MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Designer Savannah Miller

Savannah Miller, 37, created the label twenty8twelve with her sister, actress Sienna. She designs a womenswear collection for Debenhams and lives in the Cotswolds with her husband, nick, and three children.

TWO years ago, I was at a crossroads in my life. I’d been working solidly throughout three pregnancies and needed some time out. So I packed it all in and moved with my husband from the Cotswolds to Panama.

Nick is a bushcraft teacher so we lived on a nature reserve, which was fascinating, but tough — there was no running water or electricity.

Eighteen months after the birth of our daughter Bali, I was diagnosed with post-natal depression. I’d had this illusion Panama was going to be children frolicking on the beach — it wasn’t, but it was good for me to dispel that myth.

Taking that year out of the crazy world of fashion allowed me to think about the clothes that mothers need.

It gave me the time and space to realise a new mission: to create aspirational yet practical clothes for the High Street, machinewashable yet glamorous.

Then Debenhams invited me to design a new collection.

It’s called Nine in honour of my daughter, Lyra: she is named after a constellation of stars that shines brightest at 9pm. Through Debenhams I was introduced to beauty brand bagsy, whose products fit in your handbag. I was thrilled when they asked me to do a fashion line. We were trying to do the same thing: make busy women feel good in a practical way.

Fifteen per cent of the price of the Bronzed Brilliance Shimmer powder is donated to the charity Women For Women International.

It goes into conflict zones to teach women to read and write as well as basic business skills.

For me, it’s exciting because it’s not a charity where you’re just giving money to assuage your guilt — you’re changing lives. That is my mission when I design anything for women.

Savannah Miller x bagsy collection, Debenhams and bagsybeauty.com.