TALES House is the latest chapter in a vision that has been years in the making.
There are people who build businesses, and there are people who build movements.
For over a decade, Bukky Asehinde has dedicated her life’s work to ensuring that African creativity is not only celebrated but recognised as a powerful force on the global stage. As the founder of Bellafricana, she has created an ecosystem that equips African creative entrepreneurs with the visibility, community, and opportunities they need to thrive internationally.
What began as a simple desire to make authentic African products more accessible has grown into a thriving network of over 20,000 creatives across multiple countries, the launch of TALES (The African Lifestyle Experience), and now TALES House London, a permanent home for African creativity in one of the world’s most influential cities.
But for Bukky, this journey has never been about products alone. It has always been about people, stories, culture, and creating opportunities that outlive her.
In this conversation, Bukky shares the story behind TALES House, the lessons she’s learned building Bellafricana, and her bold vision for a future where every major city in the world has a place that celebrates the richness, innovation, and excellence of African creativity.
1. Every big vision has a beginning. Looking back, what journey led from Bellafricana and TALES to the creation of TALES House?
If I’m honest, I don’t think TALES House started this year. I think it started the day Bellafricana was born.
From the very beginning, my vision has always been to make African creativity globally accessible.
Bellafricana gave us the community.
Then came the marketplace.
In 2023, we launched our first London pop-up, which later became TALES. Watching people experience African creativity in person completely changed my thinking. Customers didn’t just want to buy products, they wanted to meet the founders, hear the stories and immerse themselves in the culture.
After every edition, people kept asking, “When are you opening again?”
That question stayed with me.
I realised African creativity deserved more than a seasonal moment. It deserved a permanent home.
That’s how TALES House was born.
2. TALES House is more than a physical space. What does it represent, and what gap was it created to fill for African creative brands?
TALES House represents possibility.
It’s a place where African creativity is seen, celebrated and experienced every day.
For years, many African brands have struggled to access international retail opportunities. They produce world-class products but often don’t have a physical presence in global cities.
TALES House changes that.
It’s where customers can discover remarkable African brands all year round, where founders can test new markets, where collaborations happen, where conversations begin and where opportunities are created.
It’s not simply a retail space.
Rather, it’s an ecosystem.
3. Why was London the right location, and what opportunities does that create for African brands?
London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world.
It’s a place where people are curious about culture, craftsmanship, and discoveries.
It also has a large African and diaspora community alongside international visitors from every part of the world.
For African brands, it creates opportunities to reach customers they may never have had access to back home.
It’s not just about selling products.
It’s about building global visibility, credibility and relationships.
4. Walk us through TALES House today. What can visitors, shoppers, and creative entrepreneurs expect when they step inside?
The first thing I hope people feel is warmth.
When you walk into TALES House, you’re walking into the home of African creativity.
You’ll discover beautiful fashion, beauty, art, homeware and lifestyle brands from across Africa.
You’ll meet founders.
Hear their stories.
Attend conversations and creative experiences.
Discover products you probably didn’t know existed.
Every corner has been intentionally curated to celebrate Africa’s creativity in a premium, welcoming way.
We want people to leave saying,
“I had no idea Africa had so much to offer.”
5. The residency programme is a key part of the space. What inspired it, who is it for, and what impact do you hope it will have on African creative entrepreneurs?
One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that meaningful growth takes time.
A weekend pop-up is wonderful, but sometimes brands need longer to understand a new market, build customer relationships and gather feedback.
That’s what inspired the residency programme.
It allows brands to become part of TALES House for an extended period, giving them the opportunity to build confidence, refine their products, understand customer behaviour and establish a presence in London without the enormous cost of opening their own store.
My hope is that it becomes a launchpad for brands ready to expand internationally.
6. Building TALES House has been a shared journey. When Bukky first shared the vision with you, what was your immediate reaction, and what convinced you it was worth building?
Tobi Asehinde:
To be honest, my first reaction was, “This is a really big vision.”
I’ve watched Bukky dream for years, and one thing I’ve learnt is that when she believes deeply in something, it’s usually because she’s responding to a real need she has seen over time.
We had already seen what TALES was doing. Every year, creatives would leave asking, “What’s next?” Customers wanted to know when we’d be back. Brands wanted more opportunities to connect with buyers. It became clear that one annual event, as impactful as it was, couldn’t fully meet that need.
The more we talked about it, the more TALES House made sense.
For me, it wasn’t just about opening another retail space. It was about creating infrastructure for African creativity. A place where brands could consistently be seen, discovered and grow internationally.
I’ve always believed that Africa has incredible talent. What has often been missing is access and platforms that position our creatives for long-term success.
TALES House is one step towards changing that.
What convinced me was seeing that this wasn’t simply Bukky’s dream, it was becoming the natural next chapter for Bellafricana. Every step over the last decade had been preparing us for this moment.
We’re still at the beginning, but I genuinely believe TALES House has the potential to become something much bigger than London. My hope is that one day, we’ll see spaces like this in major cities around the world, giving African creatives the visibility and opportunities they deserve.
7. Since the opening, what’s been the moment that made you stop and think, “This is exactly why we built it”?
There have been quite a few moments.
But one that stands out was watching someone walk into TALES House, completely by chance, discover African brands for the first time, and leave saying,
“I never knew Africa had products like this.”
That moment reminded me why this matters.
Sometimes people don’t reject African creativity because they don’t appreciate it.
They simply haven’t been exposed to it.
TALES House changes that.
8. As TALES 2026 approaches, how does TALES House strengthen the bigger vision you’re building, and what can people look forward to?
TALES House allows us to continue the conversation long after TALES ends.
Before now, TALES happened once a year; now the impact continues every day.
Brands can continue selling, customers can continue discovering, and partnerships continue growing.
By the time TALES arrives each year, we’re not starting from zero anymore. We’re building on momentum.
That’s incredibly exciting.
9. If someone discovers the space for the first time through this interview, what’s the one thing you hope they leave knowing about African creativity?
I hope they leave knowing that African creativity is not emerging.
It has always been here, and it has always been innovative.
It has always been beautiful; it simply deserves to be seen.
My dream is that one day, every major city in the world will have a place like TALES House, a destination where people can experience the very best of African fashion, beauty, art, food, and lifestyle.
__
TALES House is more than a destination. It is a growing movement to make African creativity visible, accessible, and celebrated every day.
Whether you’re looking to discover exceptional African brands, explore residency opportunities, or experience the space for yourself, TALES House offers a place where creativity, culture and commerce come together.
Learn more about TALES House and upcoming experiences at TALES House London, and follow the journey on Instagram (@taleshouselondon) and TikTok (@taleshouselondon) for the latest stories, events and behind-the-scenes moments.
