One of the best ways to have some fun in Amsterdam is to get on a bike or vespa as I did and see the city on a set of wheels. I had heard about the city’s famous Red Light District well before my trip. In Amsterdam, both marihuana and prostitution are legal. Leaving nothing to the imagination, some stereotypes about this area are true, there are plenty of sex shops, peep shows, brothels and prostitutes in red-lit windows. The area is bustling with visitors and groups of tourists.

My look to explore the town: Black cotton parka by Balmain, dress with leather and lace appliqué by Saint Laurent, biker boots by Miu Miu, Boy bag with chains by Chanel, diamond bracelet by Vainard Fine Jewellery, rose diamond ring and Limelight Gala watch, both by Piaget and sunglasses by Marni.

Tulips are also an integral part of the Dutch city’s life and you see them everywhere.
Stay tuned as I will show you more from Amsterdam soon…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

MOURJJAN is a fashion label launched in 2014 by Michael Muntinga and Roland Rahal. Based in Klosters in the Swiss Alps, they turn their joint passion for nature and fashion into striking luxurious silk pieces that evoke the secret gifts of the wilderness. Both seek inspiration from the mysteries of the Orient and love to travel to Roland’s birthplace, LEBANON, where East meets West.

Enjoy their guide for this fascinating country and its capital BEIRUT, dubbed the “Paris of the Middle East“.

Your favourite city?
BEIRUT because it is a city that never sleeps, a city of contrasts, thousands years of history, yet it is very avant-garde and contemporary.

Your favourite hotel?
LE GRAY in Beirut , beautifully centered in the Middle of Beirut, tastefully decorated with rooms that make you feel home away from home.
Martyrs’ Square, Beirut Central District, Lebanon, Phone: +961 1 971 111

Your favourite restaurant?
MAYRIG in Beirut. Delicious vibrant Armenian dishes that adapt the popular classics of Armenian cuisine, while generously borrowing from Lebanese and other Mediterranean influences, in order to feast guests on a dazzling array of flavors.
Pasteur Street, Beirut, Lebanon, Phone: +961 1 572 121

Your favourite bar or nightclub?
HAMRA STREET in Beirut is full of funky bars like WALKMAN. But nothing beats MUSIC HALL – a nightclub with a lovely combination of Lebanese and Western music and shows. The place to go for locals and tourists.
Walkman – The Alleyway, Street 78, Hamra, Beirut, Lebanon, Phone: +961 76 885 887
Music Hall – Omar Daouk, Lebanon, Phone:+961 1 361 236

Your favourite sightseeing spot?
BYBLOS or (JBEIL in Lebanese). A Historical Phoenician city with a beautiful old harbour. It used to be the St-Tropez of the Middle East in the ’60s/’70s. It has kept its charm throughout the years.

Your favourite park?
CEDARS PARK in the north of Lebanon. A place of silence, relaxation. It is also called the «Forest of the Cedars of God» and was added in 1998 to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Lebanon is known for its iconic cedar trees, as they are the emblem of the country and the symbol of the Lebanese flag.
Qadisha Valley, Becharre District, Governorate of North Lebanon

Your favourite beach?
EDDE SANDS. A beautiful sandy beach at the Mediterranean Sea with daily beach parties – so much fun.
Jbeil, Libanon

Your favourite shop?
BEIRUT SOUKS are full of the latest designer collections and unique boutiques with upcoming Lebanese designers. With over 200 shops and a department store, it is one of Beirut’s largest shopping areas and the most dense.
Majidiye, Beirut, Lebanon, Phone :+961 1 980 650

Capricorn scarf by Mourjjan

Your must-have accessory?
Your latest DESIGNERS’ ACCESSORIES (sunglasses, bags, shoes). Don’t be afraid to stand out – Lebanese people will love you for that!

The best soundtrack for this destination?
THE CHEHADE BROTHERS. Best music to hear while being in Beirut. Keeping clearly their Middle Eastern roots with the help of Arabic musical instruments, their music has lots of ethnic influences.

The best book to read while being on vacation there?
«THE PROPHET» – A book of 26 prose poetry essays written by the Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer Kahlil Gibran. It is a masterpiece on life and beyond.

