British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori collaborates with Marks and Spencer to launch a second bag. The exclusive lifestyle tote bag is made from 99% recycled plastic. It is now available launches in M&S stores across the UK.
This is the second reusable bag Yinka Ilori has created for the retailer. The bag – in the style of a tote bag – features a strap, zip, and inside pocket.
M&S wrote:
“Made from 99% recycled plastic – the rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) bag has utilised plastic waste which has been woven into polyester fabric to create a soft and durable tote bag. 600mm x 380mm in size and tested to hold up to 8kg in weight – it is the largest and most durable reusable bag available at M&S. From a weekend away to a trip to the beach, the bag has been designed with versatility in mind and features a strap, zip and inside pocket.”
At the start of his design career, Yinka Ilori worked at M&S’ Moorgate store for eight years. The tote bag was inspired by Ilori’s memories of working at M&S and dreaming up designs on his route home through a local park. Known for his distinctively bold and colourful artwork, this tote pays tribute to the “dreamer inside all of us”. The latest design proudly displays the artist’s name, as well as his mantra which is “dream loud so the world can hear” on the strap.
The lifestyle tote bag follows the success of the reusable colourful carrier bag, which has sold over 700,000 units since its debut in January. The latest design, together with the carrier bag, will be sold for £8 in M&S Clothing, Home, and Food stores across the UK.
Yinka Ilori commented: “I was overjoyed by the incredible success of my first bag collaboration with Marks & Spencer, and am thrilled to be partnering with this iconic British brand once again on a vibrant new tote bag. Made from recycled plastic, the design and colours have been inspired by my bus route to and from their store in Moorgate where I worked for eight years at the start of my design career. It’s a love letter to my surroundings and daily journey which celebrates the spirit of the dreamer within all of us. I hope its uplifting message will serve as a reminder to keep dreaming, and I can’t wait to see my new artwork in the hands of the public across the UK.“
Anna Brathwaite, Marketing Director of M&S Clothing & Home, says: “We’re so excited to be continuing our collaboration with M&S alumni and enormously talented Yinka. Bright and bold, the lifestyle tote bag is hard to miss – making it even easier for our customers to remember to bring their own bag whether they are shopping in-store or picking up a Click & Collect order. Or even doubling up as a colourful weekend, gym or beach bag!”
