Fashion designer Anya Hindmarch is opening a "village" of stores in Belgravia that will showcase different facets of her brand.
Formed out of five retail spaces on Pont Street, the new retail destination will open in May as a place for the brand's experiences, installations, collaborations and customisation.
Hindmarch told ±±¾©Èü³µpk10: "I wanted to return to my roots in Pont Street, the site of my first store, and embrace 'localisation' rather than 'globalisation' which has been the word that has dominated my whole career, but now no longer feels so modern. If retail is to exist in a post-pandemic, digital world, there needs to be a reason to visit."
The Village will be an ever-evolving space where collaborations can take place. Hindmarch hopes the space will be "inclusive, feel like a community and be more than just buying a handbag."
She added: "I hope it will be an experience that will share the causes and passions that interest us."
At the heart of The Village will be the Anya Cafe, inspired by the traditional British cafe reimagined with high quality ingredients and some "trademark Anya humour". The cafe will serve breakfast, lunch and early evening drinks as well as a selection of specially created AH cakes and biscuits.
The Village Hall will embody different creative concepts and collaborations throughout the year and launches with a hair salon in celebration of Anya Hindmarch's book If In Doubt Wash Your Hair. The pop-up salon will open for three weeks starting 17 May offering "Shampoo and Therapy" with coffee and cocktails.
The Plastic Shop is dedicated to Hindmarch's passion for reducing plastic going into landfill. It centres around the Anya Hindmarch I Am A Plastic Bag sustainable collection and will be a platform to showcase and collaborate with others working and creating in this field.
The Labelled Shop is dedicated to the art of organisation. The Labelled collection, a system of cases and bags that are labelled to keep you organised, will be presented alongside collaborations and workshops exploring the subject of organisation. An on-site embosser will offer personalisation.
Finally, The Bespoke Shop will focus on personalised gifts designed to be passed down the generations.
Anya Hindmarch is known for its fashion-driven brand activations that include the "Postbox maze" that celebrated the power of literary correspondence in September 2019, "The weave project" to coincide with the Neeson tote bag in February 2019 and the "Chubby hearts" campaign that saw 24 giant heart-shaped helium balloons fly above London landmarks in February 2018.
On being asked whether immersive interaction is the future of the high street Hindmarch said: "Every brand has to find its own way through this, but I believe there is always a need, and desire, for physical experiences, touchpoints and advice."