I visited London for the first time this summer before embarking on a 7-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords, and it was just lovely. The city is very easy to get around—walkable, with easy tap-to-pay options for the buses and Underground trains. We saw many famous sights across London, including Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Abbey Road and Buckingham Palace.
To my surprise, though, one of my most memorable experiences in London happened on Portobello Road. It began with a visit to the Notting Hill neighborhood during a particularly hot afternoon, as my daughter wanted to see the colorful, quaint streets. We found ourselves searching for the Notting Hill Shopping Bag—and ended with meeting the bag’s creator, Natasha Courtenay-Smith.
At the time, we had no idea there was such an interesting story behind the bags we had seen all over London. What we expected to be a quick stop to pick out a souvenir turned into an hour-long visit filled with shopping, conversation and a chance meeting we never could have planned. It made our afternoon in Notting Hill much more memorable.
Discovering the Notting Hill Shopping Bag
As we explored London for a few days, we of course had to do some souvenir shopping. My oldest daughter noticed people carrying these cute tote bags in many different colors everywhere we went with bold letters: “Notting Hill Shopping Bag”. She decided she wanted to purchase one, so we added Notting Hill to our tourist destinations.
We knew nothing about the Notting Hill Shopping Bag before our London vacation. The colorful, reusable tote originated in the quaint Notting Hill neighborhood, made famous around the world by the 1999 movie starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
As we made our way across the city, we learned that Portobello Road is one of the best-known destinations for Notting Hill shopping in London.
It seemed to take a while to reach our destination, but when we finally came around the corner and reached this charming Notting Hill shopping street. We saw multiple stores—four, I believe—mostly featuring these distinctive bags.
My husband was very surprised and said in his normal loud voice, “They even have stores just selling these bags?”
A lady sitting on the steps at the entrance of one of the stores responded to his comment.
“Yes, there are! They are actually very popular!” she said with a smile.
Then she added, “I designed these bags 15 years ago.”
Meeting the creator of the famous Notting Hill Shopping Bag
My husband found me shopping in one of the stores and shared his experience. My first thought was, “Yeah, sure—she designed them,” questioning the authenticity of her comment.
But then she walked up to my husband and me as we stood in front of the store, where our daughters were trying to decide among the many designs. I took the opportunity to ask her more questions about her business venture and these popular London souvenirs.
Her name is Natasha Courtenay-Smith, and she goes by Tasha. She confirmed that she designed the bags in 2009. I asked what had motivated her, and she responded, “Do you really want to know? It is kind of silly.”
I replied sincerely, “Yes, I do!”
She shared that she was new to the Notting Hill neighborhood and wanted to make friends. I admired her honesty.
Now that I was convinced her comment to my husband was legitimate, I wanted to know more. I asked about the inspiration for these simple yet distinctive shopping bags.
She explained that all the touristy items around town had “London” printed on them. Her neighborhood had gained notoriety after the 1999 movie, and she thought it would be cool to have a souvenir bag that let people know they had visited the colorful buildings, famous markets and distinctive character of the Notting Hill neighborhood she loved.
How London’s viral Notting Hill Shopping Bag began
Tasha explained that she went out on a limb and ordered 1,000 bags. Then she walked around to neighborhood businesses and asked if they would sell her bags in their stores.
Many agreed, and within a few weeks, several businesses—especially the fruit stands—said the bags were selling fast and they needed more.
“That’s how it all began,” Tasha explained.
The lightweight yet durable bag was created as an alternative to single-use plastic bags, helping to cut down on waste. That is an attractive feature for buyers who want to make a more eco-friendly choice. The bags are spacious, easy to carry and washable.
Choosing our Notting Hill Shopping Bags
After meeting the creator of these famous London totes, my other daughter and I decided we needed to buy bags, too. Meeting Tasha and hearing their history and passion for her business made us excited to join the large group of buyers. Plus, the bags made a distinctive statement that we had visited this popular London neighborhood.
Tasha followed us into the store with the largest selection. When I asked about the original design, she pointed to the bags with black words printed on natural cotton material. She also showed us the limited editions. One of those was my youngest daughter’s favorite, so she chose that one.
I then asked Tasha which color was her favorite in the entire store, among probably dozens. After quickly looking around, she pointed to one with pink lettering on light blue material.
