LIKE the pristine 4x4s that never go anywhere near a muddy farm track, the latest country clothing sensation from rural Worcestershire is proving a big hit with London's metropolitan herds.

While it might seem slightly incongruous to be seen stuck in traffic along the Marylebone Road wearing a tweed gilet that would appear more at home on a Scottish grouse moor or in the members' tent at a hunt point-to-point, plenty of ladies are doing it. Spurred on, no doubt, by the country look' being the hot thing for 2008's spring fashions.

Which is good news for Gilly Painter and Nicky Horsley-Gubbins, euphemistically described in their press release as "two busy working mums from rural Worcestershire".

In fact they are rather more than busy working mums. Because both were successful businesswomen long before they bumped into each other - not literally it should be added - on the school run to Winterfold House School at Chaddesley Corbett.

The pair soon became friends and are now the driving force behind the launch of an English-made tweed gilet that is not for the faint pocketed - since their sleeveless padded waistcoats cost £149 each, plus p&p. Which may partly explain why they sell well to those on London wages.

Another factor is the sales pitch that this is a garment "designed by real ladies, for real ladies". Although my knowledge of ladies fashion is on a par with most blokes', I can see the appeal of something which aims "to show off the slim bits, while hiding any naught bits".

Which is why these two ladies, who both live down the windy country lanes that lead off the A449 near Ombersley, became involved in their venture in the first place.

"We couldn't find what we wanted, so we decided to design one ourselves," Gilly explained. "We were looking for something that would create a flattering feminine shape as well as being a robust, practical piece of clothing and we hope we've spotted a gap in the market.

"We wanted to create a gilet that would look equally at home on the high street or on the school run, as it would in the countryside at a shoot or on the riverbank. Most importantly, it should be something that looked fabulous and celebrated the shape of the real woman. That's why our gilet is gently nipped in at the waist to create a beautiful outline, showing off the slim bits while hiding any naughty bits."

All this was new territory for these two ladies, neither of whom had designed any item of clothing before.

However, Gilly had spent years travelling Europe as marketing manger for an international wallpaper manufacturer and was familiar with design culture and knew about tweeds. "We sourced the tweeds in Scotland," she explained, "and the Cheviot wool tweed we use is certainly a cloth that is at home in the great outdoors. The sheep have lived on the windswept Cheviot Hills of Scotland since the 14th century and this remarkable tough breed produces the hardiest of wool fibres."

The fully lined and padded gilet comes with an alcantara collar, two-way zip and popper fastening, fully lined front pockets and is all made in England. The cottage industry the two friends have created is catchily titled GiliNix and has a website www.gilinix.co.uk.

Appropriately, the ladies tailored tweed gilet' was launched at the Worcestershire Hunt Christmas fair at Inkberrow.

"We sell at countryside events all over the country," Gilly added. "And our next is one very close to my heart, a fair at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern on February 13 in aid of the air ambulance and in-shore search and rescue.

"However, I must say one of our best markets is London. We sell very well there, which might seem strange because this is a very country' item."

Whatever next -- hunting in Hyde Park, pheasant shooting in Finsbury or fly fishing off the Vauxhall Bridge? In a tweed gilet, of course.