The World of Anya Hindmarch

Luxury accessories that blend modern craftsmanship, humour and personalisation.

Anya Hindmarch by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

ANYA HINDMARCH, MBE

Anya Hindmarch founded her eponymous company from her kitchen table in 1987. Since then, it has grown to become a global brand that has over 50 stores and is stocked in many of the world’s most prestigious department stores. Anya Hindmarch’s distinctive handbags and accessories have a style all their own; they are full of bold graphics and a sense of individuality. Anya Hindmarch is committed to reconnecting the craftsman with the customer and has set-up seven ‘Anya Hindmarch Bespoke’ stores where customers can have drawings or messages in their own handwriting embossed by in-store craftsmen. The first accessories designer to hold an on-schedule London Fashion Week show, Anya Hindmarch shows have become renowned for their production and creativity.  Anya is also a UK Trade Ambassador, a Non-Executive Director of the British Fashion Council and a trustee of both the Royal Academy of Arts and the Design Museum. In 2009 Anya Hindmarch was awarded an MBE in recognition for her contribution to the British fashion industry and has recently received three prestigious Accessory Designer of the Year awards. 

Anya Hindmarch, Spring / Summer 2017 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

COLLECTIONS

Anya Hindmarch, Spring / Summer 2015 (2014) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

THE ALL OVER STICKER COLLECTION

Inspired by the stickers that Anya used to personalise her schoolbooks, the 'All Over Stickers' collection has become an Anya Hindmarch signature. Embossing the graphics into the leather is a labour of love.

Anya Hindmarch, Spring / Summer 2014 (2013) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

THE CRISP PACKET CLUTH

Born from Anya’s fascination with recreating the everyday in an extraordinary way, her team spent many months working with specialist craftsman to create the 'Crisp Packet' clutch.

Anya Hindmarch, Spring / Summer 2017 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

THE STACK

New for Spring Summer 2017, the 'Stack' typifies Anya’s obsession with organisation and compartmentalisation; divided into different sections by a series of zips this handbag adds order to the owner's day.

Anya Hindmarch Leather Stickers (2014) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

THE STICKER SHOP

Anya created a whole new product category with these luxurious embossed leather stickers. An extension of Anya’s obsession with personalisation, customers can use them to create their own artwork.

Anya Hindmarch, Luxury Bespoke Leather Goods by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

BESPOKE

Anya Hindmarch Bespoke (2009) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

BESPOKE

'Anya Hindmarch Bespoke' is a collection of leather goods that can be personalised with inlaid photographs and messages embossed in your own handwriting. Anya Hindmarch has craftsmen in her stores to help reconnect the customer with the art of making that goes into each of her accessories.

Anya Hindmarch Bespoke (2016) by Anya HindmarchBritish Fashion Council

The 'Anya Hindmarch Bespoke' Collection and the in-store craftsmen who help personalise each product.

Anya Hindmarch, Spring / Summer 2017 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

SHOWS

Anya Hindmarch Spring / Summer 2017 Show (2016) by Anya HindmarchBritish Fashion Council

SHOWS

The first accessories designer to hold an on-schedule London Fashion Week show, Anya Hindmarch's presentations have become renowned for their creativity and incredible production values.

Recent highlights include models floating weightlessly over the catwalk, a 120-strong male choir, models walking within an artful, moving Rubik’s cube and emerging from within a giant space-age Amphitheatre.

Anya Hindmarch Catwalk, Spring / Summer 2017 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

SPRING SUMMER 2017

"This season I’ve been preoccupied by the relationship between geometry and art. These two visual mediums are both articulated through pattern, form and colour – things that have always fascinated me. Starting with the ‘simple’ circle – perhaps the most intriguing geometric shape – I’ve mixed naïve craft techniques and cutting edge technology to create complex shapes. I like to think of this as the leatherwork equivalent of a mathematical equation. ”
Anya Hindmarch

Anya Hindmarch, Autumn / Winter 2016 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

AUTUMN / WINTER 2016

The Autumn Winter 2016 collection examines pixelation and colour: the building blocks of digital design. I’m fascinated with the debates surrounding digital design as 'art' so have started at the beginning, with early 8 bit graphics and pioneering arcade games. We’ve explored each design using innovative leatherwork techniques such as heat-fusing and leather marquetry.These ideas are brought to life on the runway in a show that explores the development of artificial consciousness and poses the question, do computers dream when they sleep?”
Anya Hindmarch

Anya Hindmarch Catwalk, Spring / Summer 2016 (2015) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

SPRING / SUMMER 2016

“The Spring Summer 2016 collection is an exploration of pattern and abstraction. Born from my fascination with recreating the everyday in the most luxurious way possible, I have taken the patterns that surround me - those that I have always known yet don’t always notice – and worked into them. When tessellated and played with using myriad different techniques, these patterns emerged as something new and unexpected.”
Anya Hindmarch

Anya Hindmarch, Craftsmanship (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

THE ART OF MODERN CRAFTMANSHIP

Anya Hindmarch's Craftsmanship: the Spring Summer 2017 Bathurst (2016) by Anya HindmarchBritish Fashion Council

ANYA'S CRAFTMANSHIP

Anya Hindmarch's accessories are as much known for their beautiful craftsmanship as they are for their individualistic designs and pop-art references. As Anya says "The craftsmen are the true heroes of the Anya Hindmarch story".

The brand works with workshops in London, Italy and Spain to develop and produce handbags using the best materials and techniques possible. Many of these workshops have used the same traditional techniques for generations.

Anya Hindmarch, Autumn / Winter 2016 (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

NEW TECHNOLOGY

Anya Hindmarch works closely with its tanneries to source the best materials and many of the brand's leathers are made especially for Anya Hindmarch. Whether looking for a luxurious exotic skin or butter-soft leather, Anya Hindmarch rigorously tests each material to make sure the colour and finish are exactly right.

Anya Hindmarch works with its craftsmen to develop innovative new techniques each season. Whether it’s the process of embossing and debossing the brand uses for the Featherweight Ebury or the heat-bonded leather squares you’ll find on the Pixel Bathurst, they're always using emerging technology to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Anya Hindmarch's Craftsmanship: the Vere (2016) by Anya HindmarchBritish Fashion Council

The construction of 'The Vere' handbag by Anya Hindmarch; demonstrating the mix of modern and traditional craftsmanship that goes into each of the brand's handbags.

Anya Hindmarch's Craftsmanship: the Space Invaders lock (2016) by Anya HindmarchBritish Fashion Council

WEARABLE ART

Anya Hindmarch believes your bag should be as beautiful as a precious piece of jewellery and so uses many of the same techniques you’ll find at a jewellers for its evening clutches and hardware.

Anya Hindmarch also uses several techniques to make sure its bags feel lightweight and modern, including heat-bonding the leather lining and folding the corners to avoid the need for heavy stitching.

Anya Hindmarch Los Angeles Store (2016) by Anya HindmarchOriginal Source: Anya Hindmarch

Credits: Story

This exhibit was created by the British Fashion Council in collaboration with Anya Hindmarch. Special thanks go to Kate Southworth and Jennifer Nicholas for their help in creating this online exhibit.

All rights belong to Anya Hindmarch unless otherwise specifically stated. All models and photographers have been credited where known.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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