Explaining Biba: The rise and fall of the greatest 60s & 70s department store

[@drtdmartin]

I loved Biba in London. Big Biba was amazing. I was fortunate to be a fashion student visiting London between 1972-75 and Biba was my first destination - straight off the train - then taking the Tube from St Pancra station. How lucky was I!!

[@maddieroxx4eva]

I love Biba's whole aesthetic! I just ordered Barbara's autobiography, I love reading/learning about women in business, especially the fashion industry.

[@GabrielaHodolean]

How I wish that BIBA would still be today!❤

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

Shein and Alibaba would be the modern equivalent of Biba. That era is gone forever. You can still buy clothes from Barbara she is still designing clothes.

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

Barbara Hulanicki is still designing clothes today. She lives in Miami and the clothes are very different from her 70s stuff.

[@christopherkeil]

Thank you, Emma. This was fascinating - I knew nothing about Biba before this but is an era I'm especially interested in (about 1964 to 66). It sounds like a magical place back then - a smaller hipper Harrods. Such a shame the vision was crushed by the money people. BTW - Love the headband.

[@maureenrhysjones4643]

Suggest you ask someone who actually lived in these times! There are plenty of us around!!! This is like Chinese Whispers! SO diluted!!! Trust me!!!

[@MoreMoreMoreMia]

Thank you so so much! This is the best Biba documentary I’ve found- brilliant like all your videos!,❤❤❤❤❤ Yes, please, a Biba makeup tutorial!!! Some people say that Biba was the start of fast fashion, but that is so untrue-Barbara was a visionary and her style defined the cutting edge 1964-1975.

[@andreapardo8441]

“She's a 20th-century fox” ❤️ Absolutely yes to the in-depth tutorials! This look was definitely far off from what you usually do, but the dark lip suits you so well! And that yellow-green eyeshadow is dreamy!

[@lyndas2767]

Art Nouveau vibes! Gorgeous!

[@Lojay_5]

Love seeing all this fashion from when I was very young. Keep it up!😂

[@jamesnock5572]

I want to escape in to biba's unique atmosphere.🙋‍♂️

[@meissoun]

I saw the BIBA exhibition at the Fashion & Textile museum in London 2 months ago. It's nice to see some additional video material.

[@kirstynhume7666]

Aw am so jealous! I wanted to go but the flight to London (I'm from Scotland) plus accommodation was too expensive for me at the moment. So glad Emma made a video about it 😄

[@kirstynhume7666]

Loved this video! ❤

[@isa-sh5xk]

I used to skip school to go hang out there It was fabulous, nothing has ever compared 😢

[@fireflythinking1290]

Such great storytelling 💐. I had no idea Biba shops were so pretty!! I don't like stores or malls generally, but I definitely would have loved seeing this gigantic Biba store.

[@sagewowomg]

Loved this video 🫶🫶🫶 wondering through the huge Biba department store must have felt magical ✨✨✨

[@Pandabaire3540]

This look and style was all over a TV show called "Rhoda" back in the early 70's.

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

I wish youd do a video about Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell. They were important tastemakers of this era.

[@them3lster]

Thank you for this. Might try to catch the exhibition. Love the strong branding, typography, moody black and gold interior and attention to shopper experience. The Biba style is a wonderful style to adopt for a glamorous evening look. ❤

[@JadeSummers-c3v]

This was really interesting, thank you for creating this ♥️ The huge store must have had a huge impact on the creation of Oxford Roads Topshop in London. They still sell BIBA close in House of Fraser in the UK. 💕

[@markiahnadiaries5051]

THANK👏🏻 YOU 👏🏻

[@13taytayfan]

Thank you for such a in-depth video! I love your videos and this is no exception! ❤❤❤

[@bastelkiste2242]

Very good Rresearch and interesting report😊

[@wlammy4ever]

Ugh so tragic!!!

[@pamelamoscato7247]

Great review..❤❤❤

[@generosobruno]

❤

[@megnorman4260]

Hello doll

[@geraldinemilo2804]

Guys I wanted to let you guys know that it is the last days. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 states "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" If you're not in the word, you need to get into it. If you are, read more. The enemy is getting trickier and we need to strengthen our armor. God bless you all.

[@haxio17]

lol. You whole generation is copying Our Babyhoods, Our Childhoods, Our Teens, Our Adulthoods Dont you have any OWN stories to tell ?

[@sagewowomg]

Hilarious comment considering the whole Biba aesthetic was based around styling choices that were popular in the 20s and 30s. Girls in the 70s were dressing in thrifted pieces from the 20s and 30s which would’ve been 30-40 years old by that point. Some self reflection might be in order.

[@maureenrhysjones4643]

@@sagewowomg Excuse me! I'm a BIBA gal and wouldn't have anything second hand on my back!! Only poor people shopped in those shops in those days. We who were earning could afford to buy the real thing. Trashy report!

[@itsalwayshalloweenexceptwh5118]

​@maureenrhysjones4643 the point sage was making is that Biba "copied" past styles and they weren't the only ones doing it. It doesn't matter whether you bought actual vintage items or newly produced items, the point still stands. Therefore there is nothing wrong with today's youth trying to emulate past styles, it's the same thing. There is rarely anything original and new in fashion, the large majority takes inspiration from earlier decades.

[@haxio17]

@@itsalwayshalloweenexceptwh5118 Uh E V E R Y T H I N G O U R C U L T U R E S I S B E I N G C O P I E D E V E R Y T H I N G And W E and O U R S T O R I E S E R A S E D / H I J A C K E D ! F V C K O F F !

[@isabelleskiss]

What an intolerant, judgmental comment under a video with such a friendly young woman who loves the 70s...I thought people from the 70s wouldn't have been such a hindrance to fun.