Biba

Biba

In 1964, Barbara Hulanicki founded a ready to wear line that was affordable for working girls. She began with a simple idea, a relatively inexpensive design that was accessible to the public by mail order. Her first store was opened in Kensington, England. The first day they opened they sold every dress in the shop. The Biba-girl was born long skinny legs and babydoll dresses big eyes and want to revolt against the establishment. They began to venture into the lifestyle market creating a brand that featured clothes, wallpaper, paint, furniture, and textiles. The Biba-girl was born. The use of dark "Auntie colors" made the line cohesive and reflected the London city streets. 

The ultimate realization of  the company came when they opened Big Biba. They bought an old Art Deco department store and filled it with everything Biba. There was a rooftop garden which was home to exotic animals like pink flamingos. There was an entire floor called the Casbah which you can only imagine how beautiful that must have been. They had a Biba food hall where they even had there own brand of baked beans. The infamous Rainbow Room on the top floor of their store that served as a resturant/concert hall with pink marble floors and black china. They would throw huge dress up parties and bands like The New York Dolls to Liberace performed there. Biba was a place where regulars and rock stars could rub elbows. 

The thing I love most about Biba is her amazing ability to mix art nouveau, ancient Egypt, a little Sarah Bernhardt, and 60's mod culture. The mix is so over the top, so bad that it 's perfect.