Career
Hindmarch 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, she was inspired by Margaret Thatcher's entrepreneurial ideas, Hindmarch borrowed some money to import some bags to England, and sold 500 through the fashion magazine Harpers and Queen.
She initially had bags manufactured in Italy, but when the factory started selling bags of her design directly to retailers, she started having her own bags made in Hackney. By 1992 her bags were sold at luxury stores in London, New York, Japan, France and Italy.
In 1993, she opened a small retail shop in Walton Street. From the beginning, high quality materials and workmanship were central, representing a design philosophy which was, and remains "British, humorous and personalised."
In 1995, entrepreneur Elizabeth Gouw's family, through, an exclusive contract, opened the first Anya Hindmarch shop outside of London. Since 2000, Gouw's company expanded into multiple locations in Hong Kong as well as in different cities of Taipei. The operations were under Hong Kong listed company Golife Concepts (Holdings) Limited between 2005 and 2008, when Elizabeth Gouw was CEO and the Gouw family office, including its holding company, Goldig Investment, was its largest shareholder.
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.
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. The canvas totes sold for £5 and were selected by Vanity Fair to be included in their "Oscars" goodie bags.
In 2008, she launched a limited edition handbag for US retailer Target. In the same year, Hindmarch collaborated with Selfridges to design a collection of Christmas hampers.
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.
In 2013, Hindmarch opened its New York flagship store on Madison Avenue that sold both manufactured and bespoke bags.
In 2021, Hindmarch launched the Village, 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 during the summer and Anya's Grotto at Christmastime.
