Pip!

Raised in Dronfield in the United Kingdom, Squink! grew up on a diet of popcorn, candy, and Jayce and the wheeled warriors. Qualified as a graphic designer but also a keen painter from a very early age, he became a toy collector with the launch Of the Toy2R Qee, which eventually lead to customising everything he could get his hands on! A head filled with characters in need of being set free finally had an outlet. Heavily influenced by japanese culture and 80’s cartoons, he claims to put a little bit of his soul into each character he creates, giving them all a unique personality, fueled by coffee, good smelly cheese and shoegaze. Gathering inspiration from the toys and natural forms he surrounds himself with. Squink! has more recently branched out into canvas paintings, and also limited edition screen printed t-shirts. Qee Bear is a designer toy created by Toy2R, a Hong Kong-based company founded by Raymond Choy. It is part of the Qee (pronounced “key”) series, a line of customizable, anthropomorphic figures that became a major influence in the global designer toy movement. Qee Bears have a rounded head, stubby limbs, and a signature “Q” shaped keychain attachment, allowing them to be used as collectibles or keychains. Like BE@RBRICK, Qee Bears come in DIY (Do-It-Yourself) blank versions, allowing artists and collectors to customize their own designs. Available in multiple sizes, typically 2.5-inch mini Qees, 8-inch medium Qees, and larger collector editions. Toy2R has worked with international designers, brands, and pop culture franchises, including collaborations with Tokidoki, Michael Lau, Adidas, and even Star Wars. Qee Bears were one of the earliest urban vinyl collectibles to gain international recognition in the early 2000s, helping establish the designer toy movement alongside figures like Dunny (Kidrobot) and BE@RBRICK (Medicom Toy). Though they’ve been somewhat overshadowed by newer toy trends, Qee remains an iconic piece of designer toy history.