In vibrant 1960s London, Biba quickly emerged as a fashion phenomenon that redefined style and retail culture. Founded by Barbara Hulanicki, Biba’s journey from a modest mail-order business to a bustling fashion emporium reflects the spirit of 1960s innovation and youthful energy.
Barbara Hulanicki: The visionary behind Biba.
Born in Warsaw, Poland in 1936, Barbara Hulanicki was immersed in creativity from a young age. Her father, who was a diplomat, was tragically assassinated when she was just 12, resulting in her family relocating to Brighton, England. This upheaval influenced her perspective on life and art. She pursued fashion illustration at Brighton Art College, honing her skills and cultivating a keen eye for design. After college, she worked as a freelance fashion illustrator, with her work appearing in publications like Vogue and Tatler. This experience provided her with valuable experience of the fashion industry and its evolving trends.
Barbara Hulanicki on meeting her husband
The minute I saw him it was as I had hoped it would be…. I said to myself “there’s trouble, but he’s the one for me.
In 1960, she first met Advertising Executive Stephen Fitz-Simon at a party she threw alongside her flatmates. She then saw him a few years later as he’d heard that her flat was for sale and was getting married. Barbara later felt envy that he was making plans for a future with someone else and not her. She then saw him again at a Christmas party where he was attending with his then fiancée. Barbara and Stephen had a strong connection, and never seemed to stop laughing together. A few weeks later they went out to dinner, starting a short and stormy romance.
Although it felt right emotionally, Barbara wasn’t sure she could cope with the confusing relationship and decided to go to New York. A week before leaving, she went to Brighton so that Stephen could meet her mother. He proposed to her that afternoon, but she declined and moved forward with her plans to move to America.
As she was on the boat, she watched Fitz on the dock getting smaller and smaller as she sailed away. A short time into the journey, she began to miss him terribly, and felt as if she was making a huge mistake. Barbara called Stephen from the ship’s radio room where he confessed his enduring love and begged her to take a flight home as soon as she arrived.
Fitz had a marriage license ready and was waiting for her at the airport when she landed. They married in November 1961 with friends and family attending, who later admitted they assumed it was a shotgun wedding as they did it so quickly. This wasn’t the case, as their son was born 6 years later!
The Birth of Biba
In 1963, Hulanicki, alongside her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon, began their venture into fashion, launching Biba’s Postal Boutique, which offered affordable, stylish clothing by mail-order. Their breakthrough was a pink gingham dress and matching headscarf featured in the Daily Mirror, which resulted in overwhelming popularity, leading to over 4000 orders. Brigitte Bardot had recently worn a similar style, with the gingham dress eventually selling 17,000 units.
This is your dress, with its figure-skimming lines, softly rolling neckline and keyhole back.
Daily Mirror on the Barbara gingham dress, May 1964
From A to Biba, autobiography by Barbara Hulanicki
We parked the car and waited for the first post to arrive. Fitz came back grinning from ear to ear, dragging a huge sack behind him. We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.” “The next day, we went to see if there were more straggling letters. As Fitz came around the corner, he had an even bigger grin on his face. There were 2 huge sacks, that day there was 7,000 letters…
This success underscored the growing demand for fashionable and accessible clothing among young women. During 1963 and 1964, Barbara and Fitz kept their day jobs, working tirelessly in their spare time on the Biba brand. Their next big break was designing dresses for Cathy McGowen, a huge star in the UK, Queen of the mods, and host of Ready, Steady, Go!
One afternoon in 1964, Barbara decided to host at her apartment. After setting out clothing on racks and inviting everyone she knew the doors were opened. With friends also inviting 10 contacts, so by the early afternoon, everything was sold. She even struggled to prevent her cushions from being sold. For the following week, people were still asking Barbara about the sale.
To capitalise on their success, the couple opened the first Biba boutique in 1964 on Abingdon Road, Kensington. The shop’s eclectic decor, featuring dark interiors and vintage furniture, created an inviting atmosphere that was popular with the youth of the era. On opening day, they had one style of dress available. At 10am, Barbara put on her Beatles LP and opened the doors. By 11am, they had completely sold out. Their local dressmaker rushed over with more dresses to sell, and demand was so high that they sold them straight from the car parked out front. Demand was still high for the same dress six months later.
Barbara Hulanicki on the opening of Biba
A silent queue formed in front of the cash desk. Each girl had a two guinea dress on her arm. Nobody knew the price, they just held their purses open. I had sold every dress by 11 o’clock.
Biba transformed the shopping experience. Dimly lit with ornate furniture and communal changing rooms, shopping became a social event. The young employees looked and acted like customers, loud music was played that spilled out into the street. It’s no surprise that Biba drew attention and became a cultural phenomenon.
