Forget dress to impress, it is time to dress to cook with this capsule collection of aprons created by major designers and artists for yoox.com. With €88.00 per piece, it is the perfect gift idea for your someone who likes to prepare dinner in style. Great news is that part of the proceeds will go to the Slow Food Foundation.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of yoox.com
I have been in love with this floral dress the minute I saw it on the Saint Laurent F/W 2013 runway and Anna dello Russo obviously had the same moment. Here, she shows how the punk and grunge trend works in perfection this season without loosing femininity.
Get her look: Silk-chiffon printed dress, plaid wool shirt and studded leather boots, all by Saint Laurent.
LoL, Sandra
During the last two weeks, the Grand Palais hosted the flagship exhibition dedicated to the spirit of Miss Dior, the house’s famous and first fragrance. To celebrate the opening night, celebrities such as Natalie Portman, the face of Dior, Sophie Marceau, Karl Lagerfeld and many more came to see the exhibition themselves, followed by an amazing after party also hosted at the Grand Palais. I felt very honored to be invited to such an exclusive event.
Arriving with Mary Ma, international model and Chinese fashion designer.
Christian Dior himself, a creative and visionary genius, managed to unite couture and perfumes. During my visit to the exhibition, I enjoyed exploring the designer’s life and work plus his artistic influences.
To illustrate his passion for art, it also presented the works of fifteen contemporary women artists, who were inspired by the iconic scent Miss Dior. Below you can see my favorite artworks.
ALYSON SHOTZ
” I love that idea of there being no surface, no inside or outside. Surface is structure, and vice versa. These shapes are created by assembling a large whole, piece by piece. The observer visually combines all the little parts and when he walks around the sculpture, his eyes and brain assemble these shapes in different ways.”
For New Yorker Alyson Shotz, the rose theme, a flower dear to Christian Dior, also inspired her sculpture Infinite Rose with its reflections of steel and dichroic film, which changes color and shape depending on the movement of light, and that of the observer.
MARIA NEPOMUCENO
“I decided to bring the bottle of Miss Dior perfume, which for me is an object related to elegance and delicacy, to my own universe. I transformed the shape of the bottle into an object made of clay, from which tentacles and roots protrude, but also crevices with emerging organic elements.”
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1976, Maria transcends the Miss Dior bottle to create an organic and sensual installation using different material. Spirals of nylon, rope, straw and woven pearls are rolled up in an endless process, like a living sculpture, moving matter that bonds everyday life, cosmology and genetics.
JOANA VASCONCELOS
“I enjoyed being able to merge with the Miss Dior spirit, and its combination of extremes, that engage the world of couture and playfulness, architectural rigor and cotton candy lightness.”
My avid readers might recognize Joana Vasconcelos from her current solo exhibition at the Gucci Museo in Florence. For Dior, she has imagined a carbon fiber bow some 3 meters wide adorned with almost 1.665 perfume bottles and LED lights. This is probably the most impressive installation of the exhibition.
NIKA ZUPANG
“Starting out with a vision of the idealized and somewhat conservative Dior woman, I wanted to shake up her image. I didn’t want to distort it, I just set out to highlight the strengths of her unique, singular character.”
Recognized the world over for her objects midway between fantasy and narration, the Slovenian designer explores femininity from every angle with a series of pieces and collaborations, highlighting sensuality and seduction. Here, she created a fairy-tale pavilion dedicated to women and their aspirations. This was one of my favorite artworks of the exhibition.
KAREN KILIMNIK
“When seeing this piece, I would like visitors to the exhibition to want to take a look through the archives of Dior.”
Born in Philadelphia, Karen Kilimnik dramatizes today’s consumer society and the world of images through her paintings and lyrical installations, with a profound sense of romanticism. Inspired by the 18th century Drottingholm Theater in Sweden and the design sets for Alexei Ratmansky’s production of Psyche, but also fascinated by the Dior archives and first models, she has taken a new look at the follies and gloryfiers.
CAROLE BENZAKEN
“In Miss Dior, I don’t see a woman, I see colors and landscapes. It is a relationship between skin and veins, heart and heartbeat, music, life.”
