Biba
Biba, once a label for the young stick thin post war girls of the 60s, now reinvented as a ‘boutique-like’ label for the more mature woman; a 1960’s and 1970’s inspired label that oozes sophisticated retro glamour.
Biba has managed to create its own impression as a petite boutique amongst its neighbouring designers on the shop floor at House Of Fraser; a taste of lush glamour.
The walls coated in black embossed wallpaper with the Biba logo, creating a charming retro pattern. The glam of the 70’s is reflected in the style of the floor layout; clothing rails a shining gold in Art Deco curving structures, all positioned at various heights and dotted about the shop floor making it a delight to walk through. The Art Deco influence within the store relates to the old Biba which revolved around the Art Deco of the 1920’s, this can be seen in the Biba logo. Above the railings sit retro brown glass that holding stylish black mannequin heads with gold accessories and standing, in gold, in front of the back wall, the Biba name. Everything seemed so sparkly and demure.
This glamorous personality could have been enhanced if the staff had been devoted to wearing Biba clothing and if old Biba music had been played into the store area. Therefore unfortunately having been positioned in a department store, the brand lacks it’s personal style.
Although the brand is all about the 60’s and 70’s I could see it successfully reflected current trends such as faux fur coats, leather biker jackets and high wasted trousers. In general the look of the clothing was shimmery and sophisticated, with fluid retro prints, sheer fabrics and lots of sparkle.
Biba appeals to women who can afford the slightly more expensive things in life, for example: coats ranged between £85.00 - £895.00, dresses £79.00 - £295.00, tops were between £50.00 - £125.00 and trousers £89.00 - £249.00. Along with these prices I found garments made of 100% leather, 100% silk and 70% wool with 20% polyamide and 10% cashmere, and so explaining the expense.
As well as a clothing line the label also has a home and furniture, electrical and beauty product section. There is also the opportunity to be a Biba bride; the bridal gowns are priced up to £725.00 and have a very sophisticated 60’s/70’s appeal about them, with puff long sleeves and swoop necks.
The chic and glamorous essence of the Biba woman is conveyed through Daisy Lowe; their chosen muse representing the brand. She models multiple outfits in a series of photographs set at a lavish manor house, which scream sophistication. Other photographs include models with 60’s inspired loosely waving hair, posing glamorously with expressionless faces and a warm gold colouring to the photographs. The warmth in the photographs link well with the clothing as the main colours and tones were warm deep coppers, mauves and browns; also referring to James Wedge’s and Sarah Moon’s original Biba photography where similar deep tones were created; however their photography is a little more adventurous and mysterious through the grainy lens and dramatic dark backdrops and layout.
Joy
Joy is a cute vintage inspired clothing store that appeals to slightly younger ladies than the Biba woman. Although Joy reflects the 1960’s and 1970’s just as Biba, it has a more hip and current style overall; it follows trends with a cool and individual twist.
From outside of the shop I could see humorous and arty furniture cut outs in the display window, as well as a wintery dressed mannequin and a crowd of odd house hold objects rammed on a shelf - a vibrant and intriguing layout.
The ethos of Joy is Love, Life and Laughter and this hit me as I stepped into the store; the staff were creative with their appearances’ and were jolly to chat to. Also, the models modelling the clothing were all photographed in laughter and Joy.
A large selection of fun gifts cluttered the shop and were balanced nicely with the white brick walls. Hidden behind a column was a staircase leading into the basement with low vaulted ceilings and concaved doorways, I felt this suitably reflected the cute and quirky image of Joy. Here, in the basement, the clothes hung together, multiple garment styles partnered together on a rack, suggesting to the customer an outfit. Dotted about were dressed mannequins, mirrors and blackboards informing the customer of directions to the fitting-room.
I could hear an odd mixture of old Blues and Jazz mixed with Pop, such as Amy Winehouse and Adele. This quirky mixture of music flowed well amongst the unique take on vintage inspired clothing.
Joy has a quirky vibe throughout the clothing line and within the stores. I believe this has been achieved through the humour injected into their products and shop layouts, for example: crude birthday cards and mugs as well as cheeky games and diddy household objects clutter the shelves and tables. This creates a much more youthful front than that of Biba as it is a little more adventurous.
As well as womens’ clothing and oddball gifts, Joy also supplies men’s clothing too, something that Biba does not do. I believe this is because Joy wants to embrace the creativity in youth whether for boys or girls.
In general I found the coats and dresses to be cute A-line shapes, combined with Peter Pan collars, printed dots, paisleys and also bows - cutesy interpretations of the 1960’s - a less sophisticated ‘retro’ than Biba. One feature that was truly unique was the introduction of quirky plastic bits incorporated into some clothing.
Contrasting with Biba I also noticed that a less expensive fibre content was being used, for example, a coat was made of 100% nylon, dresses and tops were 100% polyester and a pair of trousers were 95% polyester and 5% spandex. However, fabric construction was reflected in the price: coats ranged from £59.00 - £99.00, dresses were £22.00 - £55.00, tops £20.00 - £40.00 and the trousers were between £32.00 - £45.00; you can see a massive difference in price between the two stores. Although, these lower prices are closely suited Joys younger target market.
Compared to Biba, Joy does not appear as glamorous, but it does have a more fun and care free aura. Not only could I see this through the fun gifts decoratively placed on cupboards, but also through the clothing such as a gnome printed on to a knitted jumper.
