Dame Anya Susannah Hindmarch, DBE (/ˈhaɪndmɑːrtʃ/;[2] born 7 May 1968[3]) is an English fashion accessories designer who founded an eponymous company, of which she is CEO. Hindmarch published her first book, If In Doubt Wash Your Hair in May 2021, a Sunday Times bestseller.[4]
Anya Hindmarch | |
|---|---|
 Hindmarch in London, in 2023 | |
| Born | Anya Susannah Hindmarch 7 May 1968 Maldon, Essex, England |
| Occupation(s) | Founder & CEO, Anya Hindmarch |
| Spouse |
James Seymour (m. 1996) |
| Children | 2 + 3 stepchildren |
| Awards | Brand of the Year, Accessory Designer British Fashion Awards[1] |
Alongside running her accessories brand, Hindmarch holds several other roles – she is emeritus trustee of both the Royal Academy of Arts[5] and the Design Museum[6] and a trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.[7] In 2019, she became a Greenpeace ambassador.[8] She was appointed a trustee of the Tate in 2022[9] and is a non-executive director of Tate Enterprises Ltd.[10] From September 2023 until August 2024, she was an advisor to the Board of Trade.[11] In November 2024, Hindmarch was announced as an ambassador for University of the Arts London[12]
Early life
editHindmarch was born to entrepreneurial parents, Michael (a plastics company owner) and Susan (née Cooper) Hindmarch. She attended New Hall School, an independent school in Chelmsford, Essex.[13] In 1986, she went to Florence to study Italian for a year.[14]
Career
editHindmarch launched her label in 1987, when she was 19, inspired by a drawstring leather duffel bag many fashionable Italian women carried. Although the UK economy was in a recession,[15] she was inspired by Margaret Thatcher's entrepreneurial ideas,[16] Hindmarch borrowed some money to import some bags to England, and sold 500 through the fashion magazine Harpers and Queen.[13][1][14]
She initially had bags manufactured in Italy, but when the factory started selling bags of her design directly to retailers,[17] she started having her own bags made in Hackney.[15] By 1992 her bags were sold at luxury stores in London, New York, Japan, France and Italy.[14]
In 1993, she opened a small retail shop in Walton Street.[13][15] From the beginning, high quality materials and workmanship were central, representing a design philosophy which was, and remains "British, humorous and personalised."[1]
In 2001, Hindmarch launched her "Be A Bag" line, a service by which a bag is personalised with a customer's photograph, initially to support a breast cancer awareness group, but subsequently to benefit other charitable causes.[13]
In 2007, Hindmarch launched a limited-edition tote bag with the words "I'm NOT A Plastic bag", using her influence to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags.[18] The canvas totes sold for £5 and were selected by Vanity Fair to be included in their "Oscars" goodie bags.[19]
In 2008, she launched a limited edition handbag for US retailer _target.[20] In the same year, Hindmarch collaborated with Selfridges to design a collection of Christmas hampers.[21]
In 2009, her company opened a bespoke workshop at its Pont Street store in London. By that time, the company was headquartered in Battersea, in the converted stable block of a former brewery.[22]
In 2013, Hindmarch opened its New York flagship store on Madison Avenue that sold both manufactured and bespoke bags.[23]
In 2021, Hindmarch launched the Village,[24] her brand’s retail development on London’s Pont Street in Chelsea, comprising four permanent stores, the brand's 'Anya Cafe' and a space which hosts rotating concepts including the Ice Cream Project[25] during the summer and Anya's Grotto at Christmastime.[26]
Business details
editIn 2006, the company took on outside investors, and was valued at $38 million.[22] By 2009, she had 51 stores worldwide with an estimated sales of £20 million.[15] In 2020, The Daily Telegraph reported that Hindmarch had regained a joint ownership of the company after returning to lead a turnaround.[27]
Awards and honours
edit- 2006 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year[28]
- 2007 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year[28]
- 2007 Designer brand of the Year at the British Fashion Awards (first winner)[29]
- 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award – Elle magazine 2008[30]
- 2009 Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2009 for services to the British fashion industry[31]
- 2009 Bravery in the Face of Adversity Award, Luxury Briefing[32]
- 2009 Named one of 25 most influential people working in fashion industry by BFC[33]
- 2010 Conde Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Award for Bespoke[34]
- 2011 Awarded an honorary doctorate by Anglia Ruskin University[35]
- 2012 Veuve Cliquot businesswoman of the year[36]
- 2014 British Fashion Award for Accessory Designer at the British Fashion Awards[37]
- 2015 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year[28]
- 2015 Beyond the Runway award, Decoded Fashion Futures[38]
- 2016 Elle magazine Accessories Designer of the Year award[39]
- 2016 Walpole award for digital innovation in British Luxury[40]
- 2017 Awarded an Honorary doctorate by Essex University[41]
- 2017 Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to fashion[42]
- 2024 Awarded a Damehood in the King's 2024 Birthday Honours
- 2024 Winner Best Luxury Brand at the Marie Claire Sustainability Awards 2024[43]
- 2024 Winner Best Impact Campaign Country & Townhouse Future Icons Awards 2024[44]
Previous appointments
editHindmarch was on the Promote London Board for the Mayor of London from 2009 until 2011,[36] a non-executive director from the British Fashion Council from 2010 until 2020,[45] was a UK trade ambassador from 2011 until 2016[46] and a Birthday Honours Committee member from 2013 until 2019.
