Fashion Trail

London Fashion Week is once again upon us. This means high-end, luxury brands showcasing their current collections with exclusive fashion shows. But not for Anya Hindmarch. The successful accessories designer once again, has decided to do something just a little bit different.

In recent years, Hindmarch has produced installations and shows that are quite out of the ordinary. Her ‘Chubby Hearts’ campaign for example, suspended giant heart-shaped balloons above famous London landmarks, in a gesture for her love for London. This was then followed with a ‘Chubby Cloud’ installation, where guests were able to visit the worlds largest beanbag at Banqueting Hall, to hear music, meditations, talks and bedtime stories. She also presented ‘The Weave Project’ celebrating her woven tote, with a giant woven mesh construction that customers were even able to climb through.

Anya Hindmarch is clearly an incredibly hardworking and creative woman, who notably became the first accessories designer to hold an on-schedule show at London Fashion Week. Her shows repeatedly stand out to buyers and editor’s due to their fantastic production and creativity, but also how thought-provoking they can be.

This year, she strikes again. Hindmarch will be raising topical issues around mobile phones and the lost art of letter writing. Handwriting, paper and letters are all drifting from our lives dramatically and Hindmarch wants to bring this issue to light. Advancements in technology mean we simply don’t need to write anymore, when there are other forms of communication which are far much easier. We can easily call our loved ones from a thousand miles away, with just the click of a button. And as great as this is, we are forgetting how simple and personal a handwritten letter can be.

So, London Fashion Week 2019 will feature Hindmarch’s immersive art instillation and exhibition ‘The Postbox Maze.’ Inspired by M.C. Escher’s mural designed for The Hague Post Office, the maze commemorates the lost art of letter writing, but also celebrates the launch of Hinmarch’s Postbox bag (new for autumn/winter 2019.) Such a bag is constructed around a handmade vintage-gold frame and has been described by the brand as having a ‘technically complicated to construct’ opening.

‘Inspired by a postbox opening, I have worked on the Postbox Bag design for over two years. It is technically complicated to make and a slow process. To launch it I wanted to celebrate the almost lost art of slow communication and immerse, and indeed almost lose, our customers in this world of letterwriting.’ – Anya Hindmarch

Modern craftsmanship and personalisation sit at the heart of everything Hindmarch does. And for this reason, Hindmarch’s show will offer more than just a maze. Visitors of the installation will also be able to visit a gallery, featuring pieces loaned by the Postal Museum, including (in collaboration with Letters Live) a series of letters written over centuries from around the world.

Taking her obsession with personalisation and craftsmanship a step further, visitors will also have the opportunity to take part in calligraphy workshops. Quill London (experts in modern calligraphy) will help guests to write their own letters which are then posted for them, as well as create a personalised gift with the Bespoke Envelope Pouch.