I bought a book yesterday about the BIBA store in London in the early 70's , and it brought back so many memories...I had this poster on my wall for 10 years, as I was doing my A levels and all through my 5 years at art school..it was a reverie for me..a hope for escape..a longing to be me in the glamourous world of the 30's ...and I've always loved that era of music , dance and elegance.My childhood was very repressed and full of violence, but in my room I could imagine myself in another world ....I find it so amazing to be reconnected to that world , so powerfully though an image, that I 'd almost forgotten.
I remember my wonderful art teacher from school taking us on a trip from manchester to london to the national gallery , and I begged her to go and see the biba store we'd all read about in 19 magazine ..and she of course took us ....that's where I bought the poster.....it was a totally magical place..out of this world ..and reading the book brought it alive.
I am going to try and re buy this poster on ebay with a little help from my kids who are wizzy wig on it , to bring back such a postive anchor , and to give to yolanda my shoe designer daughter....as a part of her history.
So wonderful , as we look back to see the positive influences ,even if a bit frivolous!......
6 comments:
Dear Fuchsy,
You are so right to highlight those seemingly inconsequential things which can change our lives with an influence out of all proportion for us. I often think that it is a case of right place right time.
In my case, it was a film. Myself and my friends had been long haired hips at the time, probably around 1970, scuffing around in jeans, desert boots and afghan coats. Then my friend Sarts and I went to see a film at the Hendon Odeon called Borsalino. It was a little known French film starring the gorgeous Alain Delon and Jean Paul Belmondo. ostensibly a film about 30's Marseille gangsters it was really an excuse to show off incredible haircuts and the sharpest suits shirts and dresses that 70's French designers could offer. We came out of the cinema instant converts to sharp dressing.
In the next few days we hit the West End and I returned with a pure white suit and a tweed suit from Simpsons of Piccadilly together with the finest shirts and ties that money could buy. The hair was soon cut and the slovenly hippies were gone!
We hadn't planned to see that film but there was nothing else on that night that took our fancy. But it was right place, right time and it changed our lives.
Do any of you have similar life changing fashion incidents? Do share.
Love Bruv
fantastic bruv, just loved that film myself....do you have a photo of yourself back there then ?..
sadly i have vitually no images of myself in the seventies...must ask my family if they do !....
Fashion may be trivial very often , but for the young it is such an important way of self expression...!and i still love dressing up now !
love fuchsy
Hi Fuchsy,
I have always been a 'fashion victim' too and I often used to go to Biba. I loved their red lipsticks and their vampy outfits.
Fashion and clothing has always been a big part of my style and I so enjoy picking out outfits that bring out the best in me, especially if they are a bargain!
Love Nam
xx
Fuchsy I do have a pic somewhere of Bruv in his white suit it is up in our loft - the next time Manny gets up there I will try and dig it out. Bruv did look great in that and so handsome.
I was dumb-founded when I looked at the Dao tonight. I was in Paris for the weekend for a family party and I decided to dress up and put on eye make-up which I used to love doing but haven't done so for a while. So I did and I had so many positive reactions from everyone about it, but the one I want to share with you is from Alex, Manny's sister who works for Dior and who for Christmas gave me a bag chock full of Dior products including the eye liner and the eye make-up I wore last night.
She came up to me and complimented my eye make up. She said I wore it like Twiggy when she used to advertise for Biba and she used to really love this style - well this got me on a trip down memory lane thinking of the time Tammy a friend of mine went to Biba when we were around 11 or 12, I really wanted to go but wasn't allowed 'up-town' at that age on my own and was really upset about it. Tammy went with her next door (Swedish) neighbour whose name escapes me, but whose brother I had one of those enormous crushes on. He was gorgeous and she seemed very exotic - like the blonde lady in Abba.
They spent a Saturday afternoon in Kensington High Street in Biba and other stores and I remember the Swedish girl bought some very furry moon boots which I loved at the time and was dead jealous and Tammy bought me back a postcard with the gold Biba logo on a black background.
I did go to Biba when I was older but it wasn't the same then.
So as you can imagine when I opened up the Dao and saw this post I was a little taken aback.
This poster is beautiful. Such sad beautiful eyes.
I can imagine that it was an inspiration to you in the fashion world at that time.
With love Swanx
that is what I love so much about the Doa , we all get connected up , remembering, and it is so strange how things tie up !
Bet you looked FAB swann...hope manny has a photo!
I need to learn how to put on make up ..yolanda is the expert ...!
happy memories..lets keep up the style !
love fuchsy xx
Dear Ciariad,
I was at that Stones concert too!! But I would have been too shy to chat you up then! What a pity.
I never bought a dress in Carnaby Street, though I did own a bright purple shot-silk kaftan which I am sure Swan will remember. I felt like a gorgeous peacock whenever I wore that with my regency jacket that looked like something out of Blackadder 3!
You must have looked a million dollars in those white cut out boots with the Mary Quant tights Ciariad. Call me old fashioned but I miss those times when girls dressed in feminine clothes that were so elegant and sexy rather than the shapeless black outfits that pass for fashion these days. Ho hum....
Love Bruv
xxx
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