Personal life
editIn 1996, she married James Seymour, a widower with three children, and he joined the company soon after as its finance director.[15][17] They then had two children together.[47]
References
edit- ^ a b c Naughton, Philippe (20 February 2008). "People who steal ideas are creeps. My life in fashion: Anya Hindmarch". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ "A Conversation with: Anya Hindmarch – 'The Future of Luxury: Sustainability and Retail'". YouTube. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
- ^ "If In Doubt, Wash Your Hair: A Manual for Life". Goodreads. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "The Royal Academy Trust | Royal Academy of Arts". www.royalacademy.org.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Trustees". Design Museum. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Who we are". The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Ocean Ambassadors". Greenpeace International. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Five New Trustees Appointed to Tate – Press Release". Tate. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "TATE ENTERPRISES LTD people". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Government unveils new Board of Trade with UK's top CEOs". GOV.UK. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "UAL announces 10 pioneering creatives to join inaugural ambassador scheme".
- ^ a b c d "Anya Hindmarch MBE: Honorary Doctor of Arts, 2011". Anglia Ruskin University. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ a b c Waite, Teresa L. (1 March 1992). "Style Makers; Anya Hindmarch, Handbag Designer". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Nikkhah, Roya (18 April 2009). "Anya Hindmarch: bag lady with a £20m empire". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016.
- ^ Moreton, Cole (3 February 2008). "Anya Hindmarch: Dave's got a brand new bag lady". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ a b Justine Picardie, Bags to riches: Anya Hindmarch interview, The Daily Telegraph. 13 May 2012.
- ^ "UK – Magazine – It's in the bag, darling". BBC. 25 April 2007.
- ^ "I'm Not an Ethical Plastic Bag". treehugger.com. 28 April 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ Max Padilla for the Los Angeles Times. 8 October 2008. Anya Hindmarch brings a low-priced handbag collection to _target
- ^ Leisa Barnett for Vogue UK. 24 Sept. 2008 Happy Hampers
- ^ a b Kate Reardon, The Queen of Cozy Cool, vanityfair.com. September 2009.
- ^ Jill Sieracki, Anya Hindmarch's Cheeky-Chic Handbags, gotham-magazine.com. 25 November 2013.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch Launches Not One New Store, but an Entire Village". Forbes.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch's answer to the heatwave? Baked Bean ice cream". 18 July 2022.
- ^ "Anya's Grotto | Things to do in London". 2 November 2022.
- ^ Uttley, Hannah (18 January 2020). "Anya Hindmarch bags half her fashion business back". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ a b c "Glamour award". Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ^ "British Fashion Award Winners 2007". 27 November 2007.
- ^ "LFW: Elle Style Awards". 13 February 2008.
- ^ Natasha Cowan for The Daily Telegraph. 2 June 2009 Anya Hindmarch awarded MBE at Buckingham Palace
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch". 26 August 2011.
- ^ "British Fashion Council".
- ^ "Seasoned Travellers". 11 May 2010.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch – ARU". aru.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ a b Moulds, Josephine (19 April 2012). "Handbag queen named businesswoman of the year". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch – Accessory Designer of the Year – British Fashion Awards 2014". YouTube. 2 December 2014.
- ^ "And the Fashion Futures Award Winners Are". 22 May 2015.
- ^ "Elle Style Awards 2016: Winners List". 24 February 2016.
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch and Burberry among winners at Walpole British Luxury Awards". 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Graduation 2017: Our Honorary Graduands | University of Essex".
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch | BoF 500 | the People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Drumroll, please: Introducing the most sustainable fashion brands to have on your radar". 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Future Icons - Awards 2025".
- ^ "Anya Hindmarch Joins British Fashion Council". Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "The rise and rise of Anya Hindmarch". standard.co.uk. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ Powell, Rosalind. "Anya Hindmarch and her stepdaughter on instant love and family loyalties". Retrieved 16 June 2024.