I had the idea to make something on the same vast scale as Giotto's fresco cycles. The title of the work refers to the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which is about the Norman invasion of England - but my subject is about the invasion of brands into our lives. I named my work after Walthamstow, where my studio was when I made this.

It depicts the Seven Ages of Man - the journey from birth to death - through the lens of shopping. It's a self-portrait in the sense that I chose many brands that resonate with me and are prevalent in my life. I deliberately kept ambiguous any links between the name of the brand and the imagery I've drawn, so the associations are entirely non-judgemental (although there is definitely a lot of humour in this work!).

William Morris was born in Walthamstow, and while the tapestry nods to Morris's decorative style, it was also inspired by Sumatran batik fabrics. It is more than a decade since I created this work, and the majority of these brands still hold sway over our lives.

Grayson Perry, 2023