Sandra‘s Closet

Fun fact: I love watching football, and I love dressing for it even more. Football outfits are a category of their own in my closet, and just wait, I will show you.

My Look: Soccer

But first things first. Congratulations, Murat Yakin. The best Swiss World Cup run in years, ended by a refereeing decision nobody will defend. What a tournament, what a team, and the whole country stood behind them. Switzerland already has the best chocolate, the best watches and the best mountains.

Murat Yakin with me

Now the internet has decided we also have the best looking coach. To all the girls worldwide suddenly interested in Swiss football: hands off, he is very much taken, and his wife is wonderful. Proud of this team. Hopp Schwiiz.

My Look: Let’s Eat Cake

And if you are wondering how this photo happened: pure coincidence, he walked in while I was celebrating my birthday with my girls, and since we know each other, of course he stopped to say hello.

Moments like these remind me why I am so proud to be Swiss. A small country with a big heart, and right now, with a team that gave us every reason to celebrate.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Making the natural even more beautiful sits at the very heart of everything Hermès creates. It is this philosophy that inspired Gregoris Pyrpylis, Creative Director of Hermès Beauté, to design products that enhance the skin’s natural radiance. For 2026, the maison expands its lip universe with two nurturing new essentials: a nourishing lip mask with a regenerating effect and glossy finish, and an invisible lip balm that turns daily care into a refreshing beauty ritual.

The Lip Balm

Housed in a refillable case designed by Pierre Hardy, the colourless balm nourishes and protects with shea butter, plant based waxes and castor oil. Ceramides shield the lips from environmental stress and prevent dryness, while white mulberry combined with a hyaluronic acid complex delivers comfort and hydration. Sesame seed extract leaves the lips beautifully smooth.

Composed of 95 percent ingredients of natural origin, the balm works both as a daily protective treatment on its own and as the perfect base under lipstick.

The Lip Mask

The nourishing mask blends shea butter with castor, macadamia, jojoba and sweet almond oils and waxes for instant and lasting nourishment. A hyaluronic acid complex and sesame seed extract ensure optimal hydration and a smoothing effect, while ceramides strengthen the hydrolipidic barrier. Antioxidant astaxanthin, which also gives the formula its signature orange hue, fights free radicals.

Made with 97 percent ingredients of natural origin, the mask comes with a lacquered wooden applicator brush that echoes the design of Les Pinceaux Hermès.

The Rouge Hermès lip balm and lip mask will be available from September 2026 in selected Hermès stores worldwide. Two little luxuries I already know will live in my handbag.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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From Mayfair to the South Downs: Brown’s Hotel Unveils the Town & Country Retreat

Mayfair in the morning, the rolling chalk hills of East Sussex by afternoon. Brown’s Hotel in London and The Star in Alfriston have joined forces to launch the Town & Country Retreat, a four day journey that pairs the cultural riches of the capital with the quiet beauty of the South Downs National Park.

On paper, the two hotels could hardly be more different. In spirit, they are kindred: both family run, both shaped by the unmistakable hand of designer Olga Polizzi, and both devoted to seasonal cooking, personal service and experiences rooted in their surroundings. Together they reveal two perfectly complementary sides of England, one urban, artistic and full of possibility, the other rural, unhurried and exceptionally beautiful.

Two Nights at Brown’s Hotel, London

The retreat opens with two nights in a newly renovated Deluxe Room at Brown’s, Mayfair’s grande dame. A curated programme grants guests rare access to the city: private backstage tours of the Royal Opera House or the Royal Ballet, a walk through Mayfair’s celebrated gallery scene with art historian Maeve Doyle, including exclusive entry to the Colnaghi Gallery, or a stroll in the footsteps of writers, artists and royals with historian Andy Williamson.

Come Thursday evening, After Dark Jazz fills the Drawing Room Bar with cocktails and live music, before dinner at Charlie’s under chef Adam Byatt brings the London chapter to a delicious close.

Two Nights at The Star, Alfriston

From London, guests travel by chauffeur or train to Alfriston, one of the prettiest villages in the South Downs. At The Star, run by Olga and Alex Polizzi, the pace slows beautifully: gentle hills, historic lanes and English country house charm, paired with a kitchen that celebrates seasonal produce and Italian inspired cooking.

Days here might mean hikes along the Seven Sisters, walks through Friston Forest or cycling across the national park. Culture lovers can book private tours and tastings at Rathfinny Wine Estate, visit Charleston, the former home of the Bloomsbury Group, or admire the famous murals by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Berwick Church. Private watercolour workshops, a visit to the former home of Lee Miller and stargazing in the South Downs dark sky reserve round out the programme. Even inside the hotel, art is everywhere, with works from Olga Polizzi’s personal collection lining the walls.

Two addresses, one journey, and the very best of England in four days. I already know which side of the wardrobe to pack for each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Brown’s Hotel and The Star
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A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94: A New York Classic Returns

New York, 1994. Hip-hop‘s Golden Era at its peak, modern streetwear taking its first steps, a gritty downtown skate scene colliding with it all, and on everyone’s feet, the PUMA Suede. Three decades later, A$AP Rocky brings that exact moment back with the A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94, a stitch for stitch revival of the archive silhouette, filtered through his own creative lens.

The Suede has moved through scenes, styles and generations for decades, constantly redefined by the people who wore it, yet always unmistakably itself. For Rocky, who has served as PUMA’s Creative Director for more than three years, the choice of the ’94 was deeply personal. The shoe was born from the era that shaped him.

«I remember when my mom bought me my first pair of suedes,» says A$AP Rocky. «Growing up in New York and seeing Walt Clyde Frazier with his style and his PUMA suedes, they were the shoes. And now to be able to tap into that 90s nostalgia and bring them back with my own creative lens and special details, it’s great. PUMA hasn’t brought the ’94 back since it dropped and reviving it stitch for stitch from the archive just felt right.»

His version keeps the heritage details intact: a raw edge padded tongue, retro woven label and slimmer tooling shape, elevated by bespoke touches such as a gold PUMA lace keeper and a custom shoebox. The defining signature is the full retro PUMA logo on the quarter panel, a first for any Suede iteration and the detail that makes the ’94 instantly recognisable.

The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94 launches worldwide on July 16th at PUMA.com, PUMA retail stores and select accounts. Nineties nostalgia rarely looked this good.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Puma
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Some souvenirs gather dust. This one gets worn. For summer 2026, Hotel La Palma, Oetker Hotels’ first hotel in Italy, has joined forces with Borsalino, Italy’s most storied hatmaker, to create an exclusive design available only at the hotel itself, and it may just be the chicest thing to come off the island since the Capri pant.

Few accessories capture Italian elegance quite like a Borsalino. Since 1857, the maison has crowned Hollywood legends and Dolce Vita icons alike with its impeccable craftsmanship. Now, the iconic silhouette receives a bespoke hatband in the signature Mediterranean hues of Hotel La Palma, transforming a classic into a wearable memory of Capri and an instant collector’s piece.

The pairing feels destined. Opened in 1822 and reimagined in 2023 by star designer Francis Sultana, Hotel La Palma is one of the island’s most desirable addresses: just 50 rooms and suites, steps from the Piazzetta, with interiors that channel Capri’s glamorous jet set era through a thoroughly modern lens.

More than a product collaboration, the partnership celebrates what makes Capri eternal: artisanal savoir faire, timeless style and that inimitable island spirit where fashion has always been part of the holiday itself. With curated collaborations like this one, Hotel La Palma continues to position itself as the creative meeting point of the island, where design, fashion and hospitality merge into a modern interpretation of la Dolce Vita.

My advice? Pack light and leave room in your Rimowa. This hat is worth the trip.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hotel La Palma
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Sephora Turns 10 in Switzerland: Join Me at the Beauty Party of the Summer

Ten years ago, Sephora arrived in Switzerland and changed the way we shop for beauty. On July 9th, the brand is throwing a birthday party worthy of the occasion, and the best part? You are all invited.

Sephora Switzerland is taking over the Soluna Beach Club on Lake Zurich for one glamorous summer evening, bringing together press, creators, brands and the entire Swiss beauty community. Expect interactive brand activations, surprise moments and plenty of product samples from favourites such as MAKEUP BY MARIO, TATCHA, tarte, OLE HENRIKSEN, AESTURA, ghd and Sephora Collection.

The celebrations will continue beyond the party. Together with its long-standing partner Manor, Sephora is planning a series of exclusive summer apéros in Manor stores across the country in August, so keep your eyes open for details.

The event is open to the public (18+) and admission is free. Simply reserve your ticket here.  ​

WHEN | Thursday, July 9th, 2026  ​
TIME | From 5pm onward​
WHERE | Soluna Beach Club​
Bellerivestrasse 264, 8008 Zurich

A decade of beauty deserves a proper toast, and where better than at the lake? See you there, my loves!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Sephora and Soluna Beach Club
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INTO THE HORSESCAPE: HERMÈS TURNS MOVEMENT INTO HIGH JEWELRY

Hermès has unveiled Into the Horsescape, the ninth haute bijouterie collection of the maison, and it might be Pierre Hardy’s most poetic work yet. Ninety creations explore the essence of movement: jewels that lift away from the skin only to return to it, again and again.

Attelage d’Or Choker

The horse, the founding symbol of Hermès, is everywhere and nowhere at once. Pierre Hardy, Creative Director of Hermès Jewelry, calls the collection metonymical. The animal itself is barely visible, yet its symbolism lives in every piece, sometimes concrete, sometimes sliding into metaphor. A fitting approach for a house that began in 1837 as a harness and saddle maker for Europe’s equestrian elite, long before it became the luxury powerhouse we know today.

Cavale Necklace

«INTO THE HORSESCAPE is a metonymical collection. The horse itself is barely seen, but its symbolism lives within each piece, sometimes even taking on a metaphorical quality.» – Pierre Hardy, Creative Director of Hermès Jewelry

Chevauchée Necklace

The collection unfolds like an inner landscape, woven from myths, legends, inherited gestures and contemporary visions. Some of the lines speak the equestrian language more clearly than others.

Centaure Necklace

Centaure takes the horse’s hoof as its starting point, pairing meticulously cut black jade with invisible-set baguette diamonds.

Galop Hermès Double Ring

Galop Hermès brings the animal into full view with sculptural horse profiles, exceptional sapphires and gradients of white and brown diamonds that echo the tones of a horse’s coat.

Clou de Forge Lumière

Clou de Forge Lumière elevates the humble blacksmith’s nail into one of the collection’s brightest pieces, covered in diamonds through the house’s pavage matière technique.

Fouet Double Tour Bracelet

And Fouet Double Tour reinterprets the equestrian whip in supple gold and diamonds, a tribute to Hardy’s very first haute bijouterie collection from 2010.

Etreintes Cuff Bracelet and Earrings

What I love most about Into the Horsescape is its restraint. Some stones stay partially hidden until the jewel moves with the wearer, revealing themselves slowly instead of demanding attention. The horse remains the starting point, never the destination. Quiet luxury in its most literal form, and unmistakably Hermès.

LoL, Sandra

Etriers Necklace

Lasso Disco Necklace

Sellette Bracelet

Hermès Apparat Ring and Body Jewelry

Photos: Courtesy of Hermès
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To celebrate the art of travel that Louis Vuitton holds dear and to capture the light of California, the Maison unveils a series of travel cases reimagined for three of its iconic Colognes: Sun Song, California Dream and Afternoon Swim.

Crafted in translucent resin, these innovative cases are clad in vibrant color gradients that evoke the sun-drenched brilliance of the West Coast. The Monogram motif, delicately applied across the surface, lends the case its timeless signature. Transparency magnifies each Cologne, creating a chromatic spectacle in which light enhances its distinctive hues.

Sun Song Travel Case

For Sun Song, the case reveals an intensely sunny palette, from bright yellow to incandescent orange. It captures the light of glorious days and all the joy of the sun caressing one’s skin, visually prolonging the radiant, summery essence of the Cologne.

California Dream Travel Case

For California Dream, the case is clad in a gradient that recreates the Californian sky at sundown, moving from translucent pink to sky blue. This chromatic harmony transforms the case into a visual extension of the fragrance, an invitation to hold on to the lightness of a moment suspended in time.