Thank you, Michael and Roland, for sharing your insider scoop on Lebanon with us.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mourjjan

«Under the myriad stars, moonlit nights promise unexpected pleasures…»

Launched in 2006, Soir de Lune by Sisley is a beautiful perfume, elegant, intense and rich: a great modern floral chypre. This fall a limited edition will be launched. The scent stays unchanged, only the emblematic bottle and its precious case will be dressed for the occasion in midnight blue and platinum, bringing new spirit to the design, revisited by Isabelle d’Ornano.

Top notes: Mandarin, Bergamot, Lemon, Coriander, Nutmeg and Pimento.
Middle notes: May Rose Centifolia absolute, Mimosa absolute, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Iris and Peach.
Base notes: Moss, Musk, Honey, Sandalwood, Cedar and Indonesian Patchouli.

In Switzerland, the collector bottle of Soir de Lune will be available for CHF 284.00 (100ml) from October 2015. Only 6000 bottles will be for sale worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Sisley

Last week when it was still so hot in the city, I wore this very light white dress to the office. It was a very productive day as we got the October issue of L’Officiel Switzerland almost on its way… and how happy we were about it can you see at the end of this post.

My look: Sachi voile maxi dress by Isabel Marant, Annoushka lace underwired bra and Annoushka lace briefs, both Agent Provocateur, lace print bag and embellished wedge sandals, both by Prada, Printed iPhone 6 case by Moschino, necklace and set of bangles, both by Chanel, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis, ring «Mitza» by Dior Haute Joaillerie and sunglasses «Reflected» by Dior.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Looking for the perfect fall makeup products, then check out the latest from Bobbi Brown. Her Greige Collection features the perfect pigments for the new season mixing grey and beige to flatter every skin tone. Look below for full details:

Bobbi Brown Greige Eye Palette – Limited Edition – CHF 105.00

LOVE! Packed with eight perfect neutrals, from rich, smokey grey-browns to soft creams in matte-to-metallic textures. This sleek, faux leather navy palette includes a large mirror for flawless application.

Shades:
Ivory Eye Shadow – creamy white
Brown Haze Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow – medium smoky topaz
Twinkle Sparkle Eye Shadow – an off-white sparkle
Slate Eye Shadow – medium-grey
Greystone Eye Shadow – mid-tone grey taupe
Earth Metal Sparkle Eye Shadow – intense grey sparkle
Greige Eye Shadow – mid-tone ashy brown
Fog Eye Shadow – deep slate grey

Intense Pigment Liner Palette – Limited Edition – CHF 40.00

Clean and crisp or intense and smokey, this mirrored compact with three shades of deeply-pigmented powder liner does it all. Available in Black Plum, Midnight and Forest.

Dual-Ended Eye Liner/Smokey Eye Liner Brush – Limited Edition – CHF 57.00
Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick – Limited Edition – CHF 42.00

Shades:
Midnight – intense deep blue
Greige – shimmering brown grey

Nail Polish – Limited Edition – $15.00

Shades:
Greige – neutral gray-beige
Smokey Topaz – glitter nail polish

The extremely beautiful makeup collection will be in stores in Switzerland from September 4, 2015.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Bobbi Brown

In Amsterdam I stayed at The College Hotel which I can absolutely recommend. One night, I had dinner with my Dutch friends at Nacional, which is a great restaurant reminiscent of a Parisian brasserie. Afterwards, we had drinks at Bo Cinq followed by some dancing at Jimmy Woo.

My look: Leopard jacquard blazer and Tribute patent-leather sandals, both by Saint Laurent, black jumpsuit by Michael Kors, satin clutch by Prada, diamond bracelet by Vainard Fine Jewellery, diamond ring and rose necklace, both by Piaget and Amulette necklace by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Visiting Amsterdam, the Venice of the North, was truly a lot of fun. Thanks to its 400-year-old waterways, which are criss-crossed with tons of bridges, the city offers lots of picturesque places to enjoy. Here you see me heading to dinner at Izakaya, a culinary hot spot in Amsterdam, Japanese food at its best.

