Classic, contemporary Harris Tweed clothing, accessories and gifts handmade in Scotland.

If you're shopping for clothes, you might want to consider stepping off the high street and investigating the mail order service of young Scottish designer Ruth Morris. With a catalogue that's a world apart from the likes of Kays, her company Roobedo's Spring Collection comes packaged in an elegant wallet, complete with full measurement details and a distinct swatch card which lets you see and feel the fabrics available before you buy.

'For me, mail order was a start because it meant I could operate without a retail outlet,' says Morris. 'It was also a way of offering more choice; I want my work to be available to a big cross-section of people.'

Having graduated as top student from the Scottish College Of Textiles in June 1993, Morris has worked in a variety of roles in the clothing industry before setting up Roobedo with the help of a grant from Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited last year. The functional clothing takes some of its inspiration from the 1940s.

'It's very much looking at how women were rationed and restricted in clothing, and it went down to bare essentials,' she says.

'They actually took on a lot of men's style of clothing with uniforms and dungarees and then they went into wearing trousers much more. I like the way they managed to look good with their red lips and pale faces.' Based in Leith, Morris finds Scotland an inspiration for her work, in particular the holidays spent in the Outer Hebrides.

'The beaches in Scotland and the countryside in general, inspire me; beach-combing, stomping through the heather, that's where I see my clothes being ideal.'

The range of materials and colours available means customers can choose the clothing that best suits their lifestyle and wallet, and Morris hopes to produce two collections a year, retaining the popular styles and introducing new fabrics, from babysoft Harris Tweeds to boucle knits. Roobedo clothing has been designed by Morris to be versatile. 'I think they are styles for people who have their own style. The clothes can really be adapted to how someone wants to wear them.' (Louisa Pearson)