Which designer founded the London boutique Biba in 1964?

Barbara Hulanicki founded the London boutique Biba in 1964.

Hulanicki established Biba with her husband, Stephen Fitz-Simon, after earlier success selling affordable fashion through mail order. The first Biba shop opened in Kensington, and the business became known for dramatic interiors, Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences, and fashionable clothing sold at prices accessible to younger shoppers.

Biba’s atmosphere was as important as its garments. Its dark, theatrical aesthetic contrasted with the bright boutique style often associated with 1960s London, and the store became a destination for musicians, actors, and young consumers. The company eventually moved into the large former Derry & Toms department-store building in Kensington.

Mary Quant is another major figure in 1960s British fashion, but she founded Bazaar, not Biba. Hulanicki’s contribution was the creation of one of the era’s most influential lifestyle boutiques.