Last year, House of Fraser acquired the iconic brand Biba and this week it is re-launched online and at selected House of Fraser stores with 10 shops having dedicated Biba Boutique areas.
The collections of clothing, accessories and jewellery take inspiration from some Biba archive designs and fabric prints, but with some updating. As well as fans of the original label, they are aiming for a newer younger audience too, reflected in the choice of Daisy Lowe as the “face of Biba”.
The Union Jack Aurora Cube Coffee Table manages to use the flag motif in way that isn’t tacky like many products using the design.
The table is handmade from black glass, with circles cut away in the sides to give it a retro look. The table top is decorated with a Union Jack, but rather than in the usual bright red and blue, it is in muted shades of grey, which give it a touch more class.
The table costs £280 plus delivery which starts at £38 as it obviously can’t just be put in the post. Buy it online from Graham and Green.
Still on a foodie theme, but this time the inspiration is the most sophisticated 70s starter, the prawn cocktail As part of a series of illustrations on a fish theme,
Gillian Blease has produced Prawn Cocktail coasters, mats and trays. The pink prawns are pictured falling into a cocktail glass and it may just be my imagination but they look rather anxious!
An individual coaster costs £4.95 and large trays costs £24.95, with the prices for the table mats and smaller tray being between the two. If you want to buy six of any product, you can mix and match with other designs from the fish range. Buy them online from Jenny Duff.
All of Martin Wiscombe’s designs have a nostalgic theme to them, but I was particularly taken with the Great British Biscuits Cushion.
The cushion features illustrations of an assortment of biscuits just like you would get in biscuit tins that were brought out by aging relatives on special occasions. There is a jammy dodger, a custard cream, a bourbon, a party ring and, of course, that pink wafer that you either love or hate.
The cushion measures 45cm square, is made from faux cushion and is available to buy from Rustic Angels, priced £34.95.
The Double Decker Routemaster Print from I Love Design celebrated the most iconic of all buses.
Rather than being drawn in the traditional red, the buses are all decorated in a choice of traditional British patterns. Yes, that does mean the Union Jack, but also two patterns that celebrate London with illustrations of phone boxes and landmarks and one decorated with a “bus and soldier” pattern. The history of the Routemaster is written at the bottom of the print.
The posters are sold unframed and cost £20 for the A3 size or £30 for the A2 size. Buy online from I Love Design’s shop on Not on the High Street.
Pedlars have their autumn stock in now, which includes a supply of Transparent 746 Telephones.
They have the traditional 746 shape, but with a transparent casing so you can see what makes the phone work. They were originally used in telephone exchanges and there are now less than 100 in existence. They been reconditioned both inside and out and are fully compatible with modern BT systems or adapted at no extra cost for Telewest users.
The transparent 746 telephone costs £145 from Pedlars.
