MANILA, Philippines ? There?s a store in Greenbelt 5 with tasteful clothes that can be fully accessorized with bags, shoes, watches, jewelry?all under one roof. And what?s more, the clothes are truly affordable and fashioned out of entirely sustainable green-minded fabrics.

Stores Specialists Inc.?s (SSI) big shots Anton Huang and Malu Francisco introduced us to Massimo Dutti, a Spanish fashion house, at a recession-conscious fashion show and low-calorie cocktail launch last week.

No, there were no swag bags. Instead, the models used the escalators as moving catwalks as they strutted their stuff like they were walking in a mall, except the audience was standing-room only. Surely, a sign of the times.

Created in Spain in 1985, Massimo Dutti started as a men?s clothing retailer, which after an established run joined one of the world?s largest fashion groups?the extremely popular brand Zara.

Ah, there?s the connection. The menswear are Euro-chic yet traditional in tailoring, fabricated and accessorized with the most covetable scarves and suede penny loafers. I will wait for the first sale, for sure.

Their sophisticated yet elegant women?s line consists of round-the-clock wearables that take you from office to weekend outfits. The cuts are classic yet the colors are contemporary. That?s a perfect balance in investment dressing. In these trying times, that?s the safest formula to get more bang for your buck.

Stylish subtraction

Don?t you just hate it when you arrive for a fashion event and you?re overdressed? That happened to me at SSI?s brand-new mid-priced store Massimo Dutti. But I guess it?s better to be looked over than to be overlooked.

But not the bevy of beauties that appear on this page today. They totally get it. The rule of elegance is the refusal to overdo or overdrive.

The late fashion iconoclast, Chona Kasten, once told me: ?Just as you?re about to leave for an occasion, remove one item from your entire outfit. A ring, a scarf or anything that might distract the eye. Then you will feel really good.?

It?s the true nature of editing. Subtraction instead of addition.