation is to help improve the circumstances for people around the world – quite simply: it is a good deed.

 

The project began in 2006 and every year since then, Gudrun has chosen a specific product from which a fixed amount or a percentage of sales is donated in full to the designated cause. The products have varied from one year to the next and have included dresses, cardigans, bags and berets.

 

The organisations and projects supported by Gudrun Sjödén have also changed from year to year, reflecting the broad scope of Gudrun’s Good Deed. One year, the donation went to preserving old handicraft traditions and strengthening women around the world. Another, it went to students and teachers in India. In previous years, the initiative has also contributed to preserving Sweden’s cultural heritage through donations to various museums and scholarships for emerging artists.

 

Gudrun’s Good Deed has made it possible for customers to be a part of something bigger. The products they have purchased have not only brought them joy – they have also contributed to something good for someone else.

 

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo has long been a source of inspiration for Gudrun Sjödén. Kahlo’s artistry spanned far beyond her famous self-portraits and touched upon matters such as politics, identity and feminism. Flowers and nature were frequently present in her work – elements that have also become an important part of Gudrun’s designs.

 

Gudrun has revisited her floral patterns since the 80s, and when she thinks of Frida Kahlo, she paints big, bountiful roses. The romantic rose is a feeling and a decorative symbol for Gudrun – not merely a simple flower.

 

In 2006, Gudrun Sjödén released an entire collection dedicated to the iconic artist, which was photographed in Kahlo’s home country of Mexico. Filled with colour and large roses on georgette fabric, the tribute was highly popular among customers and the collection became a bestseller.

 

Frida Kahlo remains a source of inspiration for Gudrun, who continues to occasionally present interpretations of the artist in her designs.

 

Each year, the king of Sweden presents medals to individuals whose work and dedication have resulted in significant contributions to society; medals are also presented in memory of important events and people. They are given in several different categories, depending on the person and reason for the award.

 

His Majesty the King’s medal is one of the most historic among them – it has been presented for over 200 years and comes in different sizes. It was originally presented to long-serving individuals in the royal court, but since the mid-70s it has also been awarded to people outside of the royal circle.

 

In 2007, Gudrun Sjödén received His Majesty the King’s Medal for her work as a fashion designer. She was awarded the medal in the eighth size, and it is decorated with a blue ribbon. Gudrun has long had an interest in women of history, and in royal women in particular. To the ceremony, she wore a red dress with a yoke embroidered with flowers – a design of her own making, named after Queen Kristina, a woman who symbolises strength and independence.

 

In 1979, Gudrun Sjödén introduced a piece that would become one of the brand’s most popular – the essential stripe sweater: a soft, long-sleeved cotton sweater with stripes in fun colour combinations. The simple, yet playful design gave the sweater a look that was simultaneously modern and timeless. This true Gudrun classic reappears in the collections, season after season.

 

Over the years, the essential stripe sweater has been joined by other striped styles. Some have come and gone, while others remain as beloved essential pieces. The essential stripe dress is one such example of a style that secured its place in a colourful Gudrun wardrobe.

 

In 2009, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of this sweater: three decades of striped adventures. In a fashion world that is so often guided by trends, Gudrun’s guiding principle has always been to create clothing that lasts – both when it comes to style and quality. The essential stripe sweater is a perfect example. Thanks to its timeless design, it has stayed with us for all these years!