CHARLES & KEITH BY TEETEEHEEHEE

This season, to bring a little whimsy into our Winter 2019 collection, we have teamed up with Singapore-based embroidery artist Teresa Lim (@teeteeheehee) on an exclusive capsule collection. Known for her quirky illustrations and intricate needlework, Teresa has created some unique artworks for this special collaboration.

The designs are embriodered on four different products: a round tote bag, a bucket bag, a saddle bag and a coin pouch. Inspired by the mystical energy of nature and the artist’s fictional alter-ego, Anya, a beautiful mix of green leaves, blue water and pink blossoms stands out against the accessories’ black faux leather.

Rich in details and striking colours, the limited-edition CHARLES & KEITH BY TEETEEHEEHEE collection will definitely brighten up your winter wardrobe.

Read on to learn more about the artist.

How did you decide to focus on embroidery, as opposed to more conventional ways of marking art, like painting?

I like that embroidery – it is a very intentional craft, in the sense that you cannot accidentally create a stitch. Here is another example I like to give. To draw a line with a pen it takes about 2 seconds, but to “draw” the same line with embroidery takes about 3 minutes. I like that very much about embroidery, it is like my form of meditation and therapy.

Other than embroidery, you also play the violin and love to travel. What is the common thread that runs through these different passions of yours?

The discovery and imagination of stories. When playing a piece, I get very emotional about the piece that I am playing and I like to imagine the story that inspired the song. It could be a simple Minuet or Gavotte and I will imagine characters that go with this dance. It could be a very dark and sinister sounding concerto and I will imagine stormy seas and people on the ship.

With travelling, it is kind of the same. With a change in landscape and environment, I get to observe people from different cultures. Even the houses that they live in are enough to get me thinking about their lives and imagining characters and stories. I usually note these on my iPhone – or when I have time, I will sit in a cafe and write in a notebook.

From your Instagram feed, it is clear that you have a very distinctive and vibrant personal style. Do your style and art influence each other – and if so, in what ways?

Yes, I love prints and colours. When working on my art, I put different colours and textures together on fabric. However, when it comes to dressing, I become the canvas so I tend to put together colours and mix prints that I would use for my work.

While working on the CHARLES & KEITH capsule collection, what inspired you to create the artworks that will be featured on the products?

I was very heavily inspired by the characters that I collect from my stories – either from my imagination or the books I read. One of my main characters that I always end up drawing is named Anya. When I was younger, I wrote a whole journal worth of letters to her over the course of a year, detailing my thoughts and observations of my world.

In a way, she has become quite real to me. For this collection, I thought it would be a great chance for her to come into my world through the form of the illustrations I create. This collection is also influenced by my love for hands, because hands are starting points for almost everything creative – it is like a gateway to other worlds.