Sandra‘s Closet

„Who said that real jewels have to be boring?“
Victoire de Castellane

Barbara Hutton wearing the 55-carat Pasha diamond and the Vladimir emeralds

When it comes to fine jewelry, Dior’s Victoire de Castellane is the designer that I truly admire for her amazing creations that are for me the most beautiful and outstanding pieces in the world. Often imitated but never equalled, Victoire is the lady of the rings.

Bold, chunky and huge are her designs that appear more like pieces of art than jewelry.

Born into an aristocratic Parisian family, her first experience with making jewelry happened when she dismantled her grandmother’s (Sylvia Hennessy from the cognac family) charm bracelet and transformed it into a pair of earrings, much to her mother’s dislike. As a young girl, her grandma and her best friend heiress Barbara Hutton involved the little girl in their love for enormous gems. A passion was born.

Victoire de Castellane started her career at Chanel working alongside Karl Lagerfeld as costume jewelry designer for fourteen years. In 1999, she was appointed by Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, as designer of the first ever collection of Fine Jewelry for the house Dior that allowed her to create her own daring and dramatic style that shook up the staid Place Vendôme from the very first beginning.

Each collection tells a story or evokes a place. The French aristocrat is inspired by the exuberance of technicolour, bright and fluorescent. Her designs are known for the best quality enamel with gems and semi precious stones.
“I prefer huge coloured stones instead of diamonds. And I like to wear and design things that look fake; like costume jewelry, but real” , says Victoire.
The collection Milly Carnivora, includes pieces that can open up to show the amazing inside creation. Love those surprises!

The Coffret de Victoire collection for Dior has some of the most unusual and original rings crafted from the finest gems, golds and materials. It includes creations with skulls, cameos and sealife inspirations – a reflection of world travels and exotic adventures with flavours from the ocean and the orient.

This year, the rose flower, which played a big role in the life of Christian Dior, has inspired Victoire de Castellane to create a new jewelry collection for Dior, so-called „Bois de Rose“.

This month, I was lucky to enjoy a presentation of how the rings are crafted at the Dior boutique in Zurich. After having seen the craftmanship and having talked to the goldsmiths who came from Paris for the event, I value Victoire’s designs even more.

Those fanciful wonders sometimes take months to be finished depending on the design. Every little detail is made by hand. I am truly fond of the jewelry’s bold presence.

If you are interested, please visit the Dior homepage for further information and store locations.

So lovely Ladies, think big and enjoy the little forest on your finger…

LoL, Sandra

One of my favourites: Bague Diorette

2011 is just around the corner! You’re probably already thinking about the changes you’d like to make in the new year. When it comes to fashion, it could be cleaning out your closet, organizing your drawers, discovering what looks best on your body type or buying some key pieces to have a strong foundation.
Probably you want to travel to a place where you have never been or you like to try out a new style. Either way, please tell me how you plan to kick off 2011 by creating an outfit that shows your fashionable New Year’s resolution!
Now, it is the time for you to be creative, your chance to get a whole new look.

Include a description for your set and submit it until 4th of January, 2011. You might be able to win $500. Get started!

LoL, Sandra

If I wet your appetite with my article about the new S/S 2011 collections last week or you are leaving for a sunny and warm place after Christmas, you will love the new Resort 2011 collections that hit the stores daily.
This season is all about femininity, sweet details, a retro vibe and French chic. Enjoy my summary that I put together for you with the best looks available at the moment. Isn’t it always the most exciting time when the new pieces are arriving, I am just loving it….
What a bummer that I cannot wear my new gingham bikini in St. Moritz!

To a beautiful spring!

LoL, Sandra

Flaunt the season’s sexy 60s-look and embody the style of legendary Parisian chic in those stunning Louis Vuitton outfits. Preppy, classy and full of elegance, my favourites!

Imagine a bouquet of fresh cut flowers transforming into an appliqué dress. A feminine fusion of romance and seduction, foreunner of this trend: Stella McCartney.

Scallop details are this spring a glamour girl’s must-have. Take off in prim ensembles and jet-set-ready accessories and the French Riviera will be all yours.

Sip cocktails at a garden party in the most beautiful floral prints. Flower-bedecked accessories complement your sweet style perfectly.

