Welcome to Big Biba: Inside the Most Beautiful Store in the World [Hardcover]

Steven Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2006

Big Biba , the final flowering of Barbara Hulanicki's legendary Biba store in London, was a shop like no other, before or since. It was a fabulous fantasy palace that brought the indulgence of Hollywood to the world of retail. Big Biba lasted just two years before it fell victim to recession, but the myth of the most beautiful store in the world continues to enchant both its former habitu,s and those who came to it too late. Founded as a corner-shop selling just one dress, Biba had grown in less than a decade to become a seven-storey department store filled with own-brand products throughout. Here the committed Bibaphile could buy not only a new wardrobe, fully co-ordinated from head to toe, but also a complete range of cosmetics and soft furnishings, together with the washing powder to care for her clothes, and food for both herself and her pets, all presented in the distinctive Biba packaging. Alternatively she could just hang out, either lounging in the shop-windows (Biba didn't do window-disp

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Compiled and designed by Steven Thomas, who – as half of the Whitmore-Thomas partnership – was responsible for transforming Derry & Toms into Big Biba. His other clients have ranged from Paul McCartney to the Rolling Stones, and from Harrods to Levi’s. Written by Alwyn W Turner, author of Biba:The Biba Experience, Cult Rock Posters and Portmeirion.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Antique Collectors Club Dist (September 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185149524X
• ISBN-13: 978-1851495245
• Product Dimensions: 13.5 x 9.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stardusted memories, July 4, 2007

By 

Michelle B. Braverman (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Welcome to Big Biba: Inside the Most Beautiful Store in the World (Hardcover)

For those who were there, it brings back memories. For those who were not, "Big Biba" shows what you missed. For everyone, a look through this over-sized picture book will fill you with awe-- how could this have been???? But it was... Although, as a transatlantic visitor, I had mixed opinions about Big Biba (see reviews of "The Biba Experience"), it was still a wonder to behold. Time has done nothing to dilute that wonderment. In fact some of the most successful retail concepts (Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters for example) lightly but lovingly tiptoe down the Biba path. "Big Biba" is a classy 96 pages of heavyweight stock including a repro of the 16-page Opening Day Newspaper and a garment hangtag for use as a bookmark. Barbara Hulanicki herself writes the forward and doesn't dwell too much on the crash-and-burn aspect of the Biba phenomenom. As she shouldn't. Biba was obviously a product of its times, and now we have this lovely book for all time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcone to Big Biba: Inside the Most Beautiful Store in the World, January 13, 2008

By 

Louise Sheski "avid reader" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Welcome to Big Biba: Inside the Most Beautiful Store in the World (Hardcover)

What else can I say but buy this book to travel back to a time when fashion was fun! A great read and a treasure to own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Memories of Big Biba, May 9, 2008

By 

Lindee C. Levicke - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Big Biba: Inside the Most Beautiful Store in the World (Hardcover)

This book brought back the wonderful world of Big Biba. I was 19 and in London for the first time when my friend and I walked into Big Biba. What an amazing site--I felt like Alice in Wonderland just stepping into a fantastic new world. We had never seen anything so splendid, creative, beautiful. We didn't have much money to spend but I bought eye shadow, lipgloss, and grapefruit face toner. I kept the bottle for years as a keepsake. I wish the book had even more photos but the ones that are in it are wonderful. What a great way to relive these memories! I recommend this book for anyone interested in fashion, design, the 1970's, or if you were ever lucky enough to have visited Big Biba.