| Anya Hindmarch | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 (age 43–44) Maldon, Essex, England |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Awards | Brand of the Year, British Fashion Awards[1] |
| Labels | Anya Hindmarch |
Anya Susannah Hindmarch MBE (born 1968[2][3]) is an English fashion accessories designer.
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Born in Maldon, Essex, to a self-made man, Hindmarch was educated at Elm Green Preparatory School, a preparatory School in Little Baddow.[4][5] At 16 Hindmarch was given an old Gucci handbag by her mother. At that point she was planning to attend university, but the bag made her feel so good that instead of going to university at 18 she went to Florence to study Italian.[6]
Noticing that a drawstring leather duffel bag was all the rage among fashionable women, Hindmarch borrowed $1,000 to import some bags to England. After sending it to fashion magazine Harpers and Queen from an introduction made by a friend, as a result of their article she sold 500.[1][6]
After learning to produce her own bags in Hackney, inspired by Margaret Thatcher Hindmarch opened a small shop in Walton Street, London aged 19,[5] with her early products based heavily on Italian design principles. All her products she says are based on the quality of workmanship, and represent a design philosophy which is: British, humorous and bespoke.[1] Her designs are also influenced by her love of classical architecture, which she progresses as a hobby with into architectural reclamation.[4]
The Hindmarch company, now based in Battersea with her husband as Finance Director,[4] runs to some 60 branded shops in 17 countries. Her products are also stocked in major retail chains including: Corso Como in Milan; Colette in Paris; isetan in Tokyo, Japan; and Saks, Scoop in the United States, and Adora in the Philippines. Her designs are popular with both film stars and celebrities, including:Elizabeth Hurley, Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Madonna, Claudia Schiffer, Margaret Thatcher and Reese Witherspoon.
Hindmarch is a design consultant to British Airways, and has designed their highly covetable First Class amenity kits to much acclaim for 7 years. Hindmarch designed the gift bags given to guests at Vanity Fair's Oscar party in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary, the Bespoke Ebury was launched in 2003. Designed to be the ultimate luxury accessory, it is made from the finest leather or crocodile, and includes a secret message in the giver’s own handwriting. The recipient's name can also be embossed onto the interior. A special serial number is assigned to each bag.
In 2008, Hindmarch launched a limited edition handbag for US retailer Target. Available at 1600 Target stores, available from October 12 through December 26, 2008. In the same year, Hindmarch collaborated with Selfridges to design a collection of Christmas hampers.
Hindmarch designs annually for three collections, which span her core handbags plus shoes, luggage, small leather goods, a beach collection, a small range of ready to wear - and an iPod carrier.[7] The collections are regularly featured in leading fashion magazines including Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. Her bags and collections have become so fashionable, they have been the target of two raids on her London shops, one of which resulted in thieves grabbing £20,000 worth of merchandise.[8]
Be A Bag is a service by which a bag is personalised with a customer’s photograph, launched in 2001 to support The Lavender Trust. Intended to be a limited edition charity promotion, it is presently available in over 25 countries. 100 style icons including Kate Moss and Elton John donated personal photographs to be printed onto Be A Bags to support the launch. These bags were auctioned to support the American Red Cross after 9/11 and have since benefitted 31 charities worldwide
In 2007 Hindmarch, in collaboration with the global social change movement We Are What We Do,[9] designed the global sell out Tote bag I’m Not A Plastic Bag, using her influence in a positive way to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags.[10] The limited edition canvas totes sold for £5, launching in four limited edition colours around the world, and were selected by Vanity Fair to be included in their "Oscars" goodie bags.[11] 100,000 customers registered online to try to buy I’m Not A Plastic Bag, while 30 people in Beijing, China were treated in hospital after being caught in what was described as a scrum.
As well as celebrity support, Hindmarch has also gained critic and compatriot support. In both 2006 and 2007 Hindmarch won Designer of the Year by Glamour magazine, and became the first winner of the Designer brand of the Year at the 2007 British Fashion Awards.[1]
Hindmarch met her widower husband, James Seymour, after his first wife died. She became step mother to his three children from that marriage (Hugo, Tia and Bert); and the couple have two children of their own: Felix, and Otto.[12] They live in Belgravia, with her favourite food shop Daylesford Organic, founded by the wife of JCB tycoon Sir Anthony Bamford, located just around the corner in Chelsea.[13] Her favourite possessions are her 1960's Rolex watch, and her pink BlackBerry; while her collections include sea shells and butterflies.[4]
A self confessed hopeless chef who gets mouth ulcers from the stress of cooking, she lists her favourite discovery in Vanity Fair as the drawing schools at the Royal Academy.[14] Hindmarch is a trustee of both the Royal Academy and the Design Museum. Hindmarch is co-chairs the RA’s Summer Exhibition Preview Party, chairing with Tracey Emin in June 2009.
Her friends include Zac Goldsmith and Conservative Party leader David Cameron. As a committed Tory herself she was on the organising committee for the 2008 fund raising Black and White Ball.[5][15] Hindmarch sits on the Promote London Council chaired by Boris Johnson, and the New Enterprise Council chaired by George Osbourne.