Biba’s Distinctive Aesthetic
Biba designs were characterised by their unique blend of vintage inspiration with a contemporary twist. Hulanicki drew inspiration from various eras including Art Deco, Art touch. This resulted in a distinctive aesthetic that included rich, muted colours like plum, rust, and midnight blue, setting Biba apart from the vibrant colours typically seen during the 1960s. Later she would recognise the influence of Barbara’s auntie, who was a beauty and lover of 1920s and 1930s fashion.
Thank you Aunt Sophie for inspiring Biba. I did not appreciate it when I was in my teens, but it was all Aunties influence.
Barbara Hulanicki, 2017
Biba clothing often showcased bold patterns, flowing silhouettes, and luxurious fabric, appealing to a generation that were eager to express individuality through fashion. Biba’s commitment to affordability without compromising style democratised fashion, making high-quality designs accessible to a wider audience.
Barbara used to rummage for fabric in an old department store close to her first premises. After befriending one of the buyers, he showed her into the Ponting’s stock rooms, who operated from 1863 to 1970. The 3,000 foot store room was filled with old stock. Rolls and rolls of dead stock prints from the 1920s and 30s was purchased by Barbara each time Biba were cutting new dresses.
The main standout successes of Biba design was bringing the mini skirt to the high street. Although it was Mary Quant who had been the first British designer to show them, it was Hulanicki who introduced them to the masses.
Just before the opening of their larger premises, Barbara and Fitz developed Biba cosmetics. Barbara had always dreamt of wearing brown lipstick and natural shades, shying away from the popular coral, bright pink and scarlet that was available at the time. Even though the management of the makeup company in Sussex who were manufacturing the cosmetics didn’t take them seriously, the girls in the lab were thrilled to be working on something different. After working through the night to develop the first brown lipstick, Biba sold out within the first 30 mins of it being in store.
Expansion and Cultural Impact
As the popularity of Biba grew, the brand expanded their footprint, moving to larger premises on Kensington Church Street in 1966. The premises was an old grocer, with a large wooden front and mahogany walls inside. Six months later, it was transformed into Biba, with a checkered floor, plum red wallpaper, and velvet cushions. 1920s Egyptian style columns were found underneath panelling in the shop and winning a lot of carved wood and stained glass windows for £100, the result was opulent and luxurious.
The streets of London were suddenly filled with Biba girls: beautiful and skinny with never-ending matchstick legs, their faces painted dead white, eyes fringed with soot-black false lashes.
Sally Brampton on the cultural phenomenon of Biba. Published in The Observer, 1983
Two of the “it” girls who loved Biba, Cilla Black and Cathy McGowan helped with the move. Barbara and Fitz contacted the press, and moving day saw the Biba Shop Girls taking items through the streets to the new premises. Coat racks and mannequins were carried, clothing racks were wheeled and everyone pitched in to help.
Barbara and Fitz took on partners who owned Dorothy Perkins, one of England’s largest brands with multiple locations and a financial house, whose director was a Biba fan. Together, they owned 75% with Barbara and Fitz keeping ownership of the remaining 25%.
When the shop opened in 1969, the press labelled it “the most beautiful store in the world.” Each week it attracted 30,000 people, only second to the Tower of London, and more than the Queen’s guard. A cream and pink gallery was filled with expensive Biba pieces like long leather coats and sequinned dresses. Velvet chaise lounges were placed around the store, and a dedicated space for children, complete with a mural of fairies and gnomes was at the back of the store. The men’s department was on the ground floor with homewares by the front door. A new makeup counter was at the front of the store too.
To launch their Biba makeup, a party was held for the Press at the store with a “1930s tea dance” theme. A 3-piece orchestra played songs from the 1930s, girls were adorned in white satin gowns, and a chauffeur dressed in 1930s attire acted as doorman. Of course there was a huge line of people to get in, and Twiggy attended with a BBC film crew. Needless to say, the event was a huge success, with guests taking handfuls of ostrich feathers as they left.
In addition to the brown tones of Biba lipstick, foundation was blended to suit a range of people and was distributed from large vats on Barbara and Fitz’s kitchen table. Colours were exciting and new with chocolate lipstick and mulberry eyeshadow. Of course, false eyelashes were a must. It didn’t take long for the cosmetics to make up over 10% of all Biba sales. As with the clothing and accessories of Biba, the makeup was inspired by the 1930s. Deep cheekbones, small, pouting lips and engaging cat-eyes were the signature look of the brand.
Something that we see as commonplace, but was groundbreaking in the late 1960s, was the idea that make up could be tested and played with before purchase. Trying on makeup at Biba was encouraged, and shoppers would come into the store early, bare faced, and apply their makeup in store before heading off to work.
Their new location continued to embody the brand distinctive ambiance, attracting diverse celebrity clientele like Mick Jagger, Twiggy, and Marianne Faithfull.
