Beautiful Biba
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 12:45PM 
Biba: four little letters that pack so much punch. While unknown by most people outside of fashion, and frequently forgotten by those inside fashion, the name Biba conjures thoughts of a beautiful, glamorous, whimsical time and place. Founded in the 1964 by Barbara Hulanicki and her husband, Biba brought high (but affordable) fashion to the youth of London. One might even argue that if it weren't for Biba, the swinging scene may never have come to life.
The Biba brand is still a touchstone for designers today; it's targeting of the youth market and disposable designer price point make it the forerunner of today's "democratic" fashion found at H&M and Forever 21. At Biba, the idea was that the average working girl could spend less that 10% of her salary and still have the style of mod icon Cathy McGowan. But more than this, Biba had that insatiable glam factor. While intended for the youth of little means, it was coveted by people who could afford items many times more expensive. Part of this had to do with the branding. The signature gold logo adorned everything from signage to labels, while sizing tags and other store collateral were created in the same style. The gold shop sign on the exterior was the perfect counterpoint to the blacked-out windows, generating a luxurious and exciting entrance, while creating the romantic gothic-art nouveau atmosphere within. Everything was planned to create that certain Biba environment that supported styles and sales alike.
One of the famous Biba "smocks".Biba's look is the perfect example of the 1960s retro-deco-nouveau style. It was like the Marchesa Casati got together with Marisa Berenson and Talitha Getty and downed a few bottles of Pouilly-Fuisée before having their Tarot cards read. (Of course, by the time I came along, this heady and fabulous mix was distilled into a disappointing Rachel Perry lip balm, but I digress.) As Hulanicki described it: "Fresh little foals with long legs, bright faces, and round dolly eyes...postwar babies who had been deprived of nourishing protein in childhood and grew up into beautiful skinny people." Is it any coincidence that Anna Wintour once worked at Biba? As for the fashion, the palette was what was called "Auntie colors" - dark, earthy tones that were reminiscnet of a Victorian funeral.
As time moved into the next decade and the vibrant hipsters of Carnaby Street moved on, Biba faded away into a beautiful memory. Over-expansion and bad decision-making led to its demise, but it's mark is permanent in the world of both fashion and marketing. Hulanicki now lives in Miami and works as an interior designer, but created a capsule collection for Top Shop this past spring, echoing her Biba philosophy of bringing high fashion to the girls of limited means.
To celebrate Biba and its visionary creator, a new documentary is being produced in limited numbers - only 1000 to be exact. This makes me sad because I'd love to have a copy myself, but I doubt I'll be so lucky. That, and I doubt it will ever come to Netflix. But if you have the means, do be sure to pick up Beyond Biba: A Portrait of Barbara Hulanicki this season. The film details all aspects of this overlooked artist and her lasting impact on design.
Beyond Biba Trailer from November Films on Vimeo.
For a fantastic array of Biba photographs, check out this post from Child of the Moon.
Barbara Hulanicki, Beyond Biba, Biba, documentary in Latest Crush, Movie Chic 
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