Category: Behind the Design

Scottish Beasties: An Inside Scoop on Scotland’s Iconic Animals

August 29, 2017

From rugged mountains to rolling green hills, to its expansive vistas of sea and islands, Scotland (though a relatively small country) is famous for its incredibly diverse landscape. And its colorful history is rich in tradition and symbolism.

But it’s not all tartan kilts and bagpipes. Many of Scotland’s oldest, most well-known symbols feature wee beasties, both real and fabled. From the cheerful Scotty dog to the heraldic leòmhann (that’s Gaelic for lion) to the country’s mythical mascot, the unicorn, get the inside scoop on Scotland’s iconic animals.

GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART PARTNERSHIP: Student Collaboration

August 7, 2017

The Tea boy and girl are bold, spirited, and completely unique…and everything they do—from the activities they take part in, to the clothes they wear—is a form of self expression. Here at Tea we encourage creativity from an early age, and our back-to-school collection celebrates the inner artist with unique patterns and designs inspired by Scottish arts of all kinds.

Behind The Design | The Celtic Knot

July 14, 2017

Scotland is steeped in Celtic culture and tradition. So when our designers went on their trip in search of inspiration, it’s no surprise that they drew a great deal of artistic influence from the ancient Celtic art that adorns the country. From traditional textiles like tartan and tweed, to the decorative motifs found in Pictish and Viking stone carvings, you’ll notice a strong sense of heritage and lot of classic Scottish elements playing through our fall and winter collections.

One of the prominent motifs featured in our latest back-to-school graphic styles for girl, boy and baby is the Celtic Knot. An intriguing symbol of Scottish pride, learn more about this ancient decorative art form and the meaning behind its various interwoven patterns.

Gales, Whales and Sea Tales | The Seafaring Spirit of Scotland

July 12, 2017

With 790 islands and 6,200 miles of coastline, the Scots seaside is a world of crashing waves, windswept shorelines and picturesque fishing villages. Surrounded by water on three sides, and home to thousands and thousands of lochs (lakes), it’s no wonder Scotland takes its fish and ships seriously. For hundreds of years, local lads set out to sea in search of a catch, in hopes of returning home with a hold full of “silver darlings”, as herring—a fish of legend and song—were called.

Call of the Wild: An Inside look at our favorite Aussie birds!

April 3, 2017

Cool new graphics are a thing here at Tea. Each season, our designers work tirelessly to bring you beautifully (often hand-drawn) designs that emanate the feeling of our destination. This season with Australia, you’ve seen some amazing graphics. Everything from animals and flowers to sport and transportation. With our new summer styles, we’re very excited about our Lorikeet Skirted Dress. This dress features hand painted prints of wild parrots, cockatoos and lorikeets (all birds!) that call Australia their home. Here’s a look at these birds, in real life!

Behind the Design: LaPointe Graphic Dress

March 30, 2017

Sydney is a city full of design inspiration. On their trip, our designers were inspired by the world around them, from the shapes and colors of the local architecture to the food, flowers, greenery and animals. They were also drawn to the work of Australian artists whose work they saw throughout the cities murals, museums and shops.

Behind the Design: Our latest Graphic Tees!

March 9, 2017

Boy42 Always up for an adventure, our newest tees were inspired by all the wild and wonderful things we saw in Australia. Follow along as we share a behind the scenes look at the inspiration for our graphics!