Explore the history of Biba from the first simple shift dresses, to the glamorous Leopard print coats with Head of Exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum, Dennis Northdruft.
Barbara Hulanicki, alongside her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon, established Biba’s Postal Boutique in 1963 as a small mail-order company selling inexpensive women’s and children’s clothing. In the summer of 1964, a pink gingham dress was offered, of which 17,000 were sold, prompting Hulanicki to give up her successful career as a fashion illustrator and devote herself to Biba. For the next ten years Hulanicki was at the helm of Biba, creating the company in the image of its staff and its customers, and steering it through its many transformations: from tiny boutique to seven-storey department store. By 1975 the bubble had burst and Hulanicki’s journey with Biba came to an end. But Biba survives, as part of London’s and fashion’s histories. This exhibition is the story of Biba, a company that existed for just over a decade, but which, within those years, revolutionised retailing and democratised fashion.
Tickets £5
Please note this online talk has been pre-recorded and will be accessible via YouTube. The link to access recording will be emailed to you at 10:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 14 April 2026. The talk lasts for one hour. You will have access to the recording for 48 hours until 10:00 (GMT) on Thursday 16 April 2026 to allow you to enjoy the talk in your own time.
Every ticket sold supports the work of The Dovecot Foundation to advance visual art, craft and design in all its forms.
Please note that tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable and may not be exchanged.