Big Biba
In 1973, Biba reached its peak with the opening of “Big Biba” in the former Derry & Toms department store on Kensington High Street. The seven-story Art Deco building was transformed into a retail wonderland, offering fashion and home goods, a food hall, and even “The Rainbow Room” a bar and restaurant where the decades movers and shakers would hang out. The store’s immersive environment and innovative approach made it a cultural landmark, drawing visitors from around the world.
The design of Big Biba was inspired by Old Hollywood Glamour and of course, the 1930s Art Deco movement. The interior was dark with mirrors and peacock feathers placed everywhere. The Biba decor worked with the Art Deco aesthetic of the premises, and no detail was overlooked. Even parts of the building that would have been considered utility, like stairs and lifts didn’t escape the Biba touch of elegance.
On the children’s floor, a storybook village with a castle, saloon, carousel and thatched house cafe with toadstool tables added whimsy and fun alongside the “Lolita” children’s brand.
In the food hall, shoppers could eat, drink and wash with Biba branded products. The floor was separated into units that contained just one kind of item. With canned food dispensers in giant replicas of the items held, including one of Barbara’s Great Dane that held dog food, everyone was stuffing brown paper bags with the Biba brand they had brought, especially the soap powder.
Big Biba wasn’t just a shop–it was an experience. Nor did they only sell clothes. Oh no! At Big Biba, you could buy Biba washing liquid, a Biba sofa & Biba eyelashes, as well as a pair of Biba platforms to walk home in. You could eat Biba camembert cheese in the food hall, browse Biba-esque art in their gallery & buy books in the Biba bookstore.
Nightwear and lingeries was sold on a boudoir platform, complete with bed, nightstand and wardrobe. Changing rooms were still communal an Egyptian theme including large Amun-Ra mirrors. Many customers, including celebrity clientele, opted to skip changing rooms all together, trying on clothing in the middle of the store.
The Big Biba homeware department sold items like wallpaper, paint, cutlery, soft furnishings and even statues, enabling fans of the brand to make Biba their lifestyle choice and a reflection of their fashion choices.
Most iconic of all was the famed Rainbow Room restaurant. With its large open space and giant rainbow coloured lighting, it was a place to see and be seen. It was the go-to hangout spot for celebrities like Mick Jagger, Twiggy’s, Julie Christie and Tony Curtis, so shoppers could star spot whilst taking a break from retail therapy. With its stunning aesthetics, it was also a concert venue and several artists, including David Bowie filmed their music videos there.
For those that wanted to escape the dark and moody interior, the Kensington Rooftop Garden on the top floor offered respite. Here, visitors could enjoy a cream tea or cocktail amongst the fountains, lavender, lillies, hanging wisteria,a pond, pink flamingos, penguins, and ducks they were an oasis in central London. Amazingly they are still open today and accessible to the public.
Challenges and Closure
Despite its success, Biba faced financial challenges, exacerbated by their rapid expansion and management complexities. In 1975, the brand was sold to British Land, leading to changes that diluted its unique identity. After disagreements with the British Land Board about creative control, Barbara Hulanicki left the company she founded in the same year.
In 1976, Biba closed its doors, marking the end of an iconic chapter in fashion history. The British Land company had decided that the Derry and Tom’s building was worth more than the brand itself. The trademark to Biba was purchased by a business with no connection to Barbara or Fitz, and they opened a store on Conduit Street in Mayfair during 1978. The heyday of Biba at the time had gone, with the shop being unsuccessful and closing just over 18 months later. However, the original brands influence has endured, inspiring future designers and leaving a lasting mark on the fashion industry.
Barbara Hulanicki’s Later Endeavors
After Biba, Hulanicki continued to contribute to the world of design. After the closure of Big Biba in 1975, she moved to Brazil, where she opened several stores. She continued designing for brands like Fiorucci and Cacherel, and designed a children’s wear, Minirock, which was licensed to the Japanese market from 1980 to 1992. She relocated to Miami in 1987, becoming instrumental in the city’s Art Deco revival, working on interior design projects and collaborating with various brands. Her autobiography “From A to Biba,” offers an intimate glimpse into her journey and the evolution of the brand.
In 2009, British department store House of Fraser brought the rights to the Biba label. In 2014, Barbara agreed to serve as a consultant for the brand, the first time since 1975 that she has been involved, creatively or otherwise, with the Biba she created.
Biba’s Enduring Legacy
Biba’s legacy is evident in its lasting influence on both fashion and retail. The brand’s emphasis on creating an immersive shopping experience paved the way for modern concept stores. Its fusion of vintage aesthetics with contemporary design continues to inspire designers and fashion enthusiasts.
The story of Biba shows the power of innovation and understanding and responding to cultural changes. Barbara Hulanicki’s vision brought a fresh perspective to fashion, challenging convention and making style accessible to all – regardless of budget. While the original Biba may have closed its doors, its spirit lives on in some department stores, continuing to provide unique designs and inspiration for new generations.
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