Barbara Hulanicki attended Brighton College of Art in the 1950s, starting her career in fashion as a fashion illustrator. She covered all of the important fashion collections in Europe for the major publications of the day, including Women’s Wear Daily, British Vogue, the Times, the Observerand the Sunday Times.

Hand drawn line design of woman with beehive and beauty spot by Barbara Hulanicki

Fashion illustration, Barbara Hulanicki

Exasperated by the disastrous street fashion in England, her husband Fitz encouraged her to design her own clothing. Biba was born and eventually expanded into a five story art deco building, flanked by rock stars and the celebrities of the day. After Biba, she continued to work in fashion, designing for Fiorucci and Cacharel as well as her own brand in Brazil.

In the nineties she arrived in Miami Beach where she designed interiors for Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and Chris Blackwell’s Boutique Hotel Group. She is credited with the resurrection of Miami Beach’s crumbling Art Deco district.

Today she has delved back into the fashion world, designing for Coccinelle, Habitat, Graham and Brown and a clothing range for a top British Retailer.