Hello dolls, 🌼
and welcome to "Explaining Biba: The rise and fall of the greatest 60s & 70s department store"!
Biba is one of the most fascinating and magical 60s & 70s brands and boutiques so in todays video I'm taking you with me though the rise and fall of Barbara Hulanickis brand that revolutionized the fashion world!
Let’s rewind to 1964, a year that would see the birth of Biba as a mail-order business. Barbara Hulanicki, a fashion illustrator turned designer, and her husband Stephen, a former advertising executive, had a simple yet revolutionary idea: to offer stylish, affordable clothing to the masses
Barbara’s design style—characterized by “horizontal shoulders, long torso, bustless and waistless with armholes placed high up”—defined the unique Biba silhouette. Dubbed the “Biba Dolly,” this look became hugely popular among teenagers.
Soon they opened a small boutique on Abingdon Road. But Biba was no ordinary shop. From the moment you stepped inside, it was like entering another world. The boutique was small, almost cramped, with a dark, moody interior that was a stark contrast to the bright, sterile shops of the time. The walls were covered in black paint and gold accents, creating an intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere. The clothes were displayed on simple racks and hung from the ceiling, making the most of the limited space. Hulanicki’s choice of deep, muted colors—burgundy, plum, and forest green—reflected the boutique’s bohemian, slightly rebellious spirit. The clothes themselves were playful, with feather boas, mini skirts, floppy hats, and Victorian-inspired blouses, all designed to make a statement without breaking the bank.
The Art Deco revival at Biba brought back the glamour of old Hollywood, drawing inspiration from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The store featured 1930s and 1940s silk-style clothing paired with platform shoes, embodying the era's fashion. Biba grew from a small boutique into a full-fledged department store on Kensington High Street. The store's typography reflected the style of the 1920s and 1930s, contributing to its distinctive aesthetic. Biba's location served as a hideaway, attracting visitors who wanted to escape into its unique atmosphere.
But it wasn’t just the décor that drew people in. Biba was a brand that understood the power of image, and Hulanicki was a master at creating a look that was both aspirational and accessible. The models featured in Biba’s advertisements were a reflection of the customers themselves—young, edgy, and effortlessly chic. These girls were often shot in moody, atmospheric settings that enhanced the clothes’ allure. The photography was glamorous yet gritty, with an almost cinematic quality that captured the zeitgeist of the Swinging Sixties.
In 1973, Biba reached its zenith with the opening of Big Biba in the former Derry & Toms department store on Kensington High Street. This store was unlike anything the world had ever seen. Seven stories high with an in house bar, tea room and rooftop garden.
But some bad management decisions would soon break Biba and it would fall so deep it couldn't recover.
On September 25, 1975 Biba closed its doors.
Many remember Biba as not just a shop, but as a revolution—a place where fashion, art, and culture collided to create something truly unforgettable.
All my lovin,
xx Emma 💌
Always remember that you are beautiful with & without makeup and that you don't need a lot of clothes to dress vintage! ⭐️
💌 Check out my BIBA Pinterest board to find all the pictures used:
https://www.pinterest.de/emmarosakatharina/biba/
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⭐️ Listen to our Podcast "Unveiling the Legends: Dolls of the 60s & 70s":
⭐️ Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4JsH0rsXUNjgvFLIbwYgnK https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/unveiling-the-legends-dolls-of-the-60s-70s/id1749327932
⭐️ Listen on Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd128f71-1a9c-4693-b96e-da9188cc15fe/episodes/194abe96-5886-427b-9b76-dc2f8e3cb261/unveiling-the-legends-dolls-of-the-60s-70s-unveiling-the-legends-dolls-of-the-60s-70s
⭐️ Hello dear dolls and welcome to my channel! My name is Emma Rosa Katharina and I'm making videos all about 1960s & 1970s fashion, makeup, music and pop-culture. So if you fancy the spirit of these long lost days I wanna welcome you to my world! On this channel, I upload videos every week surrounding topics such as vintage fashion, thrifting and all about the people that made the 60s & 70s so wonderful. So if you're looking for a little time travel back to the days of The Beatles, The Doors and the Rolling Stones I am happy to welcome you to my world! ⭐️
If you made it this far though my description box comment "She's a 20th century fox" 💌
#biba #fashion #70sfashion