Afternoon Swim Travel Case

The invigorating energy of Afternoon Swim finds its reflection in a case with oceanic hues, shifting from azure to abyssal blue. This refreshing, crystalline gradient captures the brilliance and power of a deep-sea dive, embodying the promise of aquatic vitality.

Travel Case, €950
Each version is available in a limited edition of 100 pieces, starting on July 2nd, 2026.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
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Since 2019, Louis Vuitton has cultivated a creative synergy with Alex Israel, an emblematic figure of the contemporary art scene. The Californian artist brings his singular vision of Los Angeles to the Parfums de Cologne collection, where his vibrant palette and the spirit of the West Coast inform every fragrance.

This year, Louis Vuitton and Alex Israel once again join forces to unveil the exceptional Woody Wagon Colognes gift set containing the collection’s six Colognes. An icon of Californian culture, recognizable for its wooden paneling, the Woody Wagon has long occupied a singular place in the mythology of the American West. Reinterpreted with the Maison’s savoir-faire and exacting standards, it becomes a singular creation at the crossroads of design, art and perfume.

«I’m thrilled to continue exploring my favorite landscape, Los Angeles, on this road trip with Jacques Cavallier Belletrud and Louis Vuitton. The Woody Wagon has long embodied a certain Californian freedom: surfboard on the roof, family in the back, and the Pacific just over the next hill. In this case, the family is our six Cologne perfumes.» Alex Israel

The Woody Wagon unfolds as an immersive experience. It functions as a miniature landscape of California – a sculptural object through which the collection’s world comes into focus. An ode to Californian freedom, where luxury, design and fragrance converge in an unforgettable sensory escape. Together, they form a colorful portrait of California, filtered through Alex Israel’s distinctive lens.

Produced in a limited edition of 66 pieces, a nod to the legendary Route 66, this creation was brought to life by 60 artisans and more than 7,000 hours of craftsmanship. Every detail of this miniature masterpiece reveals meticulous workmanship: from its roof to its wooden doors, subtly engraved with the Monogram motif, and wheels decorated with Monogram flowers, each of the 219 elements was conceived and assembled with extraordinary care.
Exceptional materials, including the Maison’s signature semi aged leather in natural beige and mahogany woods recognizable for their rich brown tones and distinctive grain further elevate this creation, a seamless fusion of vintage Californian design and Louis Vuitton’s contemporary codes.

Woody Wagon Colognes, € 9000
Available by pre-order in a limited edition of 66 pieces, starting July 2nd, 2026 (delivery in late September).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
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STRAIGHT OUT OF A MOVIE: AFRICAN QUEEN ARRIVES IN SARDINIA

African Queen, the legendary Riviera restaurant founded in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in 1969, has opened its first Sardinian outpost right on the beach of Hotel Cala di Volpe at the Costa Smeralda. Two Mediterranean icons, one address.

Named after the film classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, African Queen has been one of the most famous meeting spots on the Côte d’Azur for decades. Since Riccardo Giraudi, Philippe Schriqui and Patrick Gioannini took over the brand in 2023, the concept has been carefully expanded to selected destinations, from Beaulieu-sur-Mer to Dubai and now Sardinia.

The new African Queen Beach Club & Restaurant brings that unmistakable Riviera feeling to the Costa Smeralda: warm materials, timeless design and subtle nods to the movie that gave the restaurant its name. On the menu you will find the signature dishes that have defined African Queen for generations, among them Grandma’s Niçoise Salad, the 1969 Truffle Pizza, the Old-Fashioned Artichoke & Truffle Salad, freshly caught fish, Giant Camarones and prime cuts from the grill, complemented by seasonal creations.

The setting could not be more fitting. Hotel Cala di Volpe, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, was commissioned by Prince Karim Aga Khan IV in the 1960s and designed by French architect Jacques Couëlle, whose organic architecture was inspired by a Sardinian fishing village. It remains one of the Mediterranean’s most celebrated luxury hotels to this day.

Long lunches, barefoot elegance and dinners by the sea: the Costa Smeralda just gained a new favourite address. I already know where I will be booking a table this summer.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Cala di Volpe
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