I remember being dragged into Biba between the age of 11 and 13, by my sister, who was 5 years older. I remember it being far more colourful than these films reveal. It was full of crystal chandeliers, feather boas, bright green and pink ottomans and sofas, palm trees and pop clothing.
Ive seen some lovely shops that were definately based on the BIBA shop design. I remember a Boutique just off West Broadway in Mahattan. Ostrich feathers, a huge pet Mackaw, brightly painted interior, Velvet, I lm not sure about the music..
BIBA on KenHigh Street was one of the best experiences of my life. The floors of fabulous upon fabulous fashion, even home accessories...The rooftop lounge and the grocery in the lowest floor. Everything was heaven.
The ladies look so chic and lovely in this video, so put together with their elegant clothes and attractive hairstyles. I adore this era of fashion. Ms Hulanicki is so talented.
I used to shop in there loved it both the big and little Biba, still have a dress I bought there. Always wanted their leopard skin jacket in grey - fab memories
In the 60s I worked for Read Hosiery at 87,Regent Street.London.W.1. and used to take a carton of hosiery to BIBA in W.8. by taxi quite often,I always looked forward to going there, it was a great place with good people.
A woman I was friendly with in the 70's gave me items from Biba in Hi St Ken, which my father threw way at some time. Biba was closed long since. A few years ago I discovered House of Fraser sold real Biba stuff from days of Barbara Hulanicki and I bought bedclothes and a lantern with Biba designs on both. I am getting old.
Wow 😻🙀😻 That hat at 0:17 looks like something I could find online as part of a current designer's 🍁autumn🍁 or ❄winter❄ collections!!! The entire Biba brand was so ahead of it's time, in terms of both clothing designs and makeup trends...Barbara Hulanicki is a true visionary!!! 👀🤔👍💄💖👜👚👗👖👛👟👠👢🕶💋
OMG wish this channel posted more. I adore Biba. I have some little makeup holders that you put individual eyeshadows etc in. I think they did it first before Mac or anyone nowadays. Just got myself some beautifully made vegan leather trousers from Biba at house of frasers among other things including bags. I was 13 in 1977 and living on Scotland so it was far beyond my reach in them days. The whole Art Nouveau and deco is done so well by this couple. ❤️
It's interesting to see the approach they had when it came to selling their products . It's much different from today. I was born in the 90s and hearing that a dress costing £15 to £20 was considered expensive is very intriguing to me I have to remember that the economy was very different back then.
thank you so very much indeed for posting this glimpse into biba. Barbara when you said the fashionable woman was 35 years old, post WWII, you were dead right. You are pretty much responsible for the shift to a youth oriented culture. That is an amazing thing! Thank you for Biba! i named one of my cats biba :)
Why Biba stores closed ?? It seems that every hype personality, and many many English peoples thought with nostalgia about hose stores? If they were all this success : why all those stores have to closed??? I didn’t understand?
Biba was commercially succeful but it was financially problematic at the time; suppliers were demanding payment and it was difficult to keep the production so 75% was sold to Dennis Day Ltd which was a garment manufacturer and Dorothy Perkins (retail) in 1971. Due to oil crisis in 1973 economy crashed and Dorothy Perkins was sold to British Land (which did not understand about fashion or retail so the real problems started) - they wanted to change the whole identity of Biba to get more profit like pricing, store lay out and departments were closed. It all went wrong and in september 1975 Bib Biba was closed just after 2 years from its opening in Kesington High Street.
Barbara is very a very shrewd businesswoman. She casually states that velvet can be worn in any season for any occasion. Ergo, she sells more clothes. Very canny of her.
Jennifer Saunders clearly drew inspiration from Barbara Hulanicki when creating the character of Edina Monsoon. The speech pattern is almost identical when they talk about fashion and presentation.
Who could’ve imagined, a simple conversation where a woman told her husband she was unable to find a dress she liked & him saying well then darling make your own, that BIBA & all that followed was born. Sad that it only took a decade for the men in suits to fcuk it all up for them…. Very sad indeed (watch the rise & fall of BIba. Very informative)
I’m American so I never heard of Biba until Mrs. Slocum mentioned it on Are You Being Served. But the statements the owners make here are exactly what the salesman people at “Grace Brothers” were complaining about. How a haughty salesperson can put customers off. I also dislike shops where they follow you around, and you tell them you are just looking. Then if you show the slightest interest in something they come right back and annoy you again. When this happens I usually stop going there.
Ha! " if someone said can I help you? they were sacked that second" how I miss being able to browse 😢. Try going into even a Holland And Barrett without a ferocious looking women wondering why you're there. It puts you on edge. I hate it
The customers and sales girls were ripping the place off so bad they had to shut the Derry and Tom's store after 2 years. So not cool. The dark interior with the bright spotlights was ahead of its time.
