Barbara Hulanicki, founder of the iconic clothes store Biba, chooses objects from the V&A collection that inspire her.
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Biba pictures - Just beautiful ~ Beyond Biba Trailer ~ BIBA and Beyond ~ The Biba Pinterest
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Biba
HISTORY~ BIBA ~ 'Wherever the girls went there was silence.
Elly was completely blue: blue make-up, blue clothes, blue cap and blue curls. Eva was all green, Del all violet. Some girls were all in black... in their full regalia looking as if they had just left a Fellini set...'
~ Barbara Hulanicki, describing the impact of the Biba look in 'From A to Biba'.
BIBA remains one of the most evocative names in British design history; it pioneered a new style, mixing the contemporary with Art Nouveau, Art Deco and the golden age of Hollywood, dressing itself in the richly luxuriant colours of a bygone time. Biba brought the cutting edge of couture to the masses. Brigitte Bardot, Yoko Ono and Princess Anne shopped there, whilst Sonny and Cher, Mick and Marianne were regular visitors among other celebrities and everyday women who fell in love with the clothing which would define an era.
BIBA is frequently mentioned in the same giddy breath as mini-skirts, Mini cars, the Kings Road and various other London 'happenings' which shall forever define the 1960's as a decade that swung. It was born of humble origins - garments were initially sold cheaply and to many, by mail order in newspapers. But by the early 1970's, Biba - a labour of love, a label, a lifestyle ~ had reached hitherto unknown heights of sophistication, innovation and retail experimentation, via its legendary Big Biba emporium on Kensington High Street, once hailed in the Sunday Times as 'the most beautiful store in the world!'. What linked all the BIBA stores was Hulanicki's skill in creating environments that complimented the romantic, sensual appeal of her clothing ~ and of course her ability to design and create wearable yet beautiful & striking fashion which spoke to the heart and desire of women everywhere. The Victoria & Albert Museum, London now houses BIBA clothing & artifacts as BIBA represents an iconic & historic image of a bygone time.
Biba has now become EXTREMELY sought after & collectable ~ however, the clothing remains, as Barbara Hulanicki intended, a pleasure to wear, sensual. sexy & incredibly stylish!
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“I think people are too concerned about what’s fashionable. Women have such boring wardrobes these days because they must follow fashion, they must, they must. There’s too much interest in clothes now and it makes women dress less well.” ~ Barbara Hulanick
Biba pictures - Just beautiful....
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"I usually give them thousands of drawings and they say 'We don't want anything to do with Biba' and I say 'Great' and then they pick all the things that look very Biba-like," - Barbara Hulanick
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The epicentre of Swinging Sixties London was Barbara Hulanicki's radical Biba boutique in West London. On 26 October, a packed Cochrane Theatre paid tribute to fashion legend Barbara. Celebrated the launch of the new feature-length documentary Beyond Biba. After the screening the audience were treated to Q&A with Barbara herself.
Forgive the poor audio and turn the volume up..... Q&A starts on video one at eight minutes....
Barbara Hulanicki in conversation (part 1 of 2)
Barbara Hulanicki in conversation (part 2 of 2)
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BIBA
Beyond Biba a Portrait of Barbara Hulanicki is now available on DVD....
From www.beyondbibamovie.com and www.amazon.co.uk
Barbara Hulanicki will always be remembered for BIBA, the shop that changed the face of UK fashion in the 1960s and 70s. A true phenomenon, BIBA would leave an indelible mark on the minds and wardrobes of the customers who ventured through its doors.
Just as Barbara was a key ingredient in the cultural explosion that occurred in London during the 60s, she also found herself at the birth of the incredible regeneration of Miami Beach in the late 80s. This is where she still resides, and continues to work as one of the most respected interior designers in the United States.
Beyond Biba provides an invaluable glimpse into Barbara Hulanicki today: a rare personal profile, her childhood in Poland, the glamour of Biba, and her thoughts on modern fashion. This film is an all-access portrait of an overlooked and elusive artist.
“Will leave you bubbly about BIBA!” - Los Angeles Times
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60s outfits - 1960s Fashion – The Sounds and Styles
It's all about BIBA
Visitors to the Biba Believers event at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery talk about their memories and experiences of Biba. Stills and audio recorded 23 March 2013.
A major fashion exhibition at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery celebrates all things Biba and Beyond! The Biba store, the clothes, the lifestyle and the far reaching influence of this iconic brand. The exhibition also looks at the life and times of the charismatic and talented woman behind the label, Barbara Hulanicki. It also includes her successful earlier career in fashion illustration and her later achievements in interior design and architecture.
After walking out of Biba in the mid-1970s following the brand's corporate takeover, Barbara Hulanicki went on to work successfully in fashion in South America, Europe and Japan. In 2012 she is now an award winning and high profile interior designer working on major projects in the US and Caribbean. In the past few years Barbara's career has come full circle with hugely successful affordable fashion projects in the UK for TopShop and George at Asda.
With its cutting edge yet affordable fashion, Barbara Hulanicki's iconic Biba store and label transformed the High Street shopping experience in the 1960s and 70s. Young working women shopped alongside models and celebrities, including Twiggy, Cher and the Rolling Stones. Art Deco, Victorian and Hollywood glamour all combined in striking, romantic and sensual designs.
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