Channel a sexy innocence in Chanel’s gingham prints, fit for a dip – or just sitting pretty, this is a must for every fashionista.

Pack for your trip to the Côte d’ Azur with nautical stripes and take a stroll along the beach in those classics. Cannes do!

Pinpoint spring chic with colorful polka dots and sweetly spotted seperates. Miu Miu shows you how to wear this look.

Start a delicious romance with lemons, cherries and apples. This season’s take on fruity prints, just gets started. Tutti Frutti is this summer’s leitmotif, yummy!

Challenge your luck and embrace spring in those Irish-inspiried beauties. It is time to live like a bee in clover.

Ladies, in case that you have had too much to eat during the last Christmas days and there is not so much hope that you will fit in your tight New Year’s Eve dress in a few days, I have the solution for you. Get Spanx – Hollywood’s celebrity slimming secret.
The seamless body shapers that smooth your figure in all the right places.

Founded in 2000 in Atlanta by the American Sara Blakely, Spanx gives you the opportunity to wow and still be able to breathe. There are many different styles to choose from for all sorts of problem areas. Spanx is available online here.

Bra-llelujah!

LoL, Sandra

It is Christmas time and the holy grail of fashion has finally arrived in my closet, my very own Louis Vuitton bag, especially made for me.
It comes in one of the most supple leathers I have ever touched.
Another cool thing is the interior leather patch that has my name stamped on it.

It looks very Marc Jacobs actually, a typical satchel with an exterior pocket.
There are zippered leather covers for the bag handels that can be unattached. The sides can be uncinched providing more space. My favourite part is that it has its own leather stuffing pillow.

It still seems too special for daily use. I think that I will just stare at this little treasure for a while and give it a holy display in my closet…. Love you, Marc!

LoL, Sandra

Merry Christmas to all my readers around the world and even if you do not celebrate this holiday, I wish a you a wonderful end of the year season. One thing all fashionistas have in common is the desire to look stylish!

Here is my festive look for you. I am completely in love with these shoes by Alberto Guardini. The best gift for all make-up addicts… and the others, too. Available at Colette.

Let’s hope that you will get lots of fashionable presents.
To a wonderful holy night!

LoL, Sandra

Today, I would like to give you a preview of my Top 20 runway shows for S/S 2011 that I consider the key collections for the next season.

The overall spirit was light-hearted and positive sweeping away the last bit of sobriety. The designers’ colouring box was bright and vibrant with lots of neon shades, vibrant stripes and bold tones.  Many tributes to YSL as well as the 70s were spotted, along with biker and punk themes, floral prints and embroideries, Marrakesh and Shanghai references and pure clean white. Enjoy!

LOUIS VUITTON: Marc Jacobs’ S/S 2011 show for the French fashion house was a hell of a lot of fun, brazen in decadence. A colourful free-spirited collection for the camped-up China girl that loves high-voltage chic. Inspirations from 1930 Shanghai’s Art Deco style to a 70’s New York disco atmosphere were seen in the Cheongsam dresses and bold tiger stripes.
As for me one of my favourites this season.

PRADA: Miuccia Prada’s message was crystal-clear: „It’s time to be bold“. Her ecclectic humours take on her S/S 2011 collection was visionary. Fake baroque paintings (Who would have ever imagined that baroque can be minimal?!), fluorescent stripes, Josephine Baker banana designs and Mexican sombreros lead to that iconic Prada-twist that likes to surprise us.
I am loving it!!!!

JIL SANDER: An implicit change to the Jil Sander woman, that was this collection about. Minimalism inversed into a modern maximalism that led to couture. Raf Simons surprised the fashion crowd with this exceptional S/S 2011 show.
Simple white tees dominated long, full skirts joined with YSL’s rich associations of colours. The shapes were reminiscent of Cristobal Balenciaga’s proportions. The apostel for minimalism, Raf Simons, showed us another optimistic side of the Sander woman without betraying the spirit of the label. Wow! And by the way, the fuchsia lips are gorgeous…

CHRISTOPHER KANE: „Princess Margaret on acid“, this is how Tammy described her brother’s S/S 2011 collection. It was an interesting vision of the future, brilliant and different, like the designer and his place in English fashion. Fluoresent colours and print motifs inspired by yakuza tattoos lightened up the classic and kind of formal pieces.
Watch out for Christopher, this guy is provoking trends!

MARC JACOBS: There were many YSL references on the catwalks and Marc Jacobs was one of the first ones showing them in New York. By taking on the energy of the Studio 54 years and the ’70s, the brilliant American designer came up with one of his best collections, fresh, charming with a modern new spin, an ode to Missoni’s zigzag knits.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the peasant blouses and full skirts. My summer must-haves.

GUCCI: Yves Saint Laurent’s Marrakech years were in the air and a breeze of the ’70s omnipresent at Frida Giannini’s collection  for Gucci. Alternating between electric glamour, safari chic and ethnic touches, the Italian powerhouse continued to celebrate the female silhouette and its seductiveness. You cannot go wrong with this!

EMILIO PUCCI: A beautiful Greek Mediterranean vibe highlighted the collection that was seventies-inflected and mostly long. Peter Dundas knows his craft and the jetset girls will love his luxe hippie dresses worn with laced boots. Nonchalant, elegant, seductive details of which some were a little reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent will make Pucci a bestseller this summer.

YVES SAINT LAURENT: The seventies are everywhere this summer and so is YSL. Thanks to the retrospective that was held this year in Paris, many designers were influenced by the epic Saint Laurent. But none could stake a more legitimate claim to the Master’s inspirations than Stefano Pilati’s work.
He revisited the codes of the fashion house one by one, „le smoking“, the famous palette of orange and pink, French blue, black and beige, abundant bows and the sophisticated tailleurs. I am so on for a trip down memory lane, and you?

CHANEL: This time, Karl Lagerfeld took his inspiration from the early sixties movie Last Year at Marienbad and created a breathtakingly surreal setting. More than 80 models paraded through the ornamental garden with fountains, water features and gravel paths. The collection was so rich, full of couture details with dégradé chiffon florals, tweed patchwork, feathered edges and more. Just beautiful!

MARY KATRANTZOU: It was her first stand-alone show with which she won the Swiss Textiles Award 2010 in November. Mary Katrantzou is one of the hottest fashion newscomer with her groundbreaking creations. The designer of Greek origin worked in three dimensions and was inspired by the decors and backgrounds of the most beautiful of Guy Bourdin’s and Helmut Newton’s photos.
There was an almost hallucinatory depth to her digital printed clothes. The real revolution was how Mary modeled the shape to go with the graphics of interior designs. Are you up for wearing “room” this summer?

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: Sarah Burton who had worked beside McQueen for 15 years, took over the cepter after the designer’s death last February. The S/S 2011 show, her first solo one, grabbed hold of his legacy and defined the same fantasia McQueen was so famous for. This time a hymn to nature, superb in its construction.
One of the biggest differences was that Burton softened the staging, a concept that was always so  vital to a McQueen show. It was a pleasure to see that there is a more feminine vision for the house but with the same theatrical love for detail.

HERMES: Time to say good-bye for Jean-Paul Gaultier and he couldn’t have done it better. His last collection for the traditional French house boasted of master tailoring, sensuous glamour and leather at its finest. “Zorro in Andalusia” celebrates Hermès’ equestrian elegance heritage could have been the headline. Good luck to Lacoste defector Christophe Lemaire! Taking these luxurious reins seems to be quite difficult…

CELINE: The collection was once more strong in its remarkable simplicity even that Phoebe Philo laid her hands on artisanal effects like hand-woven silks, fringes and vibrant colours. Her motto „less is forever chic“ has determined the codes of her hugely influential designs.

CHLOE: Minimalism at its best. Classic, timeless pieces that women can make their own and customise at will. The tutu-like skirts, reminiscent of the world of ballet, were among my favourites. Congrats, Hannah MacGibbon, for this lovely collection!

ERDEM: Erdem Moralioglu, the upcoming designer of Turkish origin, took his audience to Russia for his S/S 2011 presentation in a London park. He had been involved this summer with Victoria & Albert Museum’s Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes, 1909-1920 exhibition.
The experience had been so inspiring that it shaped the substance of his collection where delicate dresses that clearly reflected the structure and flou of ballet costumes dominated the look. Once again floral motifs sprinkled the collection and were complemented by Nicholas Kirkwood’s gorgeous shoes tied up the calf like ballet slippers. I am sure that we will see much more of Erdem in the future.