People had so much hair back then. What were they eating? 😂 I’m always so amazed at how thick and shiny it was. I haven’t had hair like that since I was ten.
@5:09 Everyone is acting for the camera and they are laughing at the situation. Plus, smoking cigs amidst feathers, fabrics, indoors. Awful. Just today I saw a meme saying "young people today don't believe when they are told that everything used to smell like cigarretes". True. T'was gross.
Barbara and Big Biba were ahead of their time. Her clothing and designs, however, are timeless.
I remember being dragged into Biba between the age of 11 and 13, by my sister, who was 5 years older. I remember it being far more colourful than these films reveal. It was full of crystal chandeliers, feather boas, bright green and pink ottomans and sofas, palm trees and pop clothing.
Ive seen some lovely shops that were definately based on the BIBA shop design. I remember a Boutique just off West Broadway in Mahattan. Ostrich feathers, a huge pet Mackaw, brightly painted interior, Velvet, I lm not sure about the music..
This was the first fashion style I was influenced by as a 13 year old kid. I loved the purple lipstick. It had a resurgence over the years.
I wish something like Biba was still around!
Going to the exhibition of Biba in march 2024. Absolutely csnnot wait to see all the fabulous items in show ❤
BIBA on KenHigh Street was one of the best experiences of my life. The floors of fabulous upon fabulous fashion, even home accessories...The rooftop lounge and the grocery in the lowest floor. Everything was heaven.
My grandma was a model for Biba and it’s interesting to see this
Oh, that`s great.
Lucky you ! ❤
That is truly cool! 😃🥰
loved Biba fashions and makeup!
The ladies look so chic and lovely in this video, so put together with their elegant clothes and attractive hairstyles. I adore this era of fashion. Ms Hulanicki is so talented.
Omg it’s so interesting seeing a video of the store I have only seen pictures in The Biba book, I was actually named after Biba
My family name is BIBA, you are from Grece? Plese contact me. Biba Aurel - Facebook
I used to go there all the time...it was so sorry when it closed
I used to shop in there loved it both the big and little Biba, still have a dress I bought there. Always wanted their leopard skin jacket in grey - fab memories
Me and my girlfriend of the time, shopped there constantly, it was a fantastic experience.
In the 60s I worked for Read Hosiery at 87,Regent Street.London.W.1. and used to take a carton of hosiery to BIBA in W.8. by taxi quite often,I always looked forward to going there, it was a great place with good people.
What a genius couple Barbara and Fitz really were. So ahead of their time with a true unique talent.
This video does not do the Biba colours justice. Nostalgia
freddie courted mary for 5 months here till he got the nerve to ask her out rip freddie
Love him so much x
This is Biba as I remember it, wasn't long though before Chelsea Girl and other boutiques opened up with similar clothes.
If only more shops where like this now. What a shame : (
Hi
A woman I was friendly with in the 70's gave me items from Biba in Hi St Ken, which my father threw way at some time. Biba was closed long since. A few years ago I discovered House of Fraser sold real Biba stuff from days of Barbara Hulanicki and I bought bedclothes and a lantern with Biba designs on both.
I am getting old.
They’re not originals they’re only inspired by the 60s and 70s
Wow 😻🙀😻 That hat at 0:17 looks like something I could find online as part of a current designer's 🍁autumn🍁 or ❄winter❄ collections!!! The entire Biba brand was so ahead of it's time, in terms of both clothing designs and makeup trends...Barbara Hulanicki is a true visionary!!!
👀🤔👍💄💖👜👚👗👖👛👟👠👢🕶💋
Yes and we discarded it all in the 80’s and 90’s.
OMG wish this channel posted more. I adore Biba. I have some little makeup holders that you put individual eyeshadows etc in. I think they did it first before Mac or anyone nowadays. Just got myself some beautifully made vegan leather trousers from Biba at house of frasers among other things including bags. I was 13 in 1977 and living on Scotland so it was far beyond my reach in them days. The whole Art Nouveau and deco is done so well by this couple. ❤️
It's interesting to see the approach they had when it came to selling their products . It's much different from today. I was born in the 90s and hearing that a dress costing £15 to £20 was considered expensive is very intriguing to me I have to remember that the economy was very different back then.
It was so different back then I bought my first house for £8,000 ... wages were not what they're today, think my mortgage was about £30 a month.
£15 with inflation is £230 today so that probably is what people would easily pay on designer dress today. In that sense it's not really changed
Fame at last! just about see me on the cosmetic counter with a black top and white shirt. xx Mitch
This is incredible, thank you for sharing!
Barbara is an absolute icon. ❤️
Amazing how modern that store looks.
thank you so very much indeed for posting this glimpse into biba. Barbara when you said the fashionable woman was 35 years old, post WWII, you were dead right. You are pretty much responsible for the shift to a youth oriented culture. That is an amazing thing! Thank you for Biba! i named one of my cats biba :)
Freddie Mercurys fav Shop in London
What a gem ! Thank you.
Imagine smoking around all of those clothes. Buying clothes that reeked of cigarettes? 😮
I wish Lush has this attitude to customer service. I love Lush but they're too pushy
I worked for LUSH and didn't last long precisely because I wasn't pushy enough...I love their products, though!
@@mobo410 Like MLM person.
Podziwiamy i bierzemy przykład jestescie cudowni ;)
Why Biba stores closed ?? It seems that every hype personality, and many many English peoples thought with nostalgia about hose stores? If they were all this success : why all those stores have to closed??? I didn’t understand?
They were taken over unfortunately by a high street fashion chain called Dorothy Perkins, who proceeded to ruin it. Very sad end.
Biba was commercially succeful but it was financially problematic at the time; suppliers were demanding payment and it was difficult to keep the production so 75% was sold to Dennis Day Ltd which was a garment manufacturer and Dorothy Perkins (retail) in 1971. Due to oil crisis in 1973 economy crashed and Dorothy Perkins was sold to British Land (which did not understand about fashion or retail so the real problems started) - they wanted to change the whole identity of Biba to get more profit like pricing, store lay out and departments were closed. It all went wrong and in september 1975 Bib Biba was closed just after 2 years from its opening in Kesington High Street.
Barbara is very a very shrewd businesswoman. She casually states that velvet can be worn in any season for any occasion. Ergo, she sells more clothes. Very canny of her.
Her rings 😍
What a different work environment it was. Secretary were allowed to smoke during work in the office.
It was the 70’s. 😉
@@marymary5494 It would be interesting to live and work that times.
Indeed @@Bogna1 I was around in the 70’s but a little too young to be buying my own clothes. I was born in 1965. 😊
@@marymary5494 Oh ok, but you look so young on your pic.
Take me back please.
Jennifer Saunders clearly drew inspiration from Barbara Hulanicki when creating the character of Edina Monsoon. The speech pattern is almost identical when they talk about fashion and presentation.
Maybe there's a similarity in speech, but certainly not in personality!
Who could’ve imagined, a simple conversation where a woman told her husband she was unable to find a dress she liked & him saying well then darling make your own, that BIBA & all that followed was born. Sad that it only took a decade for the men in suits to fcuk it all up for them…. Very sad indeed (watch the rise & fall of BIba. Very informative)
I’m American so I never heard of Biba until Mrs. Slocum mentioned it on Are You Being Served. But the statements the owners make here are exactly what the salesman people at “Grace Brothers” were complaining about. How a haughty salesperson can put customers off. I also dislike shops where they follow you around, and you tell them you are just looking. Then if you show the slightest interest in something they come right back and annoy you again. When this happens I usually stop going there.
Ha! " if someone said can I help you? they were sacked that second" how I miss being able to browse 😢. Try going into even a Holland And Barrett without a ferocious looking women wondering why you're there. It puts you on edge. I hate it
Mary Austin worked in Biba
So did Freddie. Briefly.
@@cjbolan8059 really? Tell us more, please. Regards.
@@cjbolan8059 Hahahaha "briefly" is the key word here. Knew he had a future being self-employed.
SO
Looks like a dream job
Does anyone know if she still has the smaller shop in Knightsbridge
Qué años tan adorables ❤
The customers and sales girls were ripping the place off so bad they had to shut the Derry and Tom's store after 2 years. So not cool. The dark interior with the bright spotlights was ahead of its time.
They had such good intentions for their business, it wasn't just all about money, such a sham it went under.
Back then department store is very dim lights. a litte bit dark to sell a clothes, maybe its the trend.
People had so much hair back then. What were they eating? 😂 I’m always so amazed at how thick and shiny it was. I haven’t had hair like that since I was ten.
Extensions or "falls" were popular back then. Other than that extreme teasing or better food 😂
@@inmylifeivelovedthemallActually the food was better. Where I lived anyways
The birth of fast fashion!!!!
@5:09 Everyone is acting for the camera and they are laughing at the situation. Plus, smoking cigs amidst feathers, fabrics, indoors. Awful. Just today I saw a meme saying "young people today don't believe when they are told that everything used to smell like cigarretes". True. T'was gross.
Dosent she sound like the Late Princess Diana?
Love it, but probably not for me. Not a waif :)
Biba..... Over priced crap.
london used to be "the" place in the 60's until the 80's......there's nothing now, so dead . sad :(
How true