Cool Britannia for the whole family

A few VBPs (Very Busy People) among us are privileged enough to have stylists and personal shoppers. I have Debenhams.

Debenhams is as close as it gets to a “style secret” for me, one that I’m loath to give out, even now. I know I can go there and, in just a few square meters of floor space, find both classics and hot-off-the-runway trends at high-street prices — not just for myself but for my whole family, too. And — this is especially crucial to a mother whose figure is the opposite of “model” — in a vast range of sizes and flattering cuts. High style available at the correct size and price? Now, that’s the true meaning of luxury.

What sets Debenhams apart from other British high-street stores is its strong designer lineup. One of the best-selling labels, Butterfly, is by Matthew Williamson, a.k.a. Britain’s Prince of Boho. When you think Williamson, you think hothouse colors, mega-embellishment, Indian fusion. Portobello Road meets the Raj.

Another top seller is Star by Julien Macdonald, the Welsh Wizard of knitwear who was designer at Givenchy for a time. He’s known for his va-va-voom sexiness and exuberant flair with sequins and rhinestones.

On the more classic side, male customers from the corporate world gravitate most towards Jasper Conran, a master tailor who specializes in traditional British elegance, as well as John Rocha, whose designs boast simple lines and minimal but beautifully handcrafted decoration.

You won’t find the diffusion lines of these Designers at Debenhams anywhere else. Though the design imprints of these cool Brits are already available at reasonable price points, a new tie-up with Citibank further reduces prices to their most affordable yet. Citibank Gold and Platinum cardholders will get a 10-percent discount when they shop at any of Debenhams’ three branches (in Glorietta 4, Shangri-La Plaza and the soon-to-open TriNoma). Since the promotion is valid only until Nov. 30, Citibank cardholders can extend their discount privileges for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P5,000 worth of regularly priced items, excluding products for the home.

Right at the store entrance, the Star by Julien Macdonald display immediately caught my eye. Dresses with glittery embellishments are in, and the ever-flashy Macdonald, when not tricking out his holiday duds in animal prints, is also designing party frocks covered in sequins. I made a note to try on the black one, which shimmers like liquid onyx.

In-house brand Red Herring is popular with the younger set, because it offers couture at 20 to 40 percent cheaper than the Designers at Debenhams. Scanning the racks, the good news is that ’tis the season for forgiveness, i.e., the clothes are a lot more forgiving, designed to camouflage our holiday excesses with roomy cuts and eye-catching details. The A-line swing coat is all the rage, as is the New Military look with studded biker jackets in dark, slimming neutrals. Red Herring has a killer trench coat in red, but for our weather I’ll probably go for the abbreviated version — a red cropped trench-y jacket with sparkly buttons (P2,750).

Retro is another trend. High-waisted, wide-legged pants are making a comeback, and the skinny jean is no more — not for this season, anyway.

Women in search of more classic pieces can turn to Debenhams’ other in-house brands, Maine and Casual Club, both of which are very affordable. I bought a cashmere-soft pullover (P1,150) for chillier nights ahead.

My husband, Scott, loves urban-looking zip-up jackets, so I bought one by John Rocha in black for him. It’s slightly quilted, but not in that Eighties Michael Jackson way — Rocha is too restrained and tasteful for that.

My daughter, Isobel, is the ultimate girly girl, so Debenhams’ very trendy kids’ section is right up her alley. Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald may not design for men, but they do design for little girls, and I almost died when I saw their couture-worthy dresses shrunk to miniature proportions. There are even little bags and embellished shoes and for tiny hands and feet — talk about leading your kid down the path young! But since Isobel is at an age where she loses anything not strapped to her back, I settled on a newly arrived shirtdress-and-legging set, which is utterly adorable.

For little boys, there’s St. George by Duffer, for moms who want to dress their boys practically but still secretly wish they’d grow up to look like David Beckham. Also on offer are veddy British toys like cricket bats, watering cans for mini gardening aficionados, and that game Operation that I used to love as a kid, except in the current version you operate on Spider-Man.

Truly, with items for every possible age and demographic, including sleepwear and designer lingerie, Debenhams is a one-stop shop for the whole family.

As they were totting up my purchases, my friend overheard these two girls talking at the Debut section, which features prom dresses, cocktail attire and ball gowns. One of them said, “I have to buy this because I don’t want to bump into someone wearing the same dress.”

True enough, if you bought off the rack elsewhere, there would always be the danger of running into your style twin somewhere. But as I said before, Britain’s favorite department store is my favorite style secret.

Then again, I wouldn’t be writing about it if I could keep a secret to myself.

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Citibank Gold and Platinum cardholders enjoy a 10-percent discount when shopping at Debenhams, whether in Glorietta 4, Shangri-La Plaza or TriNoma (opening in November). While the promotion ends on Nov. 30, the discount will be extended for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P5,000 for all regular-priced items, except products in the Home Division.

This is one of the many offers available to Citi cardholders through Citibank World Privileges, which has been described as the next-generation privilege program, offering more than just discounts and freebies. Overall, its intent is for cardholders to walk away with rewarding experiences every time they use their Citibank card. Apart from local partners, Citibank also has exclusive offers for cardholders in 17,000 merchants across Asia Pacific and the world. All these are possible only through Citibank’s comprehensive local, regional and global knowledge, as well as partnerships.