BIBA

Today in class we watched a documentary about Barbara Hulanicki, the founder of Biba. Barbara's first Biba shop opened in 1964, which was the start of high street fashion boutiques.

  As well as influencing London, Barbara also took part in the regeneration of Miami Beach, where she became an interior designer. Her transition in becoming an interior designer was easy, as she was not often asked for sketches, she could just describe the way she wanted something.

  BIBA closed in 1975, as Barbara did not agree how a department store was branding the company, the last straw was when they said they needed neon signs to direct customers around the store. Barbara said she would design them, however they went behind her back and produced them how they wanted. In the last meeting Barbara saw the hideous signs, picked one up and threw it across the room walking out for good. Her brand was about luxury and she left as it was at it's prime.

  It's now 2010 and BIBA is back exclusively to House Of Frasers with Brit-Model Dasiy Lowe as the new face. I do like the new collection, it looks glamourous by keeping the famous leopard prints and there is a hint of 60's and 70's style. However I do think they have made the garments too expensive, it has become a designer label, whereas BIBA started out as being affordable to most of the public, which generated it's original success.