Sarabande Foundation: Established By Lee Alexander Mcqueen

The Sarabande Foundation (named after McQueen’s 2007 Spring/Summer collection) was established because Lee passionately believed that young creative minds with the potential to push boundaries and overturn prevailing orthodoxies should be given the same opportunities he’d enjoyed. Against a back-drop of rising tuition fees and a worsening economic climate Lee’s idea of ‘giving back’ assumes still greater meaning. This idea of supporting and mentoring, central to Sarabande’s philosophy, has helped the foundation to assist fledgling talent overcome financial obstacles via Sarabande scholarship awards and to further encourage their development by opening a centre in East London where they can create, study and innovate. However, the vision for Sarabande doesn’t stop there; its mission is to build a creative hub that provides access to a wide range of resources and gives added support in a variety of ways. The genesis of all Lee’s achievements was his open-minded approach to absorbing diverse creative influences and applying them in new and exciting ways. It is that openness and bravery that Sarabande seeks to inspire in future generations of creatives.