Chasing The Sun
Veuve Clicquot

For Veuve Clicquot’s Chasing the Sun campaign, Yinka Ilori created a vibrant creative universe centred around joy, optimism, and human connection. Presented during Milan Design Week 2026, the collaboration explores the idea that “you are the sun that you chase”, a reflection on the inner light, warmth, and energy each person carries within themselves.

At the heart of the project is the symbolism of the sun as both a physical and emotional force: something that gathers people together, creates moments of warmth, and shapes how we experience the world around us. Looking beyond the surface of celebration, Ilori became interested in what truly draws people together and where the joy we all seek actually comes from. The result is a body of work that invites visitors not only to celebrate, but also to pause, reflect, and reconnect with themselves and others.

The collection is deeply informed by the symbolism of the calabash, a vessel rooted in West African culture and traditionally associated with gathering, sharing, nourishment, and creativity. Growing up surrounded by these forms, Ilori was drawn to the way the calabash only reaches its full purpose when activated by community and human interaction. Reimagined through his contemporary visual language, it becomes a metaphor for generosity, care, and collective experience.

Inspired by lessons passed down from his Nigerian parents, “whatever you sow is what you shall reap”, the project reflects on cultivation in both a literal and emotional sense. Just as the sun nurtures growth in nature, the work explores how people nurture joy, confidence, and connection within themselves and their communities.

The collaboration features immersive installations and collectible design objects including the Sun Holder champagne bucket, Sun Totems, and reimagined Clicquot Arrow gift boxes. Crafted using upcycled materials and innovative 3D knitting technologies, the works combine bold colours, protective hands, sun motifs, and sculptural forms inspired by the calabash to create an uplifting and tactile experience. The colour palette itself responds to the changing nature of sunlight, shifting between rich yellows and warm oranges depending on light, material, and perspective.

At Milan Design Week, the installation transformed the intensity of the city into a space for reflection, connection, and warmth. Amid the fast pace and stimulation of the fair, visitors were invited to slow down, gather beneath a radiant sun-like dome, and experience moments of calm, togetherness, and rest.

Through Chasing the Sun, Ilori created an environment that reminds us that the “sun” we are all searching for can also be found within ourselves.

Client
Veuve Clicquot

Practice
Packaging Design