Constructing Handmade Teddy Bears with Diana Yunusova

To see more of Diana’s life and work, follow @teddydi on Instagram.

(This interview was conducted in Russian.)

“Any toy animal that’s sewn in the traditional teddy bear style are ‘Mishki,’ which is Russian for ‘little bear cubs,’” explains Diana Yunusova (@teddydi), a teddy bear artist who lives in St. Petersburg, Russia. “Mishki take many forms and styles, but my heart belongs to the worn, vintage-style bears we call ‘tortured.’” Her handmade bears are “teacup-sized,” anywhere from six to seven inches (15 to 17 centimeters) tall, and for Diana, they’re the personification of childhood. “I find myself very encouraged by the fact that in today’s world, wealth is gradually fading into the background,” she says. “People increasingly appreciate work made by human hands, preferring a little bear or a handmade doll as gifts for relatives or even for themselves. These are gifts with a soul, which bring real emotion and joy.”