"In the mid 1960s, thanks to a convergence of music, film, fashion and social change, the mod look blasted out of London, with the boutiques of Kings Road and Carnaby Street at the epicentre of the scene.
For the first time in history young people had other options than to dress like their parents. Up until then clothes for young women were known as Juniors or Misses – a watered down version of adult clothes.
The sixties changed all that when young people started making the clothes they wanted to wear, clothes that completely excluded their parents’ generation. The mod look was about looking forward to the future: sharp, bold, minimalist – mod-ernist".

 The Shift dress was born around the same time as BIBA, I had a little look into the shift dress because it was sold at BIBA.

http://www.op-art.co.uk/op-art-fashion/

Mary Quant was one of the designer's of the 60s influenced by what Hulanicki was doing. Quant was the inventor of the mini skirt. I look at some of Quants work while writing my BIBA essay because she was a influence on Hulanicki and vise versa.

"The mini skirt was an icon of the swinging sixties and many believe Mary Quant was the designer behind the hugely popular trend but although she played a huge part in bringing it to the masses- there were many more people behind the rise of this new hem line." Quote from: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/lifestyle-fashion/styletrends/mini-4641.html

While I was researching for my BIBA essay I came across a documentry with Barbara Hulanicki that was made by a Central Saint Martins student. The documentry was so fasinating, Hulanicki talks about how she came about BIBA, and what she is doing with herself now. I found out pieces of information from the documentry I would not have been able to find on the internet.
The documentry is on Youtube in two parts, these are the links to watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjgrxzfVM_w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7j6XZ1eaoU

Stephanie Chen a visual merchandiser for House of Fraser said the new BIBA would be "asporational but accessible", "Driven by attitude not by age" and " Although its not a retro collection, we drew the heritage of BIBA and its archives to ensure that we remained true to the brands ethos". This was said after the opening of the BIBA department in the House of Fraser.

American Vogue editor Anna Wintour said this about the Kensington Street BIBA store "It had a food hall, a furniture department, a book store, and home wear and men's wear departments, and soon became famous for its stylishly decadent atmosphere and lavish decor inspired by art Nouveau and art Deco".

BIBA

For my first essay for uni I am writing about the history of BIBA and how it has influenced fashion today! I visited the 'House of Fraser' in oxford street and the BIBA line they have there is amazing. The clothes are to die for and the merchendising and feel of the department is just out of this world! I think every one should be wearing BIBA again!

Obviously I couldn't take any picture's in the store, so I paid a visit to our good old friend google image. The picture's I found are not the same clothes that I saw when I looked at the BIBA department but the picture's have the same merchendising in them! ENJOY