Bare Bear

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. By day I work as a motion designer. By night I make customs. I got into doing customs toys in 2010, and what started as a hobby has turned into a lot more. I strive to do things I haven’t seen before. Custom toys are the only medium I’ve been able to look at, see exactly what I want in my head and then create it. My work technique ranges from the extraction of shapes, to threading, to the insertion of toothpicks or blocks. Regardless of the method, I always want my work to stand out. My customs have been shown at NYCC via Toy2R, as well as in several West Cost shows. Some of my pieces have been sold in the New York Kidrobot store, however, if you’re in the market for one of my customs you may want to check out memakestore.com Follow my progress on customs via my Twitter account. @carsoncatlin CCC