HULANICKI, Barbara. Biba.

(London): Biba, no date (1968-1973). First editions. Narrow folio and broadside newspaper. A complete set of the six Biba mail order catalogues and the Biba newspaper that was handed out at the opening of ‘Big Biba’ a seven floor ‘hippy Harrods’ department store. Biba changed the face of fashion, starting out in 1963 as a boutique mail-order service through several changes of premises (due entirely to the label’s success) to its arrival at 99 – 117 Kensington High Street in 1973, at the time the coolest, grooviest, sexiest clothes shop the world had. The first of the catalogues was issued in 1968 with ‘fat’ Biba lettering that was designed by John McConnell. The six catalogues with fold-out pages, featured the Biba clothing photographed by the likes of Helmut Newton, Sarah Moon and others.  The models included Elizabeth Bjorn Neilson, Quinilla, Madeleine Smith, Vicki Wise, Stephanie Farrow, and Ingemari Johanson each of whom exemplified the Biba look ‘of fresh little foals with long legs, bright faces and round dolly eyes’. All items in very good condition. A remarkable record of this pioneering fashion label that became known as a “theatre for fashion.”