Main content

Anya Hindmarch

Designer and businesswoman Anya Hindmarch is interviewed by Kirsty Young.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the designer and businesswoman, Anya Hindmarch.

Given her first handbag by her mother at 16, she knew that her future lay in fashion. At 18 she went to Florence to immerse herself in Italian style, and ended up deep in the world of Florentine leather, getting samples made up of a duffel bag she'd spotted. An initial run of 500 bags sold out. Fast forward 25 years and her eponymous fashion business is globally successful with her designs much sought after.

She's also known for her conscience and designed a canvas tote called "I'm not a plastic bag" as part of an environmental campaign to highlight our over use of plastic bags.

She combines all this with a hectic family life. She met and subsequently married a widower 12 years her senior when she was 25. He had 3 children aged under 5 and they've added a further two to the clan.

She says her life is like "juggling and dancing while having one arm and one eye at the same time".

Producer: Alison Hughes.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Sun 30 Dec 2012 11:15
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Dawn French

Next

Sir Howard Stringer

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Hubert Parry

      I Was Glad

      Performer: Choir of Kings College, Cambridge

      • The King’s Collection – Stephen Cleobury, & The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
      • DECCA.

  • The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra

    Overture to Funny Girl

    • Funny Girl film soundtrack.
    • COLUMBIA.

  • Paolo Conte

    Via con me

    • Best of Paolo Conte.
    • NONESUCH.
    • 7559795122.

  • Gabriel FaurΓ©

    Cantique de Jean Racine

    Performer: Monks and Choirboys of Downside Abbey

    • The Best Choral Album In The World Ever.
    • EMI Classics.

  • Earl Okin

    My Room

    • Earl Okin - Musical Genius & Sex Symbol.
    • COLUMBIA.

  • The Fron Male Voice Choir

    Battle Hymn of the Republic

    • Diamond Collection..
    • EMI.

  • Mikis Theodorakis

    Zorba’s Dance

    • Zorba The Greek Film Soundtrack.
    • FONTANA.

  • Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton

    Islands In The Stream

    • The Kings and Queens Of Country.
    • Sony BMG.

  • Book Choice

    • Grimm's fairy tales - Brothers Grimm

  • Luxury Choice

    • Yellow rotating pencil and a book of unlined paper

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Anya Hindmarch

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Dec 2012 11:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast