When VB Met Phoebe

“‘Something good is worth finding’ is one of Phoebe’s messages and, for me, that something is Phoebe,” says Libby Schoettle, New York City-based street artist and creator of PhoebeNewYork. Phoebe provides a quirky, artistic, and modern take on feminism and female empowerment including love and work. For VB, these shared values are exactly what drew her towards Phoebe in the first place. “Victoria makes magic and I think Phoebe makes magic, too.” And together, #VBandPhoebe marked this week’s launch of the Bitten Lip Tint and Lip Definer with eight collages sprinkled throughout the city.

But where did the idea for Phoebe begin? “Phoebe allows me to express what I can’t in real life and, in a sense, she’s become language I rely on to represent myself,” Schoettle says of the character she created fifteen years ago.

Above: Libby Schoettle and Victoria Beckham

Phoebe’s hallmarks include her round face, short bob, and distinctive style. Her outfits? The brainchild of Schoettle who creates collages using vintage magazines. “My art is very much like putting together a puzzle. I cut and tear everything out on my desk. I never use computers for my original art.”

And while her creation might employ some old school techniques—“that’s why I like street art—it’s paper and glue”—her message and mindset is modern much like the city she inhabits. “The city becomes part of the collage and the art. I choose pieces for the street based on how I think they’ll look and transform in the context of the city with the hope that they’ll change people because they’ve changed me.”

PhoebeNewYork’s reach extends beyond Manhattan to the digitalsphere. She has built a community of over 30,000 Instagram followers. “I don’t create art for social media, but it influences how I view my work. Often people will respond by telling me they feel better because of my piece, which is amazing.”