Biba at Non-Biba Prices

I'm all for rejuvination of labels and it seems to be all the rage at the moment  Vionnet is making a comeback with Sophia Kokosalaki at it's helm, Balmain is doing the same as is Pierre Cardin.  I have already posted about Biba planning a gradual return with it's shoes already garnering success.  But the price point is still niggling me.  Am I going mad or has the point of Biba been missed completely??  I was excited to see what Bella Freud, the designer in charge of reinventing the label had come up with and in the latest UK Vogue, some of the pieces are revealed but then the alarm bells went off as soon as I saw the prices in those red boxes (even Vogue are trying to subliminally tell me my finances would go into red as soon as I start buying Biba). 

I ragged on about the shoes being too expensive but I can sort of forgive that seeing as they are ridiculously beautiful and I'm more likely to pay more for shoes but my point is Biba was never about high fashion.  It was suppose to counter-attack the haughty-ness of Parisian fashion and allow young girls to experiment with fashion for not a lot of quid.  With prices ranging from £165 to about £900 for the clothes and bags, this just puts a whole new meaning into the word 'inflation.' 

Eelskin Bag £865 // Lame High-necked Minidress £400 // Chainmail Bag £540 // Silk Crepe blouse £247 // Silk Crepe Skirt £165

Sure, they can reason that high quality fabrics are being used to validate these prices but I would have preferred it if they revived the label in terms of it's clothing AND it's ethos.  In this day and age and with the technology avaialble, there aren't that many clothes made that are REALLY poor quality and fall apart that easily.  If Topshop and H&M can produce fairly sustainable clothes with good design then I don't see why Biba can't go down the same route and recreate those archive pieces using fabrics of today. 

Somehow though, in people's minds, Biba has become a mythic legend and has been put on a dreamy pedestal.  Vintage Biba have similar hiked up prices so I suppose they cashed in on this fact for the re-launch.  What people have forgotten is that you could buy Biba dresses at a pound a pop and even with inflation, the pricepoints of the 60's would be the equivalent of buying from high street stores.  Well thanks a lot Biba (or whatever corporate big-wigs are behind this)!  The kind of girls who bought Biba in the first place in the 60's are completely not able to afford Biba in 2006.

Comments

[Jay]

"The kind of girls who bought Biba in the first place in the 60's are completely not able to afford Biba in 2006."
Well, perhaps they are - I think Biba are aiming at an older market than they used to, say 30+ to young 50s, as those are (a) the people with money and (b) at the older end, the ones who might have nostalgia for the 1960s. For them, a £400 is reasonable enough. Of course, we teens and early 20-somethings (Biba's old market) are excluded, but I think the styles most young people wear are much more 80s influenced than 60s, and so perhaps Biba didn't reckon we'd go for it?

That said, I think Biba should have launched at a premium highstreet price point, something like Reiss or Karen Millen levels. Older women are shopping in Topshop and French Connection and so on, so it's not as if making the pricing more accessible would alienate them.

[SwanDiamondRose]

i think the whole story of Biba's demise and now it's sort of delusional revival are pretty sad. such an original wonderful brand that really fell apart. the legacy of its influence is really nice though.

[dimes]

unless these dresses are handmade by little british elves, i will not buy a single item. biba makes chanel seem like a bargain. whatever, biba is hardly known outside the u.k. so they can't get a way with that kind of pricing.

p.s. what is a 'high street'? or rather where is it ?

[susie_bubble]

Dimes: By high street, I mean lower priced brands like H&M, Topshop and in the USA, Forever21 and the like. In the UK, we refer to those kind of shops as 'high street' shops.

I was so disappointed to find out the prices as well. I own 2 dresses from the original collection - and I coulnd't wait for the revival, but when I saw the prices there was no way I would be shelling out that amount of money!

ps: I was looking through my sister's Tenn Vogue (August 2006), your blog is featured inside - CONGRATULATIONS!

^ or maybe it was the September issue - Mischa Barton was on the cover - but you probably already know that :)

[meg]

Completely agree. Part of the beauty of Biba was it's price and now vintage Biba goes for crazy large amounts. That wasn't what it was about. I would never pay that much either for essentially a ripoff of McQueen's novak. It looks terrible.

[newbibalover]

Suzie, Suzie!

Great blog, very creative and inspiring! Has Ms. Roitfeld called you yet?

You caused me to hyperventilate with those new Biba items. Where can I buy blouses/ dresses? Anywhere in Europe or US would be fine! Google isn´t getting me anywhere with this.

Thanks so much :)

Keep up the great work :)

[Cee]

Well, perhaps they are - I think Biba are aiming at an older market than they used to, say 30+ to young 50s, as those are (a) the people with money and (b) at the older end, the ones who might have nostalgia for the 1960s. For them, a £400 is reasonable enough......
....Clearly somone else is missing the point....that original Biba stopped selling something purely because it attracted older customers.They didn't want that association, they were a youth brand aimed at the young So if the new Biba is aiming for that type of customer they have completley missed the point and they make me sick. Even Barbara Hulanicki has disowned the latest revival due to the ridiculous price tags. I love Biba but wouldn't for a minute consider buying something that expensive mainly because i don't view it as an investment if it's designed by Bella Freud as she really has nothing to do (in my mind) with Biba. I've been studying Biba quite meticulously over the past few weeks and have gotten quite passiontate about it....as you may or not be able to tell.

[Deco Damsel]

On the topic of vintage Biba, I wonder if anyone can be of help. I found a 1970's era "Biba" sweater and coat at a rummage sale. The tags have the classic Biba font in magenta with a navy blue dot over the "i" (but no Celtic/Deco logo design) and read "Made in Canada" - the styles of the garments are absolutely in the spirit of the original Biba designs and they are well-constructed. Does anyone know anything about this Canadian Biba company? I suppose they are fakes, but I certainly am curious!

[portobelloprincess]

I worked in the BIBA shop in Kensington High Street, before they moved over the road to the last shop which was ( in my opinion ) too big.
It was an amazing experience working there - The decor, music, fashion - It was not just a shop - It was an experience and one that can never be recreated -
Its part of fashion history and part of London's history and should stay that way; The fashion industry can take a hike when it comes to BIBA - Barbara was right to get out when she did, though I don't agree that it was becuase she didnt want to sell to the over 20's - She ammassed huge debts because the new shop was simply too big and too diverse; also, others were jumping onto the bandwagon and the whole thing just ended because it was time for it to end...
I loved working there and your site is amazing - it was a real trip down memory lane, scrolling along and to see the picture of the girl at the counter - the last image before we get onto the grossness of the so-called 'New Biba' epitomised by the modern face of corporate greed.
Yes, Biba is gone but will never be forgotten. The clothes were amazing; I wore one of my BIBA dresses until it almost fell off! They were that fabulous! I used my staff discount and really enjoyed the whole thing - but, it cannot be recreated.
The modern take on BIBA is utter hogwash.
Fantasic site!

[ruhdaunny]

I ve tried it but it is very hot and fast - i woud better better preffer
Saboka http://www.acidjet.org/ice/

[blackdiamond]

I agree with your article, they completely missed the point with the prices. I however disagree with one statement regarding older people to have more money. Hmm really? Anyway great review, as Hulanicki would say design doesn't need to be expensive.