Fashionpedia

Barbara Bui

"In fashion, a designer must be open-minded, not withdraw into oneself."

Born and raised in Paris, France to a French mother and Vietnamese father renowned designer Barbara Bui entered the world of fashion in 1983 with the opening of her boutique ‘Kabuki’. After five years, in 1987 she officially introduced the brand, ‘Barbara Bui’ by presenting a full runway collection. Buyers, international press, and the modern woman were immediately smitten with Bui’s combination of a rock ‘n’ roll attitude mixed with timeless elegance. The next year, in 1988 she opened a ‘Barbara Bui’ boutique and café on the Rue Etienne Marcel in Paris. She also launched ‘Initials Barbara Bui’; a line filled with androgynous yet feminine trousers that garnered Bui a vast and loyal clientele. In 1999 Bui made her US debut at New York fashion week, overlapping with opening of her first stateside boutique.

In 2000 Barbara Bui expanded her brand and successfully unveiled a collection of luxury shoes and handbags. Also, with the help of high profile fashion photographers like David Bailey, Bui began creating advertising campaigns to capture the Barbara Bui brand image. A few years later, in 2003 Bui made a celebrated return to the runway during Paris Fashion Week, along with launching her new low priced line, ‘Bui by Barbara Bui’. For the next few years she continued expansions, first with the introduction of her perfume, ‘Barbara Bui Le Parfum’ in 2004. In the spring of 2008 she opened a shoe-in-shop at the Paris department store, Printemps. And in November of 2009 she presented her first jewelry line, complete with silver multi-strand necklaces and chunky bracelets.

Life Facts:
Barbara Bui currently operates 15 boutiques in the cities of Paris, New York, Milan, Monaco, Moscow, Ekaterinburg and Seoul. Bui’s advertising campaign first appeared in the September issues of W, Wallpaper, Jalouse USA, LeFigaro and the French Vogue. In 2003 Bui was unanimously elected a member of the “Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Françoise et des Createurs de Mode”; a French fashion industry governing organization.