Sandra‘s Closet

For the fashion-conscious vodka-lovers out there, here is your new fashionable drink: ROBERTO CAVALLI VODKA.

Roberto Cavalli says about the tasty addition to his universe on his blog: “In life it takes imagination! I believe I have it!
 I do not remember if I told you what it was that prompted me to create the ROBERTO CAVALLI VODKA. I go clubbing… I notice that vodka is the most popular drink… smooth… or with some juice… the most fashionable vodka is French… French…? Why not Italian…? I design the Cavalli style bottle and my son Tommaso selects the best distillery… that’s how the first Italian Vodka is born!”

A few days ago, I created a special cocktail… I can say I am not fond of high volume alcohol drinks… but I really like my cocktail… maybe too much! I get into a nasty habit of making one before bed… l put the glass near the bed and I enjoy it ‘til the last delicious drop! It helps me fall asleep… gently! Try it and let me know how you like it…”

Here is the recipe:

If you are in Florence, I recommend a visit to Caffè Giacosa, one of the city’s most famous cafés. After a painstaking restoration faithful to the original structures, Roberto Cavalli, a born Florentine bound to tradition, reopened this lovely spot. There you can enjoy and shop chocolate, pastries, wines and spirits, all embellished with the iconic Cavalli logo and animal prints.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Roberto Cavalli and © Sandra Bauknecht

The Zegna Group announced today the appointment of former YSL designer Stefano Pilati, who exited the French house after his F/W 2012 collections, as Creative Director of Agnona, the Group’s women luxury ready-to-wear and accessories brand founded in 1953, and Head of Design at Ermenegildo Zegna, with responsibility for the brand’s fashion show as well as for the Ermenegildo Zegna Couture collection. 
Both appointments are effective 1st January, 2013.

Commenting on the appointment, Gildo Zegna, Chief Executive Officer of the Zegna Group said: ”I’m thrilled to have Stefano in our Group as he brings great talent, invaluable experience and enormous enthusiasm. We have ambitious plans for Agnona, and we strongly believe that under his creative leadership we will be able to develop this little jewel into a global brand. As per the Zegna brand” – he added – “we have been thinking about its role in fashion for some time. With this appointment, we will be able to combine our tradition in tailoring and our leadership in innovative materials with a new vision for men’s fashion.”

I just can’t wait to see what he does at his new position.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Zegna, © Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (via WMagazine)

The hype started two years ago, when Valentino designers, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, presented their first Rockstud heels. For the designer duo, contrast is the essence of contemporary life. Their stylistic approach, however, aims at blending antithetical elements – for example, Valentino’s proverbial grace and bold metal studs – in a distinct, timeless image. This season, the fashion house celebrates the new classic with the Noir capsule collection of Rockstud shoes, bags and accessories in edgy black with ruthenium studs. Rock on with this clean yet strongly evocative design.

I am convinced that the streets during Fashion Week will be filled with those new icons. Fashionistas everywhere, better start hoarding these limited edition pieces and see the dark side of the stud!

To shop, click on the highlighted product descriptions below.

LoL, Sandra

Rockstud leather tote

So Noir studded leather tote

65mm Rockstud patent So Noir pumps

Studded cuff

Studded So Noir ballet flats

Photos: Courtesy of Valentino

Great news! Lanvin is collaborating with Ladureé and Alber Elbaz has art directed a special bubble gum-flavoured macaroon set. The designer stirs our imagination, arouses our fantasies and now, plays to our weakness for sweets.

It is this whimsical spirit that inspired the lovely faces of playful women on Ladurée boxes containing eight pink bubble gum-flavoured macaroons.
The delicacies will go on sale on Sept. 25 in France, in time for Paris Fashion Week’s. The U.K., U.S. and Japan will follow on Sept. 28.

Lanvin are not the first fashion house to team up with the famous French salon de thé – other designers to have collaborated include Matthew Williamson, Christian Louboutin, Sonia Rykiel and many others.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lanvin

Let me introduce you to AMAZINGREEN, the new unisex fragrance from Comme des Garçons, a blast of green energy fusing together green notes and gunpowder, organic and mineral for the ultimate freshness and depth.

AMAZINGREEN
Exhilaration unleashed

The scent of gunpowder in an explosion of smoke and flint, clashes with the green energy of the jungle and the effervescence of spices. 
Top notes of verdant, natural wild leaves, settle with an elemental heart of flint and coriander to finish with a smoky explosion of gunpowder and white musk.

