CLASH OF THE TITANS
0 Comments | South Wales Evening Post, Jan 20, 2010 | by EMMA JONES
LAYOUT A TRIP to the Quadrant, home of Debenhams in Swansea takes you directly into a large and glittering cosmetics hall, where glossy perfume houses such as Chanel and Dior sit alongside American premium brands such as Clinique and BeneFit. A massive sign in the window told me there was a 70 per cent Blue Cross sale on, and it was clear from the hustle and bustle that bargain hunters were still out in force.
In my experience, stepping into the store can be a somewhat overwhelming affair, which involves running the cosmetics department gauntlet, with a host of ladies urging you to try the latest fragrance.
But on the day I visited there was a more relaxed air, with staff restocking shelves and customers flocking to a new BeneFit brow bar, which offers everything a girl might need to whip those eyebrows into shape.
As an entrance to a store it contrasts favourably with M&S;’s branch down the road, where an untidy stack of baskets stand by the doors and a despondent Big Issue seller huddles nearby.
The decor of the stores is, at first, similar. Yet the differences are blatant.
M&S; lighting is brilliant yet colour-sapping, hard on the eyes and makes me look washed out.
I don’t know what Debenhams is doing differently but its lighting doesn’t hurt your eyes, nor does it return a horrifying mirror image of your face.
I also like the fact that in Debenhams, the layout is considerably easier to navigate.
Both stores have useful overhead signs pointing to various departments but Debenhams has a grid-like layout and high ceilings which makes finding what you’re looking for easier than M&S;, where I have often found myself wandering around in circles having lost my bearings and almost my will to shop.
Also, in Debenhams, you can choose stairs, a lift or centrally- located escalators, unlike Marks & Spencer where the escalators may take you up, but you are expected to walk down or use a lift which is a little hidden away. That’s fine for me — I’m in good health — but not everyone is.
M&S;: 3/5 Debenhams: 5/5 FASHION I HEAD for the ladies’ fashion at Debenhams, which is located next to the beauty section, as it is in most stores across the country.
The company has also been attracting customers through its Designers at Debenhams range, where well-known names such as Ted Baker, Jasper Conran and John Rocha design clothes, shoes and even house and kitchenware specifically for the group.
There are 23 mostly run-of-the mill brands including Maine, Jacques Vert, Eastex and Pineapple.
I snap up a pretty royal blue wraparound dress from Wallis, reduced from Pounds 30 to Pounds 10
perfume sale