Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary ... Anya Hindmarch FW2014 Collection

No matter how appealing a luxury item can be, there are times when luxury goods, especially bags, can look certainly mundane and unattractive. 

Yes, these days, most bags, it or non-it, are designed towards practicality. As long as we are able to plonk in as many essentials possible namely mobile phones, tablets or iPads, makeup, tissues and more, we’re good to go.

Nevertheless, whether you notice it or not, most designer bags in the market tend to sport similar silhouette — boxy and stiff — and working palette. 

Why yes, all that styling done by professional stylists in the magazine fashion spreads may allure you to rush into the nearest boutique and buy, or if it’s not available in store, place a special order for it. 

Again, in the end, you will realise that the bag will be just another bag that you will use to a point where it will end up in your “Valley of the Bags”, alongside other bags that may have seen their last glimpse of daylight, say, circa 1999.     

For the fall/winter 2014 season, celebrated accessories designer Anya Hindmarch has injected high doses of fun into her collection of luxurious bags and accessories. Debuted at the recent London Fashion Week, Anya derived her inspiration from the most mundane of places: the supermarket.

Who would have ever thought that a supermarket is a boring place to go when they are literally swathed in riotous colours, popping out from the labels, containers of different shapes and sizes and not to forget, the enticing smell emitted from the fresh herbs and spices. Perhaps, British supermarkets aren’t as colourful as the ones we have in Malaysia.

“I wanted to treat the everyday in an ordinary way,” says Hindmarch on the collection to Vogue UK. 
 

Utilising iconic images derived from packages of goods that we consume every day such as cereals, matches and biscuits, the end result are indeed, astounding and outstanding. 

The iconic mascots of Kellogg’s cereals – the red-green cockerel and Tony the Tiger – adorn Hindmarch classic creation of all time, the Ebury featherweight maxi bags. 

Timeless and practical, the addition of the character images on the bags would certainly appeal fashionistas of the new generation to horde Anya Hindmarch stores around the globe for one or two.  

The vintage design of Kellogg’s cereal boxes and match boxes manufactured by Swan and detergent by Ariel are also immortalised as chic clutch bags. 

For example, the Imperial clutch is adorned with bright and enticing imprint of Kellogg’s Coco Pops and inlaid with lavish snakeskin while the Georgiana clutch features the image of classic Ariel box and comes with Courtney tassel that took eight hours to be completed by hand. 

Rich tea biscuits, another quintessentially British element, is also immortalised as a rounded clutch. Doused in blue, the image of McVitties Rich Tea Classic packaging is printed on the snakeskin and further accentuated with architectural tassel and a detachable strap.

If quirky household items print may be to overt for your personal taste, you can always opt for Mini Barthurst in blue snakeskin, Maxi zip top handle with tassel accents on the zippers, crazy maxi Belvedere in graphic print or the metallic jewellery box-like Custard Cream clutch featuring art nouveau embossed print on the surface, just to list a few.

Anya Hindmarch fall/winter 2014 collection is available now at all Anya Hindmarch stores, multi-brand fashion retailers and Anya Hindmarch online store. 

*Photos courtesy of Anya Hindmarch

Anya Hindmarch - Level 3, Parkson Pavilion, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur; Lot C-105B, Level 1, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.