The GuardianThe Guardian

They had us at eh oh: The surprise staying power of Teletubbies

By Kyle MacNeill

13 Apr 2023 · 5 min read

Editor's Note

The Teletubbies is having an unexpected culture renaissance, with a number of designers, artists and activists taking inspiration from the children's TV show. The Guardian explains why.

“It was a no-brainer for me. These icons needed their fashion moment,” says British fashion designer Christian Cowan. The icons in question? They’re up to 10ft tall, frolic on a bucolic planet, hang out with a vacuum cleaner and worship a neonate deity known as the Sun Baby.

Cowan is used to dressing the likes of Cardi B, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Lizzo rather than Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. The London College of Fashion graduate set up his eponymous label in 2016 and has built a cult following thanks to party girl looks and outrageous collaborations, including collections with Powerpuff Girls, Doritos and TV sitcom American Dad. It is fitting, then, that he was the brains behind March’s most charming fashion collaboration: a new Teletubbies capsule collection.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.