Showing posts with label BIBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BIBA. Show all posts

Saturday, October 16, 2010

BIBA is Back



The most glorious London fashion retailer of the 60's and 70's, Biba was the totally original brainchild of Polish born Barbara Hulanicki, a skilled fashion drawer-turned- designer. The Biba business had humble beginnings. Starting off as a mail-order boutique with a few cheap garments cut all to the same tiny size, but then these designs took off in a big way.
The first store opened, in Kensington in 1964, became a huge hit as the young and fashionable flocked to pick up the cheap, wearable and devastatingly cool fashions. Biba went from strength to strength opening a massive "Big Biba" in 1974 at the seven storey Derry & Toms department store. The shop had a luxuriant art deco interior more suited to a 30's film set than a 70's store. Big Biba sold everything- Mens, womens and children's clothing, groceries, shoes, make-up, accessories, playing cards, souvenirs and more. There was even a roof garden with live flamingos!




Biba later closed in 1975 due to poor organization & financial difficulties.
After a couple of failed relaunches for BIBA in 2006 & 2007, House of Fraser bought the company in November 2009 for a second relaunch by an in-house design team announcing Daisy Lowe as the new face of the label in an attempt to return to its high-street roots.
The collection launched 9th of September & i was lucky enough to witness the unveiling.
I loved the collection, lots of velvets, feathers, prints & hats in typical BIBA style.
Here are a few of my fave pieces.



Photos courtesy of telegraph.co.uk, houseoffraser.co.uk