Tickets are now on sale for the hotly anticipated The Biba Story: 1964-1975 exhibition
To celebrate the exhibition, Dovecot Studios has launched a Bring Oot Your Biba campaign, a Scottish call-out to share stories of 1960s and 1970s fashion from real people who wore Biba. Under its legendary founder Barbara Hulanicki, Biba was a phenomenon that has never been replicated. Lasting just over 10 years, it remains influential to this day and interest in this cult fashion and lifestyle label has never waned. Never before had a company brought affordable fashion to the youth market, whilst simultaneously instigating innovations in retailing which are still with us to this day.
About the exhibition
The Biba Story exhibition focuses on the years 1964 to 1975, from the first Biba boutique to its expansion into the legendary London Big Biba department store. This is the only exhibition that looks at the history of Biba, says Heather Carroll, Dovecot’s exhibitions manager: “Dovecot is excited to have the opportunity to display these fantastic archival pieces of clothing and original photographs.”
Which garments can I see up close?
From the first simple shift dresses, to the glamorous devoré wraps, sequinned bodices, leopard print coats, trouser suits, floppy hats and feather boas that came to epitomise the culture-shifting look. The exhibition will chart the iconic brand’s meteoric rise to fame from a mail order catalogue in 1963, to a seven-storey department store on Kensington High Street and the world’s first lifestyle label, to its demise in 1975.
Get involved with the ‘Bring Oot Your Biba’ campaign
The Bring Oot Your Biba campaign, Dovecot hopes, will encourage local people to share photos and stories of their Biba experiences and garments to create an online archive and celebrate the legacy of this iconic brand. “We want to hear from people who came of age with this brand, visited the store, sported the style at work and who might even have bought the Biba baked beans,” says Heather with a smile. Details of how you can take part can be found on the Dovecot Studios website.
Visit Dovecot Studios now to step into the world of Biba and discover how it blossomed from a mail-order company to become the world’s first lifestyle label.
Dovecot Studios
10 Infirmary Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LT
From 6th February to 27th June 2026, 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday
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