EMBROIDERY EXCELLENCE

Professionalism. Quality. Creativity

Karen Torrisi has been embroidering professionally since 1994. Her embroidery has graced the Haute Couture catwalks in Paris, sparkled under lights on West End theatres stages in London & Australia, her embroidery won 1st in the International Hand & Lock embroidery prize open category. She is a published author and teaches bead embroidery all around the world.
Formally trained in Fashion, Karen pursued the specialised study of Tambour Beading & Embroidery with late beading author Maisie Jarratt.
In 1999 she received the prestigious Queens Trust Grant for Young Achievers to study the Professional level of Haute Couture Embroidery at the Ecole D’ Broderie d’art Lesage in Paris, France.
To further her advanced embroidery skills, she has attended courses at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court in the UK.
Opening her own atelier in Sydney Aust, Karen designed beading & embroidery for many designers & couturiers in Fashion, Film, Theatre & Bridal and coordinated a team of local embroiderers and beading production in the Far East
In 2011 Karen won 1st prize in the Open Category of the prestigious UK Hand & Lock Embroidery Prize.
She has worked for Parisian Haute couture design houses such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent & Celine
Her work appears on stage for musicals Frozen, Tina Turner, Aladdin, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera...
Screen commissions include Star Wars II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith
She is currently a freelance Tambour Beader & embroiderer, embroidery co-ordinator & tutor worldwide.