Anya Hindmarch

Hindmarch was born into an entrepreneurial family and attended New Hall School, an independent school in Chelmsford, Essex.[12] In 1986, she went to Florence to study Italian for a year.[13]

Hindmarch launched her label in 1987, when she was 18, inspired by a drawstring leather duffel bag many fashionable Italian women carried.[14] Even though the UK economy was in a recession,[14] she was inspired by Margaret Thatcher's entrepreneurial ideas,[15] Hindmarch borrowed some money to import some bags to England, and sold 500 through the fashion magazine Harpers and Queen.[12][1][13]

She initially had bags manufactured in Italy, but when the factory started selling bags of her design directly to retailers,[16] she started having her own bags made in Hackney.[14] By 1992 her bags were sold at luxury stores in London, New York, Japan, France and Italy.[13]

In 1993 Hindmarch opened a small retail shop in Walton Street.[12][14] 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.[12]

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.[17] The canvas totes sold for £5 and were selected by Vanity Fair to be included in their "Oscars" goodie bags.[18]

In 2008, Hindmarch launched a limited edition handbag for US retailer Target.[19] In the same year, Hindmarch collaborated with Selfridges to design a collection of Christmas hampers.[20]

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.[21]

In 2013, Anya Hindmarch opened its New York flagship store on Madison Avenue that sold both manufactured and bespoke bags.[22]

In 2021, Hindmarch launched the Village,[23] 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 [24] during the summer and Anya’s Grotto at Christmastime.[25]

In 2006 the company took on outside investors, and was valued at $38 million.[21] By 2009, she had 51 stores worldwide with an estimated sales of £20 million.[14]

In 2020, The Telegraph reported that Hindmarch had regained a joint ownership of the company after returning to lead a turnaround.[26]

• 2006 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year [27]
• 2007 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year [27]
• 2007 Designer brand of the Year at the British Fashion Awards (first winner) [28]
• 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award - Elle Magazine 2008 [29]
• 2009 Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2009 for services to the British fashion industry [30]
• 2009 Bravery in the Face of Adversity Award, Luxury Briefing [31]
• 2009 Named one of 25 most influential people working in fashion industry by BFC [32]
• 2010 Conde Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Award for Bespoke [33]
• 2011 Awarded an Honorary doctorate by Anglia Ruskin University[34]
• 2012 Veuve Cliquot businesswoman of the year [35]
• 2014 British Fashion Award for Accessory Designer at the British Fashion Awards [36]
• 2015 Glamour magazine Designer of the Year [27]
• 2015 Beyond the Runway award, Decoded Fashion Futures [37]
• 2016 Elle magazine Accessories Designer of the Year award [38]
• 2016 Walpole award for digital innovation in British Luxury [39]
• 2017 Awarded an Honorary doctorate by Essex University[40]
• 2017 appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to fashion [41]

Hindmarch was on the Promote London Board for the Mayor of London from 2009 until 2011,[35] a non-executive director from the British Fashion Council from 2010 until 2020,[42] was a UK trade ambassador from 2011 until 2016 [43] and a Birthday Honours Committee member from 2013 until 2019.

In 1996 she married James Seymour, a widower with three children, and he joined the company soon after as its finance director.[14][16]

• Official website
• Hindmarch's personal tips on how to organise your handbag at The Telegraph