Guyanese creative Roberto Teekah’s show-stopping pieces are inspired from the world around him  

May 18, 2025 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

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Designing his own path…

Kaieteur News- Roberto Teekah, the creative mind behind ‘Rio de Roberto’, is a Guyanese visual artist and fashion designer who has always had a passion for creating art. One of his earliest ventures into fashion was designing for the Miss Mash Queen 2022 Pageant for Tamaisha Oxford.

The 26-year-old creative icon, during an interview with The Waterfalls, mentioned that he had been painting and drawing from an early age; eventually realising that his ideas could be expressed in other ways— through fashion and costumes. Teekah mentioned that he attended the E.R. Burrowes School of Art where he majored in both painting and textile art.

“I started off, and I still consider myself to be primarily a visual artist, but I look at fashion and fashion design as another medium of expression. When I attended Burrowes, I was exposed to a lot of different techniques and artistic mediums. At the Art School, I learnt how to draft sewing patterns and how to operate a sewing machine. I ran with those skills and I have been able to really create things that I had always been conceptualising. I was able to take images from my drawings and essentially bring them to life. It’s an amazing thing to be able to see my work come to life in that way,” Teekah said.

The designer highlighted that his inspiration comes from all over, even from the smallest things. He mentioned that growing up, he was an introverted child, and he would read lots of books and watch shows and documentaries— those memories and experiences continue to inspire some of his work today.

“I get inspiration from so many things. As an artist, I’m always thinking creatively and seeing things that inspire me. Everyday things like people at the market, objects on the road… inspiration is everywhere” he said.

He further added that when coming up with designs, he would usually take into consideration the background of his clients, their experiences; where they grew up, their likes and dislikes, and so on.

“I created a costume for the Miss East Coast Pageant last year that was inspired by the sugar industry and old-time Guyanese confectionary. The inspiration for that costume came from someone that I saw selling sweets to at the Plaisance Market. I made the connection between that and the sugar industry in Guyana and how important it was along the Coast of Guyana. The costume is called ‘Demerara Sweetness’ and it really wowed the crowd on the pageant night. I think it was something that the audience could immediately recognise as Guyanese culture.”

Teekah went on to say that even social issues serve as a form of inspiration to him.

“Societal issues can inspire me.. If you think about a problem that you see in society, or something that might be bothering you…why not explore that in a work of art to convey your point of view and get the audience thinking about things that maybe they weren’t thinking about before. I believe art can and should be used to create social change and convey important messages,” he said.

The designer further explained that in his creative process, he loves to focus his designs and ideas on unexpected and unappreciated things.

“For me, something that I think is important to my expression as an artist and as a designer is being able to reference things that people may overlook. For my collection, ‘Pon de Clothesline’, I really wanted to explore something that I think all Guyanese can relate to— hand-washing clothes the old fashioned way. I wanted to use elements from the ‘wash-day’ in my collection— scrubbing boards, clothes-beaters, blue soap; things that you wouldn’t expect to see on the runway. I love taking those authentically Guyanese experiences, things that people can relate to, and showcasing them in a way that people wouldn’t expect, but can immediately identify with.” the designer said.

Teekah added that often the things that unite Guyanese are overlooked, which is why he makes an extra effort to explore them in his work. Referring to his recent runway collection, he said, “most of us can feel a connection to those experiences and it really unites us as one people. It’s something that we pass every day, and take for granted, but when it’s presented to us… it’s different. It gives people the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.”

 

The Miss World Pageant

Miss World Guyana – Zalika Samuels worked with Teekah to create her costume for the ‘Dances of the World’ segment at the 72nd Miss World Pageant in India. The piece called ‘The Jaguar Warrior’ is a tribute to Guyanese born actress Letitia Wright, the world of Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’, and our national animal, the Jaguar. The piece combines the Wakanda warrior aesthetic with elements of East-Indian and Indigenous cultures. It celebrates the power of Guyanese women and what they can accomplish on a global scale.

The costume left a mark on the Miss World Stage, garnering attention from international bloggers. The Jaguar headpiece represents Guyana’s National Animal— embodying elements of strength and power. The black and gold bodysuit was inspired by the Wakanda warrior armour, with a flowing gold cape adding an element of opulence and regality. The beaded accents in the colours of our flag reference Indigenous Guyanese culture; while the trident pays homage to the Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice rivers, while also referencing Hindu goddesses associated with feminism and female empowerment.

Teekah’s Achievements

The designer told, The Waterfalls that being an artist in Guyana is by no means easy, but he works hard to continue to be successful at it.

Teekah added that some of his achievements that he is most proud of include being able to design for the Miss World Pageant, as well as illustrating books with the Environnemental Management Consultation Inc. (EMC).

“These are goals that maybe I’ve always had in the back of my mind, but I’ve never really known how to pursue them. Being able to see my work on the international stage at Miss World, and being able to have my illustrations in books, like with the EMC projects, is a little unbelievable at times. My work is now in the same type of books that I grew up reading and on the television that I watched as a child…”

He concluded that “Sometimes, growing up in Guyana, it’s difficult to see yourself going beyond what is around you. Achievements like creating a costume for an international stage to represent the entire country; or to illustrate a book that will be read by children across Guyana and even the world; or to even continue to live and work as an artist in an environment where it’s not always conducive. It feels unreal, but it is very real. I’m doing it, I’m living it, and I will continue to.”

You can follow Teekah’s journey on his social media pages: Facebook- Rio de Roberto, Instagram: @rio.de.roberto

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