Top notes: Palm tree leaves, green pepper, dew mist and jungle leaves
Heart notes: Ivy leaves, orris roots, coriander seeds and silex
Base notes: Gunpowder accord, vetiver, smoke and white musk

Available as Eau de Parfum 50ml and 100ml.

If you like to win a bottle of AMAZINGREEN, join the contest hosted on Statigram. How does the lush exuberance of nature inspire you? Take a photo using Instagram that illustrates your interpretation of AMAZINGREEN and upload it with the #amazingreen hashtag.

The Top 10 Instagrams which best evoke the blast of green energy that defines AMAZINGREEN will win an a fragrance. The contest is open from today and will end on September 28th.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Comme des Garçons, © Sandra Bauknecht and via Instagram

The last days I have been travelling like crazy and I have so many exciting things to share with you. Here is a little teaser of what is coming up. On Saturday evening, I went to the launch event of Gucci Première, the Italian house’s new fragrance for women, at the famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice. Present at the exclusive dinner were also the face of the campaign, Blake Lively, with her boyfriend Ryan Reynolds, and of course Frida Giannini, Creative Director of Gucci, Salma Hayek and her husband François-Henri Pinault, CEO of PPR.

As Gucci Première is inspired by timeless Hollywood glamour, I chose this black and gold outfit matching the colour scheme of the fragrance:
Metallic-striped fringed leather dress, “Kelly” black and gold suede sandals, “Hysteria” patent leather clutch and belted suede leather jacket, all by Gucci from different seasons. Earrings by Chanel from the Paris – Bombay collection and Twenties fishnet stay-ups in black by Wolford. On my nails: “Smoke Red” by Tom Ford.

Stay tuned for photos of the dinner, more information on the fragrance and an amazing interview with Blake Lively.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Charlie Le Mindu, Lady Gaga’s eccentric hairstylist, has redesigned L’Oréal Professionnel’s Infinium hairspray. “Fashion hairstyling is very demanding, and styling products should give the best result possible in record time,” he explained. “This is why a majority of hairstylists use L’Oréal Professionnel’s products. They know the exact result of each formula, so if, for example, they want a really strong hold hairspray which also gives the hair a beautiful shine, Infinium is ideal and very easy to use.”

This new design comes with a silhouette of one of Charlie’s designs lined in midnight blue on a pearl white background.

On his website he says: “The inspiration behing this drawing was a model I loved on one of my catwalks but it is also a drawing of a hat that Lady Gaga was wearing few month ago. I m really exited to see this spray backstage and in every bathroom.”

If you like strong hold hairspray, you will love this limited edition Mademoiselle Infinium,
available in two versions, Strong (2) and Strong (3), both for CHF 18.- (300ml) in L’Oréal Professionnel salons.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of L’Oréal Professionnel, © Zak Hussein/PA Wire

Miu Miu’s acclaimed series of short films, the Women’s Tales, just screened together for the first time as part of the Venice Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori – Venice Days.

Zoe Cassavetes, Massy Tadjedin, Miuccia Prada, Giada Colagrande, Lucrecia Martel, Maya Sansa

The short films, by four leading international female directors, show how the Miu Miu short film platform has managed to combine credible filmmaking themes and a strong feminine point of view with fashion.

The four films in the series are: The Powder Room, directed by Zoe Cassavetes; Muta, directed by Lucrecia Martel; The Woman Dress, directed by Giada Colagrande and the newest It’s Getting Late, directed by Massy Tadjedin. (To watch the movies and for exclusive interviews plus behind-the-scenes footage, just click on the titles to be transfered directly).

Some of the leading stars of contemporary cinema including Gemma Arterton, Patricia Clarkson, Aubrey Plaza, Rinko Kikuchi and Maya Sansa lead the all-female casts, and soundtracks are scored by some of music’s finest new talents including Au Revoir Simone and Zola Jesus. The diverse films, set in LA, London, a witches’ cavern and a mysterious ship, explore feminine rituals, codes and gestures, each touching on the theme of being a woman. Each director applies their distinctive point of view through their particular filmic style, with elements of melodrama, surrealism and film noir reflecting the world of Miu Miu in multifarious dimensions. Highlights from the Miu Miu collections take leading roles too – sunglasses, accessories, and key looks from the ready-to-wear collections are all beautifully showcased – but also perform as important plot devices, central to the narratives. Following the wide success of the first four films, Miu Miu will continue to commission further Women’s Tales films into the future, details to be released soon.

Here are some photos of the newest release It’s Getting Late:

I just spent the last two days at the St. Moritz Art Masters and today, I am off to the Venice Film Festival. Stay tuned for some amazing photos to be posted soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu