Sarabande :The Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation has popped up at Selfridges with House of Bandits.

 

One of the many legacies that the late genius Lee Alexander McQueen left the world after his untimely death in 2020 aged just 40 was Sarabande :The Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation named after his SS07 show.  He created  it with the  ambition to support the most creatively fearless minds of the future, and it has been a big success. It has nurtured more than 200 artists and designers, and supported tens of thousands more through a pioneering public programme of events.

Sarabande’s support is offered in three core ways – scholarships to study at top level institutions in London, a subsidised studio programme with bespoke mentoring, and a public programme of on-site events for the wider creatives industries.

Sarabande operates from a listed Stable Block conversion in Haggerston and two Grade II listed townhouses in Tottenham, where 30 studios form a creative community with designers and artists from multiple disciplines. The building is home to a plethora of artisans reflecting the multifarious span of Lee’s talent and the variety of craftspeople he worked with his own collections. Amongst others, the tactile artists include sculptors, fashion designers, jewellers, textile designers, painters, performance artists, silversmiths, costume designers, ceramicists, and dancers. Alongside these, Sarabande also houses filmmakers, animators, photographers, digital designers, and visual artists.

Since 2012, Sarabnde have been awarding scholarships for students to study at prestigious institutions in London. Successful students are chosen with the input of an industry expert from within the foundation’s network for being fearless in their creativity but lack financial backing. Recent specialists have included Sarah Burton OBE, Nick Knight CBE, Matthew Slotover, Sadie Coles, Jake Chapman and Marina Abramović. The scholarship program is the backbone of Sarabande’s work, supporting the education of future generations’ most visionary creatives.

Now the  Foundation that works to ensure art is accessible to everyone, has popped up at Selfridges with House of Bandits. The concept store and gallery features a curation of products across art, fashion, jewellery, sculpture and home accessories, including artworks from Daisy Collingridge, Karimah Hassan, Darcey Fleming, Kasia Wozniak, Leyman Lahcine and Shirin Fathi; limited-edition designs from Thom Browne, Jake Chapman and Craig Green; and plates by Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli, Tim Burton and Francesca Amfitheatrof. Sarabande has also taken over three of the department store’s windows on Orchard Street, and artists and makers from the Foundation will be working live on the shop floor, bringing its creative studio vibe to Selfridges.

From 20 January to 23 March the space will showcase bold and boundary-pushing work from our artists and designers, alongside limited-edition creations from our brilliant supporters, including:

• A special shirt by Thom Browne
• A T-shirt featuring a design by Jake Chapman
• A limited-edition sweatshirt by Sarabande alumnus Craig Green

Kudos to Selfridges for championing the creative industries and giving us this incredible platform to spotlight the next generation of artists and designers. It’s a celebration of creativity in all its forms, and every purchase will go directly towards supporting these visionaries and our foundation’s work.

 

 

 

House of Bandits Has Arrived at Selfridges!   From 20 January to 23 March, the store will be at the Lower Ground Floor at Selfridges London. Come and explore a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind artworks, exclusive products, and an unmissable line-up of talks, artist workshops, VIP events, and more.