Bill Gibb

Generally regarded by those in the know as one of the un-sung heroes of British fashion, 1970s designer Bill Gibb is finally set to get his dues with a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Fashion and Textile Museum .

Scottish born and bred, William Elphinstone Gibb hot footed it to London and Central Saint Martins at the age of 19 where he quickly found his niche designing bohemian, ethnic-inspired and uber-feminine frocks: the embodiment of the hippie movement. He teamed up with American artist (and then boyfriend) Kaffe Fasset in a knitwear collaboration that mirrored that of the Celia Birtwell – Ossie Clarke partnership; Kaffe produced beautiful, brightly coloured prints and patterns while Bill designed the garments that they would be made up into. They opened a boutique in Kensington opposite that other icon of 1960’s fashion, Biba, but sadly business was not Bill’s strong point and the store was forced to close.

After a couple of month’s spent road-tripping across America, Bill landed a job at Baccarat and his big break. A youthful Twiggy was making her debut acting appearance in the movie The Boyfriend, and she asked Bill to design the outfits for her premiere appearances. His costume-like, couture-finished creations brought him to the notice of the fashion fraternity.

In 1972 he showed his debut collection with a star studded front row that included Cecil Beaton, Beatrix Miller, David Bailey, Lord Snowdon and firm friend Twiggy. From there Bill’s popularity went from strength to strength; he was championed by Vogue and his mix of historical references and global influences, combined with a talent for teaming contrasting prints and fabrics, made his glamorous dresses a must-wear for celebrities (including Elizabeth Taylor and Bianca Jagger) and fashion fans alike (may we suggest a quick rummage in your mum’s wardrobe to see if she’s got any stashed away). Despite this the business collapsed in 1977 and, with the exception of one final show in 1985, that was the end of the Bill Gibb empire. Sadly he died in 1988 at the young age of 44 of cancer.

The exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum is an opportunity to see what all the fuss was about and take a look at a slice of British fashion history. It’s running until 16th January 2009, visit http://www.ftmlondon.org/ for more information.

By Emma Sells