Sandra‘s Closet

Miuccia Prada has collaborated with award-winning, visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume designer Catherine Martin to create several looks for the main characters in their highly anticipated film, Elvis, designing custom outfits and revisiting garments from the archives of Prada and Miu Miu. This collaboration renews the long-standing relationship between Miuccia Prada, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, which had already resulted in the creation of exclusive items for The Great Gatsby in 2013, and even earlier in Leonardo DiCaprio’s clothing in the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet – an artistic exchange that perfectly reflects Prada’s multidisciplinary attitude through a creativity that is nourished by a constant dialogue with the universes of art, cinema, and architecture. Elvis will première at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 24th and will be screened in cinemas around the world starting 22nd June and in North America on June 24th.

The film stars Austin Butler as Elvis, Oscar winner Tom Hanks as his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla, and retraces the life and music of Elvis Presley, celebrating his iconic style as well as that of an entire era. The film delves into the complex dynamic between Elvis and his manager over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley.

«Central to the Elvis narrