Anya Hindmarch
Anya Susannah Hindmarch, CBE (/ˈhaɪndmɑːrtʃ/;[2] born in 1968[3]) is an English fashion accessories designer who founded an eponymous company, of which she is currently CEO. Hindmarch published her first book, If In Doubt Wash Your Hair in May 2021, a Sunday Times bestseller.[4]
Anya Hindmarch CBE | |
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![]() Hindmarch in London, in 2023. | |
Born | Anya Hindmarch 1968 (age 55–56) Maldon, Essex, England |
Occupation(s) | Founder & CEO, Anya Hindmarch |
Board member of | Board of Trade |
Spouse |
James Seymour (m. 1996) |
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, Anya Hindmarch 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] In September 2023, Hindmarch was made an advisor to the Board of Trade.[11]
Early life
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]
Career
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]
Business Details
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]
Awards and Honours
- 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]
Previous Appointments
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.
Personal life
In 1996 she married James Seymour, a widower with three children, and he joined the company soon after as its finance director.[14][16]
References
- Naughton, Philippe (20 February 2008). "People who steal ideas are creeps. My life in fashion: Anya Hindmarch". The Times. London. 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 - GOV.UK". 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.
- "Anya Hindmarch MBE: Honorary Doctor of Arts, 2011". Anglia Ruskin University. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- Waite, Teresa L. (1 March 1992). "Style Makers; Anya Hindmarch, Handbag Designer". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- 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.
- Justine Picardie for The Telegraph. 13 May 2012. Bags to riches: Anya Hindmarch interview
- "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 Oct 2008. Anya Hindmarch brings a low-priced handbag collection to Target
- Leisa Barnett for Vogue UK. 24 Sept. 2008 Happy Hampers
- Kate Reardon for Vanity Fair. Sept. 2009 The Queen of Cozy Cool
- Jill Sieracki for Gotham Magazine. 25 Nov, 2013 Anya Hindmarch's Cheeky-Chic Handbags
- "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 Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "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 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.
- 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.
- "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".
- "British Fashion Council".
- "The rise and rise of Anya Hindmarch". 17 November 2016.