Bill Gibb

William Elphinstone Gibb (23 January 1943 – 3 January 1988) was a Scottish fashion designer who became renowned in the 1960s and 70s for his unusual and flattering designs.

Early life and education Gibb was born near New Pitsligo, a small village in Aberdeenshire in Scotland to George and Jessie (née Reid) Gibb, the eldest of their seven children. Gibb, known affectionately as "Billy", was brought up by his maternal grandparents on their farm, Lochpots, near Fraserburgh. In 1960, Gibb's family bought the dairy farm at Smiddyhill in Fraserburgh, before finally settling in Netherton, in New Pitsligo.

Gibb's parents retired from farmwork in 1976, and latterly ran a bed and breakfast in the village of New Pitsligo. They celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary on 27 December 2009, shortly before George Gibb's death in 2010.

He was educated at Fraserburgh Academy. His teachers encouraged him to apply for art school in London, and so, in 1962, Gibb went to Saint Martin's School of Art. the artist and textile designer Kaffe Fassett, who would remain a very close friend and design collaborator. In 1972 Gibb launched his own company, Bill Gibb Fashion Group, which ran until 1988, and in 1975 he opened his first shop in London, on Bond Street. Gibb's design was described as the epitome of the new emerging trend for romantic eclecticism in British fashion design, as well as demonstrating how traditional handicrafts, such as hand-knits, were becoming acceptable for mainstream fashion. Another gown made from various patterned textiles that Twiggy wore to the 1971 film première of The Boy Friend drew a great deal of media attention.

Gibb presented his first collection under his own name in 1972. Later, in the 1980s, Gibb collaborated with another Leicestershire manufacturer, Annette Carol, to produce acrylic knitwear using a jacquard technique. and his business was not financially successful, and collapsed in 1977, 1979 and 1980. however it did not attract buyers.

Personal life and death Gibb was described as "one of the most gentle, kindly and considerate human beings I have ever met" and a "man without malice" by the journalist Jack Webster. Twiggy described him as her "knight in shining armour", Webster, writing for the Glasgow Herald also strongly refuted these claims, pointing out that the hospital had confirmed it was bowel cancer.

Legacy In 2008, the designer Giles Deacon cited Bill Gibb's designs as a significant influence on his work. Alongside Deacon, John Galliano has also spoken out in praise of Bill Gibb's work for reflecting the "romantic essence of British style". Billy: Bill Gibb's Moment in Time at the Fashion and Textile Museum (November 2008 – January 2009) Permanent gallery at Fraserburgh Heritage Centre, Aberdeenshire.

Bill Gibb's work is represented in the permanent collection of many museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Manchester City Galleries, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, as well as those listed above.