Anyone of around my age or a tad younger (who lived in London in the late 60's and early 70's) would know not only know the clothes shop 'Biba', but also know of its influence over the UK fashion business.
The shop's founder, Barbara Hulanicki, had studied at the Brighton Art College (as did Lady M), and in 1965 she opened her very first clothes shop not far from where we live. They had teething problems and after a couple of years they moved to London.
I haplessly became quite a regular visitor to the new Church Street Ken shop. Girlfriends always wanted to go there (usually on Saturdays) and I often found myself forking-out for dresses.
One of the benefits of my Biba visits was meeting-up with 'The Twins' (above). They had been at the Brighton shop, and moved up to London in 1967 (?). They became an integral part of the shop's ambiance. I didn't get to know them socially, but we always had a chat, and were pleased to see each other.
Biba was quite a remarkable shop. It was always filled with crowds of beautiful girls, all trying on dresses, and creating havoc. There were half naked girls everywhere, with clothes all over the floor and elsewhere. The twins had their work cut-out just trying to keep the place tidy, and under control.
Later, Biba became 'a bit too big for their boots', and they moved into the vast old Derry and Toms shop on High Street Ken, where they branched out into household goods, a café, and even a restaurant. I remember thinking that the name 'Biba' had lost its 'original edge'. The only things I bought there were some Indian bedspreads, which we still have, and now use as dustsheets.
I'm not sure what happened after that but Barbara lost control of the company, and it eventually closed.
But what a real sensation it had once been! Great memories.
21 comments:
best days Cro. Loved Barbara's fashion sketches too. I worked at Brindley's in Derby. We had the first" Dolly Rockers " dresses in. Very busy department.We were first to sell all the Scandinavian wooden ornaments etc. Sold loads of Gonks and Vikngs.
Yes, they were great days. Non-stop fun.
Indeed - great memories. Hell, you knew some people back in your London days and witnessed a special period in British cultural history.
I remember buying a dress from their tiny West Street shop in Brighton. It was on their sale rack and, although it wasn't anything wonderful, I could say it was Biba!
I just loved shopping in Biba. I remember feathers everywhere. So many pretty things.
But Oh! the initial shock of the communal changing- room.
I am of that era and had two Biba dresses they were lovely. I recall the twins and had a hair cut just like them. The old Derry and Toms shop was too big and had lost that "special" feeling I think. One couldn't be shy when trying on clothes at Biba. Regards Sue H
I was very lucky. I lived in central London (Fulham, Chelsea, Marylebone, etc) just at the height of the 'Swinging London' era.
The Brighton shop wasn't really 'ground breaking'. It was when they moved to Church Street that it really began to make waves. Then, there was no stopping them!
Those feather boas got tossed around like confetti. They were all over the place!
Well, I wouldn't know about that. As far as I remember people didn't bother with changing rooms, they just stripped off in the shop!!!
It was a very liberating experience. No-one seemed to have any hang-ups, they just stripped-off as if they were on the beach.
I loved Biba back then. We all did but hardly had enough money to buy anything but checked out everything and everyone. It must have been the one in Kensington High Street because I remember it being a big store
The High St Ken store was HUGE, but didn't have the same ambiance as the Church St store. It lost it's soul, but the clothes were the same.
Yes, I remember Biba, though I don't think I bought any of the dresses. I had Mary Quant dresses instead!
Her shop was just down the road from me in Chelsea, we used to see Mary quite often.
Being in the US, I am not familiar with Biba.
Like many businesses, it thrived well with many happy customers. It is sad to see a once successful business decline and disappear.
It was a truly groundbreaking fashion business that was a big part of the 'Swinging London' era.
I loved Biba! I remember it so well and used to visit frequently when I was at college in Hertfordshire; we used to catch the train to London on a Saturday. I didn’t buy much being on a student grant but I did buy the Biba poster (the one of Ingrid Boulting) for the wall in my college room.
I saw Barbara Hulanicki at The Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall, in 2009. You can see her on this blog post: https://salssnippets.blogspot.com/2009/07/feast-of-fest.html
It was lovely to read your blog post and take a trip down memory lane! 😁
I think everyone who visited that wonderful shop retains good memories. It was almost like going to see a West End show!
I've still got a few clothes from the Church Street days, a tweed coat and matching hat . Other items I wore until they fell to bits!
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