BIBA founder Barbara Hulanicki has never made any secret of the fact that she thought resurrecting the label was the wrong decision; now it has officially gone into receivership for the second time, she has admitted that she isn't surprised.
"I think it's sad," said Hulanicki, who launched the cult label in 1964. "Biba originally was straight to the public - it stemmed from a shop. The people who [took on Biba] aren't retailers. It's a different way of designing."
Bella Freud headed up the design team for Biba's comeback on the catwalks at London Fashion Week in September 2006, but following her departure in the summer of 2007 - despite the appointment of an all-new, young British design team - things had been looking increasingly gloomy for the business.
Hulanicki's career, meanwhile, is on the up. In March she unveiled an exhibition of her illustrations at London's Coningsby Gallery and is gearing up to launch a fashion and accessories range in a link-up with an as-yet unnamed retailer, according to WWD.
Leisa Barnett
This one was an easy prediction. I love/lust/am addicted to Biba (the original) and I had looked to the re-launch of the label under Bella Freud with the greatest of anticipation and was sorely disappointed in the results. There was the occasional great piece - I did end up with one great black dress - although the one dress I did buy from the re-launched line was pretty much an original piece re-done so I am not sure if that helps the argument.
An original Biba Dress from Shrimpton Couture
Re-launching a label is a tough thing. A really tough thing actually, especially when the original is just so damn iconic. So no more new Biba. I guess we all have to go back to collecting the originals again. Though some of us may have never stopped.
1 comment:
This relaunched was fail to end.
The fabrics were horrible synthetics and much more to expensive
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