Beloved by celebrities such as Twiggy, Mick Jagger and Cher, Biba made style accessible to young people in the 60s and 70s. “Biba made fashion democratic – their clothes were inexpensive, of good quality and highly cherished,” says Martin Pel, curator of a new exhibition about the store founded by Barbara Hulanicki in 1963. These previously unseen illustrations, found in Hulanicki’s private archives, were made using pencil, pen and ink and gouache, and demonstrate why her designs are still regarded as the gold standard of fashion. “Barbara’s design philosophy followed on from her erstwhile career as a fashion illustrator,” says Pel, “where bold silhouettes and an avoidance of fussy detail made for a stronger look.”