My look: Studded leather dress, knit cardigan with stud embellishments, Janis embellished suede ankle boots, all by Saint Laurent, Boy bag with chains by Chanel, Limelight Gala watch and rose diamond ring, both by Piaget and diamond bracelet by Vainard Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

When I was in Los Angeles for the TOM FORD Ford F/W 2015 show, I was invited to visit the brand’s presentation of the upcoming beauty launches at the Sunset Tower hotel. The moment I entered the suite, my eyes were immediately drawn to two clutch bags placed above the fireplace.

This amazing piece of art is finished with a lipstick holder at one side and comes with the ‘Vanilla Suede‘ shade from the brand’s beauty collection (you can use every TOM FORD lipstick shade of course). It’s lined in leather and has a zipped pocket, so you can keep your essentials neatly organized inside. The concealable snake chain strap offers an alternative way to wear this elegant Italian-made piece.

Those clutches are highly limited and only available at selected retailers. Therefore I am so happy that a few are now available online. Just click on the highlighted links below to be transferred directly to the store. Those bags will literally be on everyone’s lips!

LoL, Sandra

Gold glitter-finished Plexiglas® clutch

Silver glitter-finished Plexiglas® clutch

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: Courtesy of Tom Ford

Today, I made a post for you about put the most important F/W 2015 runway trends! Scroll through my forecast to see which styles will be on everyone’s shopping list this season. Gypsy bohemian elements, graphic black and white, ’80s styles and disco-inspired looks are here to stay. Burnt Red is the color of the season and leopard prints look the best in acid hues.
Enjoy this hot list!

LoL, Sandra

F/W 2015 TREND 1: FOLK PATCHWORK
Burberry Prorsum – Etro – Chloé

F/W 2015 TREND 2: ACID LEOPARD
Louis Vuitton – Max Mara – Saint Laurent

F/W 2015 TREND 3: GRANNY CHIC
Gucci – Miu Miu – Chanel

F/W 2015 TREND 4:
MARSHMALLOW COLOURS
Giorgio Armani – Prada – Dolce & Gabbana

F/W 2015 TREND 5: HIPSTER PORN
Olympia Le-Tan – Marc Jacobs – Christopher Kane

F/W 2015 TREND 6: NEW VICTORIANS
Alberta Ferretti – Alexander McQueen – Rodarte

F/W 2015 TREND 7: RIVETS
Mugler – Proenza Schouler – Anthony Vaccarello

F/W 2015 TREND 8: BURNT REDS
Emporio Armani – Givenchy – Hermès

F/W 2015 TREND 9: WARRIORS
Gareth Pugh – Philipp Plein – Iris van Herpen

F/W 2015 TREND 10: BLACK AND WHITE GRAPHICS
Emilio Pucci – Balenciaga – Valentino

F/W 2015 TREND 11: AVANT-GARDE
Roksanda – Delpozo – Christian Dior

F/W 2015 TREND 12: WELL-PLACED FURS
Giambattista Valli – Thakoon – Marni

F/W 2015 TREND 13: QUILTED
Versace – Céline – Fendi

F/W 2015 TREND 14: NEW PANTS
Loewe – Balmain – Stella McCartney

F/W 2015 TREND 15: SEQUINS ALLOVER
Tom Ford – Ralph Lauren Collection – Sonia Rykiel

Photos: Via style.com

Happy Birthday Flowerbomb – what a great «flowerbombastic» party! The house of Viktor&Rolf celebrated the 10th year anniversary of their iconic scent at Le Trianon in Paris in the beginning of July with a very special evening. The rooms were literally filled with thousands of flowers. Highlight of the night were the outstanding performances by Tori Amos and Charli XCX.

Enjoy all my pictures and stay tuned for the amazing interview I did with the designer duo.

LoL, Sandra

Designer duo Viktor&Rolf at their party.

Ellen von Unwerth with photographer duo Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

At the party with model Willy Cartier.

Charli XCX on stage…

… and in a stunning Viktor&Rolf dress upon arrival.

Ellen von Unwerth with me.

Actress Michelle Rodriguez

Italian clothing magnate Renzo Rosso, President of OTB Group, the holding group, that bought a controlling interest in Viktor& Rolf in 2008.

Petra Nemcova

Amazing performance by Tori Amos on stage…

… and afterwards at the party with me.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Courtesy of Viktor&Rolf