Sarabande Foundation, established by Lee Alexander McQueen in 2010, welcomed guests to the gardens at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach on Monday, November 28th for a private cocktail hour and immersive dinner experience, with a breakdancing performance by Sarabande artist and sculptor Izaak Brandt. Francesca Amfitheatrof, Artistic Director of Watches and Jewellery Louis Vuitton and President of American Friends of Sarabande; and Trino Verkade, founding trustee of Sarabande Foundation co-hosted the event in Miami to encourage those already established in the art world to actively engage with new, visionary talent. Guests including Humberto Campana, Kate Bryan, Marianne Boesky, Polina Zackh, Misha Nonoo, Serena Rees, Sadie Coles, Shane Akeroyd, Damian Bradfield and, Daniel Levy met some of those artists and designers whose careers the foundation supports.
Sarabande artists Michaela Yearwood-Dan and Shirin Fathi also attended. Leaders from the global creative community came together to support and raise awareness for the foundation with Sarabande Dinner, the sequel to the foundation’s internationally acclaimed jamborees Reindeer, The Craftsman’s Dinner and Dream with Sarabande, London and New York. This is the third event created in partnership with The Standard and the UK-based charity’s second in the U.S. which builds awareness for their mission of providing support to artists dreaming of a bright future.
“Our partnership with the Sarabande Foundation is one of our most cherished,” said Amber Asher, CEO of Standard International. “Art, and supporting creative talent are key pillars of the Standard brand. We are thrilled to host the inaugural Sarabande fundraiser at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach during this Miami Art Week, to further that commitment.”
Guests were served cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Swing Lounge among Izaak Brandt’s hand-drawn, 3-D printed trainers which were suspended as a ‘floating’ installation, before a dinner served ‘family-style’ including cobia ceviche, filet mignon, Caribbean lobster and Key Lime pie. Tables were dressed as beds with embroidered pillow cases, cut-out copper ‘shadow puppet’ figures by artist Kirico Ueda, and candles in ceramic pots covered in octopus tentacles and flowers by Camilla Hanney, both Sarabande artists. Guests received bone china plates designed by Sir Ridley Scott, Jake Chapman, Francesca Amfitheatrof and Sarah Burton to take home.
Sarabande supports up-and-coming artists from across the globe (including the USA) and given its success in the U.K., Sarabande hopes to bring their winning formula to the U.S. with studio, gallery, and education spaces in New York City. To date, Sarabande has nurtured more than 150 fashion designers, jewelry designers, painters, sculptors, videographers, performance artists and more, including Craig Green, Molly Goddard, Auroboros, and Bianca Saunders. These creatives receive subsidized studio space, mentoring and scholarships, creating connections and collaborations to build peer-to-peer communities.
Photo Credit: BFA
