A gift with a hidden meaning: why Melania Trump was given an Anya Hindmarch bag in London

During the official visit In London, Donald Trump gifted King Charles a replica of President Dwight Eisenhower's sword, and his wife Camilla a vintage Tiffany brooch made of 18-karat gold, adorned with diamonds and rubies, reports CNN. 

In turn, the British royal family gifted Trump a volume of the US Declaration of Independence and a Union flag that was raised over Buckingham Palace during his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Melania Trump received a silver enamel bowl by artist Cara Murphy and a personalized bag from Anya Hindmarch. And this bag is not just a nice gift, but a very symbolic gesture of attention, as noted by Financial Times. LIGA.net summarizes the most interesting parts of the publication.

The choice of an Anya Hindmarch bag as a royal gift for Melania Trump is a prime example of the soft power of the British brand, which has fans both on Downing Street and in mass-market stores.

Anya Hindmarch founded the brand in 1987 when she was only 18, and it became known for its playful designs: from personalized bags with photographs printed directly on them, to shoppers with smiling emojis and wallets in the style of cornflakes packaging.

Over time, the designer built a devoted following among a segment of the British elite. She had close ties to the previous Conservative government and previously made personalized clutches adorned with the letter "D" for Princess Diana.

Catherine, the current Princess of Wales, sometimes appears with an evening bag from Hindmarch with the monogram "C" and took one of these bags to the banquet in honor of Donald and Melania Trump.

However, the brand's influence among royal families and political leaders far exceeds its commercial scale.

In 2024, sales amounted to £24.1 million, while losses reached £666,000. For comparison, Burberry earns over £2 billion. The brand currently has only 15 stores (previously 43), but it has its own "village" in London: five themed boutiques and a café.

Earlier, the designer told the Financial Times that she had the opportunity to sell the business to a luxury giant many times, but she never wanted to give up control.

She stepped away from running the business in 2011, but returned as CEO in 2019 and regained majority control of the brand in 2023.

This was made possible by attracting funds from the wealthy Marandi family – who are also investors in designer Emilia Wickstead – who bought a controlling stake with the intention of handing over the management of Hindmarch.

Luxury industry analyst Luca Solca (Bernstein) said that the decision to gift Melania Trump a bag from Anya Hindmarch shows the royal family's desire not to appear too extravagant.

The pricing policy is very moderate compared to Dior or Louis Vuitton, where a bag can cost £10,000.

Anya Hindmarch is a great supporter of Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives. She even engaged in fundraising for the party, was an unofficial advisor to David Cameron, and was friends with his wife, Samantha Cameron.

This isn't the first time an Anya Hindmarch bag has been involved in diplomacy. In 2012, during a meeting between David Cameron and then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy received a monogrammed satin clutch.

The brand remains well-known to the general public thanks to its cotton eco-bags for £5 with the inscription "I'm not a plastic bag" which were sold in British supermarkets and became a global phenomenon in 2007.

Today, it offers shoppers for £750, made from recycled plastic, with the updated slogan: "I Am A Plastic Bag". The brand has also returned to the mass market with limited-edition "smiley" shopper bags for £10, which are again sold through British supermarkets.

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