Shopkeepers' Nation

Anya Hindmarch Knows Luxury

With times beginning to sway in a more positive direction, the rules of the luxury industry are also changing. Now more than ever, luxury brands are being held to higher standards as consumers are looking for and expecting the best quality and exclusivity when spending their money. Anya Hindmarch echoes this thought when discussing the changing times, "I think there's going to be a shift to being really aware of buying things that give you years of pleasure. The power has gone back to the customer." Anya's bags are the perfect examples of the quality and timelessness expected of a luxury purchase.

Anya Speaks Up For Bespoke

Anya Hindmarch spoke to the London Times recently about the launch of Anya Hindmarch Bespoke, her newest labour of love.  The personalized, made-to-order boxes and purses aren't just about fashion and luxury, but craftsmanship - one man will be working in the Pont Street store finishing all the pieces, which are made in the UK and France.  Says Hindmarch, "I've watched the demise of British manufacturing since I started my business 22 years ago and wonder if that can be reversed."  If it can, now is clearly the time to tap into a new kind of consumer, who values timelessness and quality over the one-season glamor of the It bag.

Anya Gets All the Attention

 

 

Anya Hindmarch has been getting some key press lately.  Vanity Fair did a glowing piece on her in their September issue, discussing everything from her rapidly growing business (gross income has increased 210 percent since 2006) to her creative and organizational roles in chairing the Conservative Party's 2008 Black and White Ball and in (as she casually puts it) "helping [Mayor Boris Johnson] with how London looks for the Olympics."  She is clearly a force to be reckoned with, having started her business as a teenager and working from her kitchen table for two to three years but, as writer Kate Reardon puts it, not "in a way that is apologetic, ball-breaking, or threatening to other women."  In fact her best friend Belle Robinson calls Anya "slightly, irritatingly wonderful."

WWD focuses on the launch of Anya's Bespoke Collection, a line that features personalized pieces with details such as handwritten messages in gold leaf, embossed initials, and made-to-measure pockets.  The line will launch at the designer's Pont Street, Knightsbridge store on September 15th, which is being converted into an Anya Hindmarch Bespoke Boutique.

And finally, because even the hardest-working people must have time to play, Anya took a moment from vacationing in Mustique to write a postcard to WWD.  An excerpt:

"...Indecision seems to be the name of the game here on holiday: take the children to dive vs. lie in bed; play in the "Mustique Tennis Open" with the handsome tennis coach vs. trip to the beach; snooze vs. book, and so on....I'm getting to that lovely stage at the end of the summer when I don't care if life back in England all goes up in smoke.  Guess it is time to go home and get back to work..."

The Huffington Post Visits Anya in the Office

 

 

The Huffington Post caught up with Anya Hindmarch at her office in London to quiz her on her personal style, the craftsmanship behind her products, and her must-have items, like the brightly colored, "mood enhancing" Faustine clutch from her Summer collection or the practical yet luxurious Hands Free bag that will be in stores this Fall.

Anya Awarded MBE

Anya Hindmarch received her MBE (Member of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, honoring her contribution to the British fashion industry.  On meeting the Queen, Anya said, "It was such a fantastic honour and a really special experience. It made me feel so proud to be British!"

Anya Supports the High Line

 

Anya Hindmarch has designed a tote, pictured above, in honor of New York City's newest greenspace, the High Line.  The abandoned elevated train line that stretches from Gansevoort to West 20th Street has been converted to a park that will open to the public this month.  Anya's commemorative tote is available at Jeffrey and 25% of proceeds will go to Friends of the High Line.

Working Out Anya Style

Anya Hindmarch is not only into promoting sustainability these days but has gone one step further and is offering a perk to promote her employees' health - Anya's Gym Class.  Based on the weekly pilates classes she began offering for her London staff, the weekly gym sessions at her Meatpacking district studio features rotating trainers and is offered to employees as well as industry insiders.

Las Vegas Review Journal Catches Up With Anya Hindmarch

The Las Vegas Review Journal catches up with Anya Hindmarch in her boutique at The Shoppes at The Palazzo and discusses her philosophy of prioritizing quality and timelessness over trends.

Anya Hindmarch Honored with MBE

As a promising start to the New Year, Anya Hindmarch has been awarded an MBE, in part to laud the success of her eco-friendly "I'm Not a Plastic Bag."  The designer commented, "It is a real honour to be awarded an MBE. I am so proud to be British and am very fortunate to have started my business in London. To go to the palace and receive an award from the Queen is a real pinch-yourself moment for me."

An Iconic Bag Lives On

A year and a half after its prodigiously well-received launch, Anya Hindmarch's I'm Not a Plastic Bag has cemented its place in the cultural lexicon, being referenced in both The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine in the same week.