The LEGO Group and Queer Eye reveal set celebrating Creative Expression and Promote Positivity
The LEGO Group and Queer Eye reveal a special new set in honour of the award-winning show that has brought tears to our eyes and joy to our hearts. The LEGO® Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft set is a model of the apartment that serves as the group’s base in the show.
The set, created in partnership with Queer Eye creators Scout Productions in a partnership conceived by the show’s licensing agency IMG, will be available globally from October 1st on www.LEGO.com, LEGO stores and select retail partners.
Matthew Ashton, Vice President of Design at the LEGO Group and lead designer of the new set, worked closely with the Fab Five and is proud of the collaboration and what it stands for.
He said: “Queer Eye has had such a positive impact on so many people’s lives which is why we are excited for this collaboration. It reminds us that we need to take time to celebrate kindness and help build each other up. In this set we’ve captured themes central to both the LEGO Group and the show – caring, creativity, learning and fun. While the Fab Five rebuild people’s lives, we are on a mission to inspire people to get creative and help rebuild a more positive world.”
Authentic details and fabulous hair
The set recreates the original loft from Season 1 and 2 of the show, where Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown and Jonathan Van Ness first assembled as the Fab Five to embark on a mission to change people’s lives for the better.
Bobby Berk, the group’s interior designer said: “LEGO bricks played such an important part in my childhood. Clicking those little bricks together really sparked my imagination and creativity. Collaborating with the LEGO team was an absolute dream come true! It would be any kid’s dream and now it’s my reality.”
The set, created for adult fans who love stylish, modern design and elegant architecture, features 974 pieces and measures over 9 cm high, 35 cm wide and 21 cm deep. It is packed with authentic details – including the iconic ‘STYLE, TASTE, CLASS’ sign – and accessories to highlight each of the Fab Five’s talents.
It also features seven minifigures and fan favourite, Bruley the dog and comes with a coffee-table-style instruction booklet which gives an insight into how LEGO designers and the Fab Five collaborated on developing the set.
“It’s been an honour to work with the Queer Eye team and everything they represent. Our design team has really enjoyed recreating the Fab Five as LEGO minifigs; Tan was the biggest challenge. We didn’t have an element that did his gorgeous hair justice, so we had to make an entirely new wig element – in shimmering silver of course! The team have also had fun packing the loft with easter eggs, including a ‘Yaaas Queen’ print for the kitchen, which if you look closely, features ‘FAB 5’ in the unique brush-stroke art,” Ashton added.
Building people up
Each Queer Eye show features a ‘Hero’, a person who learns different skills and perspectives from each of the Fab Five which helps rebuild their confidence and has a positive, lasting impact on their lives. The LEGO set aims to showcase each of the stars’ skills and celebrate their artistry and individuality.
Food and wine specialist, Antoni, has a kitchen island from where he can help ‘Heroes’ learn new culinary skills and express themselves through food. Style guru Tan has a clothing rack where he can plan outfits to suit every personality and shape to make people feel great about what they wear.
Karamo is a life coach and therapist. He supports ‘Heroes’ on their personal journeys, helping them to make sense of their pasts and chart a way forward. He has a couch and scrapbook which he uses to shape the conversations and tools he shares with participants. Jonathan, the grooming consultant, has a salon area complete with a swivelling barber’s chair. He is expert in helping people take care of how they look and seeing their true inner beauty.
And as for interior designer, Bobby? The set itself captures his style as well as featuring his laptop and the ideas board he uses to develop concepts to help ‘Heroes’ transform their living or work spaces.
The set also features one of the show’s most memorable makeovers – Kathi Dooley, Jonathan’s beloved High School teacher. The episode celebrated the positive influence Kathi had on Jonathan and reinforced the importance of children receiving genuine support from the adults in their lives as they work to find their true, awesome selves. The apartment features a transformation chamber – and before and after minifigures – to recreate Kathi’s emotional reveal.
The fab LEGO team behind the set are: Matthew Ashton – Vice President of Design, Ruth Kelly – Senior Element Designer, Diego Lopez Sancho – Senior Graphic Designer and Eloise Bradley – Senior Licensing Manager.
