Biba Labels: History and How to Date Them
Appraise a photo of yours, free.
Biba was Barbara Hulanicki's London label and store, open from 1964 until it closed in September 1975. Its labels changed almost year by year from 1968, so Biba is one of the easiest 1960s and 1970s names to date, as long as you can rule out later relaunches and fake labels.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG), in an entry by a Biba collector, records that Biba began in late 1963 as a mail-order business and took the name Biba in May 1964, when a pink gingham dress featured in the Daily Mirror drew thousands of orders. The first boutique opened in Abingdon Road, London, in September 1964, moved to Kensington Church Street in March 1966, and to Kensington High Street in September 1969. Mail-order catalogues ran from April 1968 to 1969. A Biba department opened at Bergdorf Goodman in New York in February 1971, and in September 1973 Biba moved into the Derry & Toms building, where it stayed until closing in September 1975. The rights to the name were sold in July 1977 and several times after; collectors do not treat later relaunches without Hulanicki as true Biba.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Only a tiny white size label, size printed in red | Before 1968 | Early Biba carried no brand label |
| Woven label with John McConnell's Celtic logo and "fat" Biba lettering | 1968 to early 1971 | The first Biba garment label |
| Slimmed-down Biba lettering | From 1970 | Introduced with the cosmetics range, then used on clothes |
| Printed labels, gold on black, later black on gold | From 1971 | All labels printed |
| Different logos for each department | 1973 to 1975 | The Derry & Toms store |
| Modern Biba label | After 1977 | Relaunch, not collector Biba; some look very like vintage labels |
What it helps date
- Biba is a key London name for the late 1960s and early 1970s; our 1970s hub notes it closed in 1975.
- Watch for modern and fake labels that copy the originals: designer label fakes, reproduction vs antique.
Values
The 1970s hub records 3 Biba lots at Augusta Auctions from $218 to $468. Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for biba vintage dress on eBay
Sources
Not sure what you have? Appraise a photo
Free vintage label dating cheat sheet, by email:
Related
- How to Spot Fake Designer Labels on Vintage ClothingTell a genuine vintage designer piece from a counterfeit, licensed product or adaptation by checking the label, construction, fabric and history.
- Reproduction vs Antique Clothing: How to TellUse fibres, fasteners, seam finishes, labels and silhouette to tell a real Victorian or Edwardian garment from a costume, revival dress or reproduction.
- ACWA Union Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate men's suits, coats and shirts by the ACWA union label: the first label of 1916, the 1949 design with and without the registered mark, and ACTWU.
- Adrian Labels: History and How to Date ThemAdrian Original and Adrian Custom labels explained: Gilbert Adrian's move from MGM costume design to his own Beverly Hills house, and suit values.