Anya Hindmarch is one of the first designers I was introduced to when I was young by my older sister Toni. Anya has always been so so innovative in the fashion world and I’ve always admired her ethos and values. Not to mention being inspired by the brand she’s built and what she’s creating, along with the changes she’s helped shape the fashion industry we know today.
She launched the ‘I am not a plastic bag’ back in 2007 and was sold in the UK exclusively at Sainsbury’s. It was created to raise awareness of our excessive use of carriers we were using way way way before we all made a big change to take a cotton bag with us everywhere we go. Which has now become the norm and all the supermarkets started charging for plastic carriers.
Anya has always been a step ahead of the curve and a pioneer for the fashion industry, the brand was the first ever accessories brand to have a London Fashion Week show and when Anya decided the money it cost to put on a show she spent the time crafting art installations and exhibitions for the public to immerse themselves in. Year after year I am just in total awe of everything that Anya and the brand does.
On the 17th May 2021 Anya launched and opened the ‘Anya Village’. It has been summed up by the designer her self as follows: ” A realisation of a long held dream – The culmination of 2 years of work and the realisation of our founder Anya’s long held dream, on May 17th we launched the Anya Village. On Pont Street in London a little village of stores opened to house all the ideas we have had over the years. It will be ever evolving and be a place where we pour all of our creative energy and collaborate on the subjects that interest us.”
As soon as it opened I knew I’d be making a trip there asap, I wanted to see it for myself let alone the attention to detail I knew wouldn’t go a miss with Anya & her team around. An my my my it didn’t disappoint. All of the personalised elements in the Cafe were so incredible, I picked up two biscuits for Beth & I that visited, but I would really love to go back asap to eat a meal there.
The Village Hall is currently home to the 70’s styled salon Anya’s Shampoo & Therapy by Neville, with the shop front titled ‘If in doubt wash your hair’ which also the title of Anya’s first book which was released at the start of May. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to treat myself to a copy. The Village Hall space is set to be ever changing so I’m excited to see what will be in the space next. I also have to mention Sam who was in the Salon the day I visited, he kindly let me come into the salon to take photos and was so enthusiastic about the village and what Anya has created which was so wonderful to see first hand!
The Anya Village is also home to; The Plastic Shop, The Labelled Shop and The Bespoke Shop all home to different collections from the brand. More on these another time. At the heart of everything the brand does is Creativity, modern craftsmanship and personalisation which is one of the reasons I’m so utterly obsessed with the brand. I’m putting it out there to the universe, one day I’ll own my own Anya Hindmarch handbag! Keep going, keep creating and keep dreaming!
You can visit the Anya Village now:
Pont Street, London, SW1X 9EH
Monday – Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 12am-5pm