With Carole Benzaken, media – drawing, painting, photography, video -, intertwine and overlap each other. She designed a majestic but fragile opalescent glass sculpture spanning one meter, surrounded by seven back-lit vats decorated with wooded landscaped drawings, like the idea of a liquid and immaterial fragrance that takes up and appropriates space.
POLLY APFELBAUM
” I decided to create a work that reflected Dior’s audacity and the brand’s tradition of allying the new with the classical.”
It was the houndstooth pattern that inspired the American artist’s large-scale installation, hand-woven in Mexico using the traditional weaving techniques of Oaxaca.
LEE BUL
“Smell is the most closely related sense to memory. A sense that appeals to emotions more than a reason.”
An unmissable figure from the Asian artistic scene, she created a dozen monumental sculptures in crystal and aluminum. For this exhibition, she has taken a new look at the olfactive memory of Miss Dior, its light and modernity at the center of an installation designed as a manifesto, standing 5 meters high and weighing almost 500 kg.
I stepped inside this suspended cocoon for a private journey on self-reflection.
CARLA MATTI
“I chose to interpret the theme of Dior’s beloved rose in my own poetical way.”
Under a venomous hybrid appearance, the works of Carla Matti are about nature and reality, the world and its virtual dimension. This young Italian artist scanned then recomposed and computer printed in 3-D the legendary Miss Dior rose which is transformed into a sculpted rose garden full of original flowers taken from a bend of five different floral varieties.
At the after party: Having fun with the fabulous Montasar Dumas.
It was such a fabulous event and I truly had a blast. If you like my look, here are all the details: Black strapless dress by Prada, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps by Saint Laurent, skirt belt, feather stole, handbag and pearl necklace, all by Dior.
Thank you Vanity Fair for featuring me among the most amazing celebrities!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Dior, Vanity Fair and © Sandra Bauknecht
Based in Miami, Del Toro was founded in 2005 by Italian-born Matthew Chevallard, and originally sought to fill a void in the marketplace for affordable customized slippers.
It didn’t take long for the brand to become successful and so the collection evolved to include new styles such as sneakers, drivers, and espadrilles among others. Handmade in Italy, my favorite choices are those amazing S/S 2014 flats that tell a whimsical story with every step.
THE DEL TORO S/S 2014 COLLECTION IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Del Toro
This was my outfit I wore to the Piaget Rose Garden Party at my place. I kept it very simple to draw attention to the beautiful diamonds. The semi-sheer style of my dress is precisely lined to provide coverage exactly where it’s needed and to show skin in the right spots.
Shop my look: Crochet-knit gown by Missoni, Tribute patent-leather sandals and Betty leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, diamond rose ring, necklace and Limelight Gala watch, all by Piaget.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Lady Gaga is the face of Versace‘s S/S 2014 campaign, the first time that the famous singer has starred in any fashion advertising. Channeling Donatella’s iconic look, the very long platinum blonde hair, Lady Gaga appears in a series of images shot in London by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, wearing pieces from the new summer collection along with some must-have accessories, such as the new Palazzo bag, which was introduced at the S/S 2014 show.
The campaign marks the latest stage of a continuing friendship between Donatella Versace and Lady Gaga. It began with Lady Gaga wearing archive Versace pieces in her video for Edge of Glory, with most recently Lady Gaga titling a track on her new Artpop album Donatella. “I am honoured that my friend Lady Gaga is the face of our new Versace campaign. I wanted to capture her true beauty and spirit in images that are elegant and alluring. She is like family to me, the embodiment of the Versace DNA.”
TO SHOP VERSACE ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Versace
This fall, I hosted a very special event at my place: The PIAGET Rose Garden Party. Being an ambassador for the brand, I was very excited to invite my friends to explore the PIAGET ROSE collection and the amazing COCKTAIL inspired statement rings during a beautiful late summer night. My garden was filled with lots of Yves Piaget roses that have the most exquisite scent one can imagine and we all enjoyed this night surrounded by precious jewelry pieces, good friends and delicious food. Enjoy some impressions below!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Eddymotion and © Sandra Bauknecht
Yesterday, four years ago, the probably biggest adventure of my life has started, I published my first post and Sandra’s Closet was born. I am so grateful for all the amazing things that have happened since then. My blog has taken me on such a beautiful adventure and I would like to thank you all for following me and supporting my work. Without you, the success wouldn’t have been possible.
