The Biba Story, 1964-1975
Next week The Fashion and Textile Museum will unveil the much anticipated The Biba Story, 1964-1975 exhibition (22 March - 8 September 2024).
This is the only exhibition that looks at the history of Biba, from the first simple shift dresses, to the glamorous devoré wraps, sequinned bodices, leopard print coats, trouser suits, floppy hats and feather boas that came to epitomise the Biba look.
Image: Eva by Barbara C.1971 © Barbara Hulanicki. Image above: Biba 1970 Photo Duffy © Duffy Archive.
Biba had a meteoric rise to fame from a mail order catalogue in 1963 to a seven-storey department store on Kensington High Street. Under its legendary founder Barbara Hulanicki, it was a phenomenon that has never been replicated. Lasting just over 10 years it remains influential to this day and interest in this cult fashion and lifestyle label has never waned. Never before had a company brought affordable fashion to the youth market, whilst simultaneously instigating innovations in retailing which are still with us to this day.
The Biba Story: 1964-1975, will chronicle Biba from its first shop in 1964 to its demise in 1975. When Biba started in the summer of 1963 it offered a revolutionary concept, affordable up to the minute clothes for a youth market. Opening as a mail-order company, Biba democratised fashion, and the exhibition will start by showcasing a replica of the first ever mail-order Biba dress, a simple shift in pink Gingham with a cut out back and matching headscarf - the dress quickly became a best seller. A year later the first Biba boutique opened in a small corner shop on Abingdon Road and quickly became a centre for Swinging London with its clientele ranging from teenagers to celebrities including Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Pattie Boyd, The Beatles, Cher and Anita Pallenberg. From high-class debs and high-street girls, everyone wanted to be part of the Biba experience.
This is the only exhibition that looks at the history of Biba, from the first simple shift dresses, to the glamorous devoré wraps, sequinned bodices, leopard print coats, trouser suits, floppy hats and feather boas that came to epitomise the Biba look.
Image: Eva by Barbara C.1971 © Barbara Hulanicki. Image above: Biba 1970 Photo Duffy © Duffy Archive.
Biba had a meteoric rise to fame from a mail order catalogue in 1963 to a seven-storey department store on Kensington High Street. Under its legendary founder Barbara Hulanicki, it was a phenomenon that has never been replicated. Lasting just over 10 years it remains influential to this day and interest in this cult fashion and lifestyle label has never waned. Never before had a company brought affordable fashion to the youth market, whilst simultaneously instigating innovations in retailing which are still with us to this day.
The Biba Story: 1964-1975, will chronicle Biba from its first shop in 1964 to its demise in 1975. When Biba started in the summer of 1963 it offered a revolutionary concept, affordable up to the minute clothes for a youth market. Opening as a mail-order company, Biba democratised fashion, and the exhibition will start by showcasing a replica of the first ever mail-order Biba dress, a simple shift in pink Gingham with a cut out back and matching headscarf - the dress quickly became a best seller. A year later the first Biba boutique opened in a small corner shop on Abingdon Road and quickly became a centre for Swinging London with its clientele ranging from teenagers to celebrities including Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Pattie Boyd, The Beatles, Cher and Anita Pallenberg. From high-class debs and high-street girls, everyone wanted to be part of the Biba experience.
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