Born in Riga, Latvia, when it was still part of the USSR, Anya’s childhood was marked by the typical Soviet challenges: no access to foreign goods and limited exposure to Western culture.  Anya compensated for this, like a lot of Russians, by involving herself vigorously in classical Russian arts such as ballet, gymnastics, piano-playing and fine art.   From an early age, with the encouragement of her mother, Anya also learnt to make herself beautiful clothes and accessories. 

Her creative flair led her to study architecture and then interior design in Riga.  Later, she was talent-spotted by the Central Saint Martins’s College of Art and Design in London, and after graduating from there she undertook a degree in Product Design Development for Leather Accessories at the London College of Fashion. 

After completion of her studies, Anya furthered her skills at Alexander McQueen's studio in London, where she worked on the Couture Collections presented during Paris Fashion Week 2006. Anya set up her own company and luxury handbag brand in 2008 and exhibited her first collection, ‘Chic & Shape’, at Paris Fashion Week in 2009 following which she was named in trade press as ‘a trend setter’. Anya spends most of her days in her studio in Kent along with her hand-picked team of talented designers and leather specialists.

You can view more about life behind-the-scenes at Anya's studio on her Instagram account.