As you know, I have taken another challenge that I am very happy about. I am the editor-in-chief of L’Officiel Switzerland and really enjoy working along my great team. Therefore, I am having another exciting year in front of me and you will get – of course – the essence of it through Sandra’s Closet.
If you get a chance, check out my new photo section where I uploaded some of the celebrities I have met during the last four years… and can you imagine that this is the 2040th post I have published?!
A huge thank you to Martina Bortalani for the portrait in today’s Sonntagszeitung!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Sonntagszeitung: © Esther Michel
Recently I was invited to explore PANDORA‘s new Essence Collection during an extremely yummy lunch at the Park Hyatt in Zurich.
The contemporary concept is featuring a slender sterling silver bracelet with an accompanying assortment of 24 sterling silver charms, hand-finished from precious metals and symbolic stones, each representing an inner value. It taps into current trends for personal and emotional connection, presenting different women that are each expressing their inner values such as joy, trust, passion, confidence, love, courage, faith and wisdom.
The new Pandora Essence Collection is in stores now around the world and a wonderful gift idea for a dear friend, a beloved sibling or your dear mother for Christmas. It is also the perfect way to express the essence of you, something meaningful around your wrist that reminds you every day of the values you care about.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Pandora and © Sandra Bauknecht
Yesterday I flew to Paris to celebrate the reopening of GUERLAIN‘s legendary address – 68, avenue des Champs-Elysées, which will officially open its doors this Saturday. Since 1914, it had been the house of the family and also the first boutique with only 45m² until 2005.
Peter Marino, Laurent Boillot (CEO Guerlain) and Guy Martin (Chef G68)
Today, it has become a temple of beauty with 1000m² on four floors, expressing the house’s DNA with an unbelievable atmosphere that has not forgotten its past. It is the biggest mono brand beauty store in the entire world. Peter Marino designed the store concept, displaying amazing pieces of art and giving the house’s history space. He encrusted marble into marble in a modern way and said that he relied on his wife for any advice on beauty.
For Peter Marino, “perfume is something in the air, something that is not concrete, that travels through the atmosphere.” Therefore he came up for example with a ceiling installation in the entrance that he called “lost in fragrance”, a very flowing and captivating interior design.
Yesterday with Guerlain’s famous face Natalia Vodianova
A happy Sandra exploring Guerlain’s temple of beauty, filled with house’s iconic fragrances and makeup products.
The store also has a private shopping room where you can indulge into the Haute Perfumery.
Here, you will find exceptional bottles, like for example the Queen Secret, a diamond encrusted bee that opens her wings to reveal the perfume you choose (€400.00 per piece) or a perfumed watch that combines the craftsmanship of watchmaking, jewelry and perfume making.
On display in the store are also some amazing vintage pieces.
An hommage to Guerlain’s iconic L’Orchidée Impériale line is this artwork by Marc Quinn.
To celebrate the opening, different limited or special editions have been launched such as a face powder of which only 400 pieces will be available or L’Eau 68, created by Thierry Wasser, that weaves a thread between the past and the future. Its scent, floral and woody, plays off the contrast between warm and cool spices.
Moreover, you can find a silk scarf selection or perfumed gloves which are amazing and said to keep their scent for a very long time.
The charming Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director of Guerlain, with me yesterday.
On the fourth floor, the amazing Guerlain spa is located. Nine rooms offer a relaxing and calming atmosphere with a very holistic approach. Every treatment is tailor-made for the customer. Different massage techniques from all over the world are combined to cater to the needs of the individual.
The waiting area has its own orchid garden and the entrance is just breathtaking.
In the basement, you will find the G68 restaurant where one of the best French chefs Guy Martin is treating his exclusive clientele to sophisticated and luxurious food – French Haute Cuisine. Martin has worked closely with Guerlain’s in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser. Following the same approach to creativity, they invented food that is called like the fragrances, working with similar ingredients. Martin said: “You have to understand the brand. You have to work with the best qualities, looking for the right products. It is a cuisine of comfort, pleasure and travel.”
I am completely in love with their tea selection named after their iconic fragrances that is also available to buy.
Guerlain’s legendary address is a feast for your senses, where you can indulge in luxury and beauty like nowhere else.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
