Fashionista’s Favourite Biba is Back!

As London Fashion week fast approaches, the big department stores have some exciting releases for fashionistas up and down the country. We already experienced the exquisite Manolo Blahnik’s that launched in Liberty yesterday and now House of Fraser are releasing their Biba collection today, Thursday 9th September.

Biba started life as a mail order company created by husband and wife duo Barbara Hulanicki and Stephen Fritz-Simon. Biba opened its first store in 1964 in Kensington and a legion of fans and a celebrity following quickly formed thanks to Biba’s individual and fresh approach to fashion and the logo soon became synonymous with the coolest fashionistas.

But it was the hedonistic flagship store at Derry & Toms department store in 1974 that turned the brand into a giant Mecca for all things fashionable, from flamingos in the garden to Biba branded baked beans and dog food. It was the place to be and the place to be seen.

Unfortunately, just a year later, Barbara Hulanicki had to sell a majority share of Biba due to financial difficulties and after disagreements with the new board, Barbara left. Shortly afterwards, Biba closed its doors.

So when it was announced in 2009 that Biba would return to take centre catwalk once again, chic fashion divas up and down the country waited with bated breath to see what the new range would be like.

Well we don’t have to wait any longer. From today, the new range of Biba is available exclusively from House of Fraser in store and online. There are 10 Biba boutiques at stores in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin (Dundrum Shopping Centre), Glasgow, Edinburgh (Jenners), Manchester, Sheffield (Meadowhall Shopping Centre), London Oxford Street and London Westfield.

The Biba brand has been reworked to keep it true to its roots but right for a modern audience. Capturing the essence and ethos of original Biba, it has been recreated to be a glamorous, sensual, exciting brand for the 21st century woman. The new Biba is all about high octane glamour, a fashion lover’s dream with everything from denim to red-carpet gowns, daywear to couture inspired jewellery.

The first collection sees various reimagined archival prints in Tiger, Leopard, Butterfly, and a graphic inspired Lilly floral print. Signature colours of black and gold form the main colour palette, texturised in soft chiffons and draped jersey seen across the tops and dresses with soft antique embellishments. Colours of inks and teals combine to make a rich offering across the collection, whilst the palette of greys and dusted lilacs add a softened feel with sumptuous fabrics of satin and slinky jersey draped over structured silhouettes, with light embellishments highlighting key seasonal pieces.

The printed maxi dresses; a true signature of Biba, and ’60s inspired leopard prints are the must-have items of the season. Everyday wardrobe essentials include well cut jeans, distinctive modern suit tailoring with high-waisted, exaggerated wide leg trousers, and a range of day-to-evening transitional basics in the form of short dresses, blouses and distinctive jerseywear. And coats range from full-length animal print coats with internal print detail linings, to shorter jackets echoing military design with brushed gold metal hardware.

And fronting the campaign for the new Biba is edgy Brit model Daisy Lowe. “Daisy embodies new Biba,” says Executive Director of Womenswear & Accessories for House of Fraser, Stephanie Chen. “She is confident, fashionable and glamorous with a very distinctive look that we feel perfectly complements new Biba.

And Daisy too is thrilled to be involved saying “It was a huge honour to be asked, I’ve been a fan of the brand since I was very young. When I started my modelling career, and when I first started to understand clothes, Biba was one of the first names that cropped up. I’ve always really loved Biba so when I was asked to be part of the campaign I was just ecstatic.”

Log on to the My Biba site see the range or head to your nearest House of Fraser to get the look!