Chair, peacock chair

Biba was founded by the Polish-born fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki. In contrast to Mary Quant's Bazaar, which appealed to the upper class 'Chelsea Set', Biba's more affordable products were pitched at a broader consumer audience. In partnership with her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon ('Fitz'), Hulanicki opened the first Biba shop on Abingdon Road, Kensington in 1964. Biba like Bazaar, appealed to the youth fashion market and quickly became associated with 'Swinging London'. The shop moved to larger premises on Church Street in 1966 and then onto Kensington High Street in 1969. The new shop expanded the Biba range beyond women's clothes to encompass furnishings and other products. Up to 100, 000 shoppers visited each week, 30, 000 or so on Saturdays. New products included the distinctive Biba cosmetics range.

The final incarnation known as 'Big Biba' opened in 1973 at 107-111 Kensington High Street, formerly the Derry and Toms department store. 'Big Biba' featured a food hall, a restaurant and a roof garden. Furniture was located on the fourth floor. Big Biba closed in September 1975 after Hulanicki and Fitz fell out with Biba's parent company Dorothy Perkins. This 'Peacock' chair was purchased by an art student from 'Big Biba' around the time the store closed down in 1975. She recalled there being a large number of these chairs around the cluttered shop. She also remembered the vivid colors of mustard and green, and exotic clothes like feather boas. At the time she was studying at Camden Art Centre and working as a hairdresser part-time.