Tim Yip studied fine arts at the Hong Kong Linghai Art School and later graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic with a Higher Diploma in Professional Photography. In 1993, he ventured into theatrical design through his collaboration on Contemporary Legend Theatre's Medea of Loulan. Engaging extensively with various theatrical models, he has exerted a significant influence on the performing arts scene, sparking widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally.
His stage costume designs include Contemporary Legend Theatre's Medea of Loulan and Oresteia; Tai-Gu Tales Dance Theater's Mandala of Life and Soliloquy of Poetry and Flowers; Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's Burning the Pine and When the Sun Stands Still; Legend Lin Dance Theater's Mirrors of Life and Anthem for Fading Flowers; Formosa Dance Theatre's Transplantation; Han Tang Gran Opera's Feast of Han-Tang Culture, Sheng-Ge-Xing, and The Romance of the Lychee Mirror; U-Theatre's Dancing with You; and the Vienna premiere of Lin Hwai-min's opera Rashomon.
Yip achieved global renown by winning the 2001 Academy Award for Best Art Direction and the BAFTA for Best Costume Design for Ang Lee's martial arts masterpiece Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. His extensive film credits include serving as executive art director for John Woo's A Better Tomorrow, Ringo Lam's City on Fire, and Stanley Kwan's Rouge. He has worked as art director for Clara Law's Autumn Moon and Temptation of a Monk (for which he won a Golden Horse Award), as well as Feng Xiaogang's The Banquet, Chen Kaige's The Promise, Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, and John Woo's Red Cliff.