Anya Hindmarch is made a dame

Anya Hindmarch has been made a dame in the King’s birthday honours list with the monarch’s list being issued in mid-June as part of his official birthday celebrations.

Now known as Dame Anya Hindmarch, she becomes the female equivalent of a knight and joins a relatively small list of other fashion luminaries such as Zandra Rhodes who’ve been named dames. The late Vivienne Westwood and Mary Quant were both dames too.

Hindmarch was named for services to fashion and business and said that “it is deeply humbling to receive this recognition, and I will strive to do it the justice it deserves”.

The designer-businesswoman is one of the best known accessories names in UK fashion. She founded her company back in 1987 and despite stepping back from it at one point, returned to full control last year.

She’s been active on the store opening front in recent periods and late last year opened a dedicated space for her Labelled line in the historic Burlington Arcade in London.

She’s also been a pioneer in marketing recyclable plastic bags in conjunction with major supermarket chains.

Despite her mainline products selling at high prices, she’s forged other collaborations with mass-market retailers too, her most recent one being with Uniqlo last autumn.