[A]s a designer and visionary Lee Alexander McQueen passionately believed in supporting the next generation of creatives. Named in honour of his iconic 2007 Spring/Summer collection, the Sarabande Foundation was created to provide financial support to artists at key moments in their careers.
Established in 2016 in partnership with Ketel One Vodka, the Sarabande studios provide a space for creatives from different backgrounds to develop their work regardless of financial status. Lee McQueen’s work was characterised by a strong understanding of bringing together different disciplines and the space – situated on the site of a former horses stables in Haggerston – is designed to encourage collaboration and experimentation.
Current residents range from milliners Leo Carlton and Jo Miller, to jewellery designer Charlotte Garnett and wearable sculpture designer Esna Su. Each artist is supported with a subsidized studio space, mentoring and access to equipment/talks and workshops.
Sitting at the heart of the studios is a bespoke Ketel One Vodka bar, created by Dutch designer and long time McQueen collaborator, Tord Boontje. Featuring a counter clad with a skin of copper scales and a wall of one hundred floating clear bottles, the transportive space embodies the limitless creative potential of the project, and is part of Ketel One’s ongoing commitment to nurturing new talent.
Take a closer look around the incredible space in the images below and look out for our series on the Sarabande artists-in-residence over the next week.
