Rolling back age barrier

Jun 18 2007 By Vicky Pepys, The Journal

You'll have noticed Brit born actress/Bond girl/Dr Quinn Medicine Woman Jane Seymour recently on our TV screens in mini film for Debenhams?

Cute story; she's an empowered and attractive older woman who flirts, almost successfully with a younger man but is stopped in her tracks; the guy is her screen daughter's (Jaime Murray) boyfriend. It's a cliché, but she could be her older sister...

Jane was a deliberate choice.

"Debenhams sees Jane Seymour as a great brand ambassador for our customer in their prime; that's the 40 through to 70 and beyond market in our interpretation, and as with other models (we use) she can be viewed as an aspirational figure," says Russell Fish, head of womenswear design.

"Age no longer needs to be a barrier in terms of clothing; it is simply about knowing how to make the most of what you have," he adds.

"Boundaries between ranges are becoming increasingly blurred.

"Often a younger customer will shop from the same collection as a more mature customer. With this in mind we aim to consistently improve our product offering so that a customer of any age can walk into one of our stores and find what they are looking for."

It has to be said, Jane Seymour is not a typical 50- year-old with typical 50-year-old figure problems.

The first concern is often the upper arms and yet designers seem to flood collections with sleeveless styles.

Russell says: "Our `older lady Debenhams' collections for summer do feature many sleeveless styles in keeping with what has been shown at couture shows.

"It allows broader audience access to the ranges. All collections feature complementary lightweight jackets, cardigans and shrugs."

Russell offers a styling tip which most of us fail to grasp and yet we know it makes sense.

"We offer one of the broadest lingerie selections on the High Street with many items designed to enhance and flatter the figure; again this allows `real' women a level of increased body confidence to wear more adventurous pieces."

Jane, in her ambassadorial role, models specially selected pieces from the new designer ranges just arrived in store and proves the point that age is no barrier to style.

"We are aware that no woman is 100% happy with her body whatever her age," says Russell, "consequently all the collections feature items both to enhance favourite bits and skim those problem areas."

We just wish that we had Jane's figure problems rather than our own!