STELLA MCCARTNEY: Even that I have to admit that I prefered Stella’s cruise 2011 collection, I am always in love with her practical, easy chic. The mother of four knows what she is talking about. Her key pieces are ideal companions to feel good in, even her long skirts split up the thighs swing comfortably with class. First bananas at Prada, now grapefruits and lemons at Stella that put us in a good mood. Her suits in pastel colours were strong on the runway and denim made a boxy shape debut. Thumbs up!

HAIDER ACKERMANN: One thing is for sure, the days that Haider Ackermann was only a fashion insider’s favourite secret are definitely over. His S/S 2011 collection was outstanding in its beauty. Origami folds, kimono jackets and obi belts were among the Asian references. Dramatic effects and strong colours for a glamorous red carpet moment.

DIOR: Betty Page, the model from the 50s that invented the pin-up look, goes on vacation to Hawaii – this South Pacific-style fantasy dominated John Galliano’s collection for Dior. The colours and floral prints on exquisite chiffons, the ankles tied with satin, this island extravaganza put you immediately in the holiday mood. Very cute.

BALENCIAGA: This was probably the most futuristic, unexpected and innovating collection of all. Nicolas Ghesquière defied the fashion codes and came up with new ones. His teddy boy-meets-punk masculinity was the reaction to a certain kind of sexiness. For him it was all about individuality. The talented fashion troublemaker used plasticized textures and couture techniques that were modernized with laser machine precision cuts.
It might take a while to adapt to the look but once you get it, you will be all over it!

BALMAIN: Honestly, the time of Balmain might come to an end as there are always the same sharp-tailored rock allure pieces on the runway but I still love them so much.
This time, Christophe Decarnin shortened the shorts and minis as much as he could and looked for punk rebellion for inspiration. Studded and safety pinned biker jackets, bleached jeans and holey T-shirts were among his favourites. Let’s hope that the Balmainia is still strong enough to convince the fashionistas to pay so much for this DIY-look…

Stay tuned as I will go much more into detail during the next weeks about the trends and must-haves for S/S 2011.
If you are interested which collections were my Top 20 for F/W 2010, please click here.

To a very promising and cheerful looking summer!

LoL, Sandra

Just three days left… Have you got all your gifts rounded up yet? Well, what are you waiting for? If you are looking for the perfect last minute present, I recommend a virtual visit to stylebop.com.

I put a pre-selection of fashionable treats for you together that will arrive beautifully wrapped directly to your doorstep. Or think about a gift card that you can give 5 minutes after having ordered it per credit card (awesome for those who have forgotten someone…).

Good news for my German based readers, Stylebop offers express delivery for Christmas Eve when ordered until 12pm on December, 23rd.

Stress-free shopping, I am loving it!

LoL, Sandra

Lifting to go without scalpel sounds pretty awesome, doesn’t it?! And it is now possible with Lift and Roll, a newly developed hyaluron intense lifting serum – made in Switzerland. The only and pure active ingredient is highly concentrated bio-hyaluronic acid. The product contains no animal components and is 6-times more concentrated than most anti-ageing products (currently the strongest dose available on the market in a non-medical product).

The serum is suitable for all skin types. It can be used for treatment of wrinkles and for moisturising the entire facial area, even over make-up – on the forehead, eyes and cheeks, around the nose and mouth as well as on the neck, décolleté and lips.

Unfortunately, my skin is very sensitive. But as no synthetic additives are used in its manufacture, the product is guaranteed to be hypoallergenic. The serum contains no perfume or preservatives.
Therefore I couldn’t wait for the press kit to arrive. I was so eager to try it out. Honestly, I didn’t expect to look 10 years younger but the product has surprised me. The user-friendly roll-on design makes it ideal for travelling, especially when flying, it fits in any handbag or jacket, can be applied at any time. It moisturizes the skin and the effects last for several hours. The treated area looks much more smooth and I did not get any allergic reaction.

Lift and Roll can’t magic away wrinkles, but it can visibly reduce them… a hassle- free application for women and men!
Available for approximately €60 online or in selected beauty shops.

LoL, Sandra