Bracing winter walks or sultry summer strolls, the first concept store of 2024 at Anya’s Village is inspired by Anya Hindmarch’s love of walking. In partnership with the great British institution Ordnance Survey, the nation’s beloved mapping agency, Anya Says Walk is a playful celebration of outdoor explorations.
The store is home to the Anya Hindmarch walking capsule collection, which includes a bag and coat, cosy knitwear pieces, a flask featuring Anya’s signature cartoon eyes and a picnic tin.
The space itself is decked out in white and orange, echoing the famous look of Ordnance Survey maps, with Anya-branded signage showing the way. Inside, shelves are stacked with countless maps and tent-shaped stands display the products, which include a carefully hand-picked edit of best-in-class walking products from brands that specialise in outdoor pursuits.
There are navigational tools from Ordnance Survey; walking boots from Zamberlan, an Italian, family-run business founded in 1929 and specialising in technical footwear; books by Weird Walk, a journal of wanderings and wonderings from the British Isles that was started by three friends with an enthusiasm for walking; and socks from Darn Tough, which are designed and made in Vermont, USA, and come with a lifetime guarantee.
Beyond the physical products, there is a line-up of talks, events and after-school activities planned. On Tuesday, 6 February (6:30-7:30pm; £20/ticket), prepare to rethink everything you think you know about navigation as Anya is joined by Nick Giles OBE, managing director of Consumer Leisure at Ordnance Survey for what promises to be a fascinating and entertaining evening.
And on Saturday, 10 February, the prize-winning blue badge tourist guide, multi-award-winning history blogger and art historian, Katie Wignall, will guide two dynamic history walks through Chelsea, sharing her wealth of local knowledge, from secret London rivers to Judy Garland’s one-time home and the spot where Oscar Wilde was arrested. The tours (11am and 2pm; £40/ticket) are limited to 15 people per tour and include a hot drink from Anya Café at the end of the walk.
As indicated by its name, Ordnance Survey’s original purpose was military. Although officially founded in 1791, it was first put to work in mapping Scotland in the wake of the 1745 Jacobite rising. Since then, it has accurately captured over half a billion geographic features – which power both paper and digital mapping.
“Today [Ordnance Survey] is integral to daily life,” says Anya. “On average, we rely on OS data 42 times a day – from banking and deliveries to emergency response and property searches, and every time we use our utilities. It’s exciting to partner with them for our latest concept store, to delve into the expertise and innovation that underpins the age-old activity – walking.”
Hippocrates said:
"Walking is a man's best medicine"
So, if you are looking to reconnect with the rhythm of your own footsteps, Anya Says Walk is open until 25 February 2024 for a reminder that some of life’s greatest adventures begin with the most basic act of putting on your walking shoes and stepping out the door.
Anya Says Walk
Anya Hindmarch Village Hall, 11 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH
