Biba's Barbara Hulanicki: 'When you’re designing, you have to blank yourself out'

The designer and founder on starting out in London in 1964 and being inspired by Marlene Dietrich and Audrey HepburnThis picture was taken for the press around the time we lost Biba [the shop, on Kensington High Street in London, closed in 1975]. I’m wearing a pair of black satin pyjamas with off-white piping – I’d been inspired by Marlene Dietrich, who was pictured wearing something similar. We did pyjamas in our first Biba catalogue, too – it’s a look that’s been going for ever. In Miami, where I now live, all the department stores are still full of it.This look was very Biba: satin was our big thing. People would often wear our negligees and nighties out in the evenings. It’s the sort of thing I would have worn to a party or dinner, but not to work – it’s too floppy. I’m also wearing a collection of vintage jewellery. In those days, the vintage stuff, oh my God. It was amazing. Now it’s so expensive and all the good stuff is gone. Continue reading…
Via: Biba's Barbara Hulanicki: 'When you’re designing, you have to blank yourself out'