Swiss News, the international magazine of Switzerland, featured me in their October issue. It was lovely working with them. Emily Mawson wrote the text and Carina Scheuringer took the photos of me in some of my favourite winter looks. Promised, I will post all the details and more pics of my outfits soon.
If you are curious about the article, you can read it below:
AUTUMN DAYS
New season fashion with Sandra Bauknecht
by Emily Mawson
I have heard that Sandra Bauknecht is friendly. Fashion designer Mary Katrantzou says she is “the loveliest person.” Meanwhile, journalist Sherin Hafner describes her as “bringing joy to the lives of others” in Schweizer Illustrierte Style (12/09). Yet nothing quite prepares me for the beaming, petite fashion blogger with tumbling caramel hair who greets me with a hearty handshake and invites me into her beautiful home.
Dressed in joggers and a plain jersey, she looks casual – it is a comfortable look that belies the indulgence of being at home in Zurich for a few days between a trip to Venice, where she interviewed actress Blake Lively, and jetting to Paris then London for Fashion Weeks. Touches all around nod to this more recognisable side of her: Chanel wellies beside the dresser in the hall and a leaning pile of fashion magazines on a bench in the kitchen. “I’ve prepared cake for afterwards,” she smiles, “but let’s look at the clothes first.” She sweeps through the hall and I notice how tiny she looks in the magnificent, high-ceilinged surroundings.
Sandra’s Closet
“What I like the most about fashion is that you can re-invent yourself every day,” says the 37-year old as she shows me the rail of new season outfits she has prepared for our photo shoot. One ensemble is edgy, one elegant and another fun. She thinks that this autumn/winter season, anything goes: “If you feel comfortable with yourself, you will have a great presence and everything will look stylish on you.”
Some trends are, however, just too fabulous to be missed. “I adore the leather trend so leather skirts and dresses are a must. And the brocade and needlepoint trend…” says Sandra, twirling a long strand of hair around her finger. “Dolce & Gabbana has one of my favourite collections this season – but this changes every season. And Raf Simon’s last collection for Jil Sander is to die for. The coats in blush colours are divine.” As for Swiss fashion, she is watching Albert Kriemler at Akris – “He is definitely our most internationally acclaimed designer” – and upcoming designers including Aleksandra Wisniewska, Javier Reyes and Little Black Dress.
The face behind blog Sandra’s Closet, Sandra writes about fashion and shares insights she has garnished through her fashion design studies, as a fashion editor at Marie Claire magazine in Germany and through working as a stylist. “Fashion has always been the love of my life. I drove my Mum crazy with my ideas of what I wanted to look like,” she reveals. Instead of buying Mickey Mouse comics, she bought Vogue magazine. As a pupil at a girls’ school in a suburb of Frankfurt, she told teachers what to buy when they went shopping during school trips. “Sandra has such an amazing way of looking at fashion and curating it in a very original way,” says Katrantzou. “I absolutely love seeing her in my pieces.” Shooting the season “Mami,” says a tiny voice; Sandra introduces her daughter. “This is my photographer,” she states. Assisting Swiss News editor and photographer Carina, the little girl – who takes the photos for Sandra’s Closet – snaps away like a pro.
Sandra exudes a radiant and positive energy that is immediately apparent in the photos. She refers to Marie Claire being discontinued while she was on maternity leave (which lasts up to three years in Germany and allowed her to spend time living in America and working freelance) as an “amazing coincidence, because I knew I wanted to move to Zurich.” She is teaching her daughter to take the time to find the person behind the great look, because outer appearance changes daily. And mother and daughter fall about laughing as they tell funny family stories after the shoot. The life of a fashionista “I knew we would need something sweet afterwards,” Sandra giggles. Over cake and champagne, she describes the fashionable moments that make up her life. “During last fashion week, I went for lunch with Mary Katrantzou and tried on most of her new collection. It felt like two girls playing dress-up. We were both so excited and happy!” It is a busy life, though. “I can’t remember the last time I watched a movie without having my laptop on at the same time to work,” she sighs. “I blog wherever I am, no matter what the time of day.” Sandra’s greatest dream is to open a museum. “I have been collecting fashion – especially limited edition pieces – for many years now,” she says. “This is also why my blog is called Sandra’s Closet. People often have said, ‘Oh my gosh, have you seen Sandra’s Closet?’” You surely will have to now.
Sandra Bauknecht’s fashion tips
1 Looking good is all about the proportion of the clothes. Hemlines are very important.
2 If you keep everything and therefore have a lot of clothes, it is easier to get dressed. There will always be something that matches your outfit perfectly.
3 Trousers are celebrating a big comeback this season. All-over print trouser suits will be seen on every fashionista
4 Layering is the way to cope with autumn’s changeable weather.
5 If you only have the budget to buy one key piece for the season, do not choose something trendy. Invest in a great accessory such as a Chanel or Hermès bag, or a gorgeous coat – something that transforms your look immediately.
Thank you, Emily and Carina, for this beautiful article!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Swiss News © Carina Scheuringer, © Sandra Bauknecht
Photos: Courtesy of Bottega Veneta and © Sandra Bauknecht
