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The House of Veuve Clicquot has long understood that champagne is as much a cultural artifact as it is a craft. Its latest venture, a collaboration with British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE, seeks to codify this ethos through the "Chasing the Sun" collection. Ilori, whose work often serves as a vibrant intersection of his dual heritage and a profound sense of civic optimism, has reimagined the Maison’s solar identity. The result is a series of limited-edition objects that transcend mere gifting, offering instead a tactile exploration of light, togetherness, and the enduring audacity of the Clicquot legacy.
Born from Madame Clicquot's bold vision and embodied in the iconic Clicquot Yellow, the colour of the sun featured on the Maison's labels since 1877, this luminous identity continues to shape the brand's creativity, collaborations, and its distinctive way of celebrating joy.
Dream Big, Bright and Beautiful: A Celebration of Joy and Optimism
The partnership finds its equilibrium in a shared belief in purposeful cultivation. For Ilori, this is rooted in the Nigerian parable "whatever you sow is what you shall reap"—a guiding principle that mirrors the Maison’s own history of visionary labor. This isn’t merely about aesthetic alignment; it is a spiritual synchronicity. By anchoring his bold, polychromatic language in the historical weight of the Clicquot Yellow—a hue that has defined the brand since 1877—Ilori elevates the collection from a design exercise to a contemporary tribute to the sun as a universal healer and unifier.
Through expressive symbols—hands that cradle the sun and stars reimagined through a lens of human connection—Ilori translates the warmth of the champagne ritual into a modern design vernacular. Guided by his personal mantra, "in this world, you are the sun that you chase," he invites the discerning enthusiast to view these objects not as accessories, but as catalysts for conviviality. It is an ode to the light that heals and the social fabric that binds us, delivered with the quiet confidence of a designer who understands that joy is a serious pursuit.
Bringing his bold, colorful, and uplifting approach to cultivate joy and optimism, Yinka reimagines the Maison's solar legacy through expressive symbols: protective hands embracing the sun, reimagined stars, and symbols inspired by nature and human connection come together to celebrate light and togetherness. Together, they transform champagne rituals into an ode to the warmth that binds us and the light that heals.
A Radiant Collection of Exclusive Gifts
Crafted as a limited-edition series of luminous, functional, and meant-to-be-cherished gifting objects, the "Chasing the Sun" collection perfectly complements the Yellow Label and Rosé cuvées. Each creation, adorned with patterns imagined by Yinka Ilori, stands as a statement object.
Sun Totems
At the heart of the collection are the Sun Totems—sculptural reinterpretations of the calabash. Traditionally a functional vessel, the calabash is here elevated into a sunlit artifact that bridges utility and high design.
Utilizing upcycled materials and advanced 3D knitting technology, these portable chillers maintain the Yellow Label or Brut Rosé at an optimal temperature for ninety minutes. It is a sophisticated marriage of sustainability and performance, designed for the spontaneous moments that define a life well-lived—whether on a Mediterranean terrace or a sun-drenched city park.
Whether enjoying an artfully curated picnic on a sun-drenched afternoon, celebrating aboard a yacht, or toasting on a stylish city terrace, the Chasing the Sun collection invites you to embrace a lifestyle defined by spontaneity, conviviality, and life's simple pleasures under the sun.