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Gudrun Sjoden opens London shop

— by Alyson Walsh

Today’s post was a toss up between British Design and Scandinavian Style. Can you guess which one won? That eye-catching combination of colour and print should be a dead giveaway. And no, it’s not Zandra Rhodes’ house. Cult Swedish designer Gudrun Sjoden has just opened a
store in London – and I figured you’ve probably reached your threshold of Great British Style posts
this week, anyway. So, time to give the blog a boost with some
Scandinavian
Pinkness. And, as we’re off to New York this afternoon, I don’t have the time to analyse the V&A’s latest exhibition: British Design 1948-2012, let alone blog, or pack a suitcase. (Digested review: as a gallery-going Londoner, I’ve  seen a lot of the work
before. It’s a bit patchy but worth
seeing if you’re visiting London or looking for a neatly packaged summary of
post-war design). Here’s Gudrun:

Now, this is maybe something of a generalisation but I’d say we Brits are pretty reserved when it comes to clashing brights and vibrant tones. We leave that kind of thing to much braver women, like Yayoi Kusama and Gudrun Sjoden So, I’m
inclined to agree with the lovely Rossana Mariano (below), over from Stockholm for the shop launch last night, who whispered to me, ‘ When you get older, it’s important to wear clothes you feel comfortable in. I probably shouldn’t say this but…don’t throw on too much colour. For me, a scarf or simple top is enough.’

Rossana Mariano keeps it simple.

And that would be my advice too. Throw a jaunty scarf over neutral basics or team a colourful jacket with jeans and brogues – and if all else fails, stick to striking homewares.

Gudrun Sjoden’s UK flagship store opens today at 65-67 Monmouth Street, London WC2.

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Today’s post was a toss up between British Design and Scandinavian Style. Can you guess which one won?