House of Fraser has hit back at claims by Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki that its relaunched Biba range is overpriced. The department store group said it is the customer’s opinion that matters.
House of Fraser executive chairman Don McCarthy said: “The customers don’t find it expensive, and they’re the ones that matter. As far as I am concerned Barbara must do what is right for Barbara and we will do what is right for Biba.”
The House of Fraser range was set to top £1m in sales this week and has become the retailer’s biggest selling womenswear brand.
Hulanicki launched a stinging attack on House of Fraser’s interpretation of the Biba label this week, claiming it did not reflect the original Biba style, and revealed plans to launch a low-priced fast-fashion collection with George at Asda.
The George collection will launch in November with about 12 designs priced between £11 and £18. House of Fraser’s Biba collection, which is dominated by printed maxi dresses, has prices ranging from £75 to £350.
The first Hulanicki collection for George was photographed on Tuesday, with styling by Caroline Bake, the one-time fashion editor of Nova magazine and one of the most famed stylist of the 1960s and 1970s.
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