Knowing it was her favorite—and knowing my difficulty making decisions when there are so many choices—I picked that one!
She told me that the bestseller at the time was the green bag with pink logo lettering. You probably couldn’t go wrong with any of them, and the price was very reasonable.
Shopping Bag or Shopper Bag?
As I moved between stores, I noticed that the branding tag with “NHSB” printed on it looked slightly different between bags. I asked a salesman if one was a knockoff or counterfeit.
He explained that the tag could tell you whether a bag was made in Pakistan or Uzbekistan. I found that interesting. There were also look-alike bags sold by other stores and street vendors throughout the city. Some used the slightly different wording “Notting Hill Shopper Bag.”
That small difference later became central to a legal dispute involving the rights to the brand name and logo. In a 2025 High Court judgment, the court dismissed the trade mark infringement, passing-off and copyright infringement claims.
The court found that the disputed trade mark had expired and had not been validly renewed. It also found that differences in the wording, font and layout of the “Shopper” logo meant it did not infringe the copyright in Tasha’s original design.
“Shopping” versus “Shopper” was a small difference that could easily catch a casual buyer off guard.
Meeting Tasha was truly the highlight of our day
I was so impressed by Tasha’s genuine excitement about sharing her story, meeting and greeting people, and engaging in conversation while answering all my questions.
I watched her talk to many other shoppers during the two hours we were there. Her love for the neighborhood was evident as she watched people swarm into the shops to pick their favorite bag color combination. She made the whole experience much more meaningful and memorable.
I asked how I could best follow her on social media, and she pulled up her YouTube account, Tash Courtenay-Smith. I snapped a photo so I wouldn’t forget it—which happens a lot at my age.
Meeting her was the highlight of my day and maybe even my visit to London. She was so passionate, friendly, informative and interesting.
The Notting Hill Shopping Bag website says the bag helps you carry a little piece of the neighborhood with you every day. They even invite customers to send photos of themselves with their bags from around the world.
I still need to do that. I would guess I will probably be the first person from South Dakota!
Bringing home a little piece of Notting Hill
After our exciting day meeting Tasha, I did more research about her bags. According to Tasha’s account of the project, it has donated 10% of its profits to local charities and supported traders in the neighborhood.
The reusable cotton totes are generously sized, although the dimensions vary by style. The collection was also selected to be shown to Kate Middleton when she visited Portobello Market, adding to its recognition.
Making my purchase while meeting Tasha made the experience of buying the Notting Hill Shopping Bag so memorable.
She shared that her initial goal was for those who purchased a bag to signal to others that they had personally experienced her beloved, iconic London neighborhood. That was what she had imagined.
But as the business grew, its popularity and demand made it wise to offer the bags online worldwide. So now they are available online. For me, though, meeting Natasha Courtenay-Smith in person was my favorite part, and I loved being able take a picture with her.
About the Notting Hill Shopping Bag
What is the Notting Hill Shopping Bag?
The Notting Hill Shopping Bag is a reusable cotton tote created by Notting Hill resident Natasha Courtenay-Smith in 2009. It was designed as an alternative to single-use plastic bags and as a souvenir celebrating the markets, colorful buildings and distinctive character of the London neighborhood.
Why Is the Notting Hill Shopping Bag Famous?
The Notting Hill Shopping Bag is famous for its recognizable text-based design and its connection to one of London’s best-known neighborhoods. It began as a local market bag but grew into a popular London souvenir carried by visitors and collectors around the world.
Its many colors, limited editions, practical design and eco-friendly purpose have also contributed to its popularity.
Where can you buy the Notting Hill Shopping Bag?
If you are wondering where to get the Notting Hill Shopping Bag, the official store is located at 15 Portobello Road in London.
Bags are also sold by other shops and market traders around Portobello Road. You can purchase the original design and other styles from the official Notting Hill Bag website.
Look carefully at the wording and branding if you specifically want the version associated with Tasha’s original design, as similar “Notting Hill Shopper Bag” products are also legally sold in the area.
How much is the Notting Hill Shopping Bag?
At the time of publication, the original Notting Hill Shopping Bag is listed online for £14.99. Other colors, materials and limited-edition designs may cost more.
