Rebirth of Biba

It's synonymous with the Sixties, but not the Union Jack garishness of many of the era's pop-inspired fashions. Biba was different; it had a certain sophistication, a strictly classy and sleek elegance, a rather decadent, hippy appeal.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Sep 2010, 15:34 BST
Updated 1st Sep 2010, 15:39 BST

In the very early days, its clothes were trend-setting and cheap. Started by Polish-born Barbara Hulanicki, admired and worn by Twiggy, Bianca Jagger and Marianne Faithfull, Biba's first store launched in Kensington in 1964, offering brown pinstripe dresses that sold out within the first hour of opening.

More stores and designs followed until Biba moved to the seven-storey Derry & Toms department store in Kensington, selling menswear, childrenswear and home styles, with a food market and a bookshop, although there was criticism that its women's clothes were designed for the young and skinny only – gangly, beautiful, foal-like creatures with heavily-lined

doe eyes.

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The iconic Biba look is a twist on Sixties and Seventies hippy chic, with distinctive 1930s Deco overtones, in hypnotic, enticing shades of dark mulberry, blueberry, rusts and plums, often edged with gold and bronze.

In 1975, Biba closed, but the name, the look and the iconic black and gold logo have proved so enchanting that it has had a few revivals over the years, last relaunched in 2006 with designer Bella Freud.

Now it has been bought by House of Fraser, with Daisy Lowe as its new face (again, with heavily lined doe eyes). It launches next week and the new ranges key directly into the brand's heritage, with flamboyant, embellished

maxi dresses and silky tops,

faux fur and marabou coats, denim and jewellery, all

against a backdrop of vintage prints, embellishment and

luxe fabrics.

There are two themed stories: Luxe with velvet, brocade and Lurex in signature colours of gold, black and bronze; and Soft Metallics in silver, dove grey, oatmeal, grey lilacs and winter white on silk dresses and sheer voluminous blouses.

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Look out for a limited edition collection of 10 maxi dresses, each in a special print, and the fab leopard print coat, based on an original Biba design, which is an autumn must-have.

n The new Biba collection will launch on September 9 in 35 House of Fraser stores, including Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall (which has its own Biba Boutique). There will be an autumn launch evening that night, 6-9pm, at all House of Fraser stores, across all departments, with live music, beauty demos, refreshments and models wearing the new trends. Check out www.mybiba.com

Related topics:Union Jack