PRIDE IS WITHIN MY STORY Yinka Ilori x Sotheby's Tote Bag

"We are all products of different and personal experiences, but at the core of it all, we share a resilience, a hardship, and emotion"

This limited edition tote bag has been designed to commemorate Yinka's unprecedented immersive takeover of the Sotheby's cafe in London this autumn.

The design of both the café and trophy, shine a light on the lives of immigrant families in the UK, and particularly those living in North and East London where Yinka spent his childhood and still calls home today. Reflecting on his own personal history, and the household he grew up in, the idea was born from Yinka’s memories of his own family, and that of many immigrants in the UK, shaping their dreams through hard work and hustle. Traditionally, to show physical and visual signs of wealth and “achieved dreams”, families would buy British ornaments and ceramics, displaying them pride of place in their cabinets at home. The classic blue and white patterned Willow Plate, for example, came to inherit a trophy-like status, symbolising wealth and achievement.

After musing on whether these traditional ceramics truly reflected the stories of immigrants in the UK, Yinka, through the creation of the trophy, believes it is a true representation and celebration of the profound impact these families have had on British culture. Standing over one metre in height, “Places That Build Their Dreams”, pays tribute to Yinka’s childhood home in Islington, with a photograph of the estate at its centre and crowned with an intricate dove, representing peace.

READ MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT