now in paperback . . .
The Biba Experience

Born as a small boutique in 1964 just as London started to swing, its upward mobility followed a path diametrically opposed to that of the society around it. As the amphetamine rush of optimism wore off, and the country found itself heading inexorably towards the come-down of the three-day week, Biba – now filling all seven storeys of the old Derry & Toms store with own-brand produce – provided the escapism that Britain craved.

Drawing on Art Deco, Nouveau, Victoriana and the golden age of Hollywood, it was more than just fashion: it was a whole world, a lifestyle choice. At the height of the store’s glory, the committed shopper could buy not only a new wardrobe, fully co-ordinated from head to toe, but also a complete range of cosmetics and soft furnishings, together with the washing powder to care for her clothes, and food for both herself and her pets, all presented in the distinctive Biba packaging. Alternatively she could just hang out, either lounging in the shop-windows (Biba didn’t do window-displays), or sipping cocktails upstairs amongst the flamingos that lived in the Roof Garden, or in the Rainbow Room, where on a good night there might be a live performance by the likes of the New York Dolls, Liberace or the Manhattan Transfer.

It was not so much a department store as a theme park devoted to elegantly wasted decadence.

And then it crashed and burned. In 1975 the unacceptable face of capitalism (which was definitely not wearing Biba eye-shadow) turned its gaze on Biba, decided that it preferred the real estate to the fantasy, and closed the shop down. And so the dream ended. Unlike its contemporaries, the likes of Virgin and Habitat, Biba fulfilled the rock & roll promise to live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse, and is consequently remembered with a fondness almost unique in the world of retail.

This lavishly illustrated and beautifully produced book is intended for those interested in fashion and graphic design of the Sixties and Seventies, from a creative and historical standpoint, plus the huge number of people who remember Biba from the period with enormous affection.

'A must-buy for anyone seeking inspiration or a gentle reminder of a creative legend' - Vogue
'A beautifully crafted history of the look and style of a bygone era' - Radio 2
'A vivid pictorial chronicle of one of the most evocative names in British design history' - The Independent
'An essential reference for understanding the quirky and pioneering label' - The Times
'A sumptuous and carefully researched book' - The Scotsman
'Although well illustrated, this is essentially a book to be read' - Sunday Times
'Brings the whole experience vividly back to mind' - Daily Telegraph
'Turner's sharp and intelligent account is full of telling detail, and he evokes the atmosphere of the shop beautifully' - The Art Book

also available . . .
Welcome to Big Biba

Big Biba, the final flowering of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary Biba store in London, was a shop like no other, before or since. It was a fabulous fantasy palace that brought the indulgence of Hollywood to the world of retail. Big Biba lasted just two years before it fell victim to recession, but the legend of what the Sunday Times called ‘the most beautiful store in the world’ continues to enchant both its former habitués and those who came to it too late.

Welcome to Big Biba is the first book dedicated entirely to this dreamland, with over 150 colour photographs – most published here for the first time – of the store and of the products and graphics created for the various departments, from bathrooms to ball-gowns, from cosmetics to colouring-books.

Designed by Steve Thomas, who designed Big Biba itself, and with text by Alwyn W Turner, author of The Biba Experience.

'Welcome to Big Biba is an exceptional production, with an authoritative text - including a good deal of contemporary comment - a wealth of photographs, superbly "period" design and generous reproduction of primary source material.' - The Art Book

From glam through punk to new wave, this collection of over 200 rare rock posters from the 1970s celebrates a decade's music and design.

David Bowie's satin, tat and lipstick were the essence of glam, the spirit of punk was embodied in the rips in the Sex Pistols' Union Jack, while the Ramones posing in the New York streets shouted urbanism and decay. The posters speak directly to the viewer, communicating the style and content of the music. Many are now iconic images: the haunted, sunken-eyed Lou Reed on the front of Rock & Roll Animal, the lightning-struck face of David Bowie on Aladdin Sane, the power and anger in London Calling's smashed guitar, Adam Ant's white stripe and piercing eyes in Kings of the Wild Frontier, and Johnny Rotten's psychotic stare.

These dazzling artworks are presented here together for the first time, accompanied by an entertaining and insightful commentary by pop-culture aficionados Alwyn W Turner and Roger Crimlis. With the aid of personal interviews with stars, artists, photographers and fly-posting mafiosi, they reveal the unknown stories behind the posters featured and chart the music that inspired a generation.

This book is for anyone who has ever Blu-Tacked a poster to their bedroom wall.

'A winning rumination on a golden period of pop' - Mojo
'All the great images from the punk, new wave and glam era and a scholarly commentary on why all this mattered so much' - The Times
'The definitive review of the decade's music graphics' - State of the Art

The Times called Portmeirion ‘the last folly of the Western World’ while the Guardian saw it as ‘a giant gnomes’ village’. For eccentric architect Clough Williams-Ellis, the man who designed and built the resort, it was ‘propaganda for seemliness,’ a statement of how planned development could enhance rather than destroy its environment.

And for the quarter of a million visitors a year who make the trip to this Italianate village in North-West Wales, it’s quite simply one of the most magical places on Earth.

Published to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first opening of the resort, Portmeirion brings together for the first time all the elements that have made the name famous worldwide: from the pottery to The Prisoner, from the gardens to the genius of Clough himself.

'A splendid book with all the right people contributing' - Sir Roy Strong, Country Life
'fascinating ... erudite ... handsomely illustrated ... engaging ... an attractive, highly accessible book' - The Art Book

Susan Williams-Ellis was one of the most celebrated British designers of the second half of the 20th century, the co-founder of Portmeirion Potteries and the creator of that company’s hugely popular Botanic Garden range of tableware.

Running throughout Susan’s long life was a fascination with the world of the sea, and it is this interest in marine life that is celebrated in Magic Gardens. Susan had long wished to produce a book of her underwater art, a project that sadly remained unfulfilled at her death in November 2007.

The series of pictures of tropical fish that form the centrepiece of the book began in the mid-1970s, at the height of the success of Portmeirion Potteries, and continued through to the end of the century. Well into her eighties, she was still travelling the world, still snorkelling with drawing-pad in one hand, china pencil in the other, sketching the world beneath the waves.

Also included is a selection of rare works from the early years of Susan's career that reflect her longstanding interest in sea-life.

For 250 years military bands have occupied a unique role in the British Army, supporting the soldiers, serving in the ranks during wartime and acting as a point of contact with a wider society. At the peak of military music in the late-19th century, there were more than 150 bands in the Army, attracting audiences of tens of thousands to open-air concerts. A hundred years later, the figure was down to just 29 bands and falling.

A three-volume series by Gordon Turner (formerly Director of Music of the Royal Signals) and his son, Alwyn W Turner, traces the history of every band to have served in the British Army. A further volume tells the story of the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall, founded in 1857.

'This sumptuously illustrated chronicle of everything you ever wanted to know about British military bands . . . this exhaustively researched book' - The Times
'This book is fascinating . . . a must for anyone interested in military music and its history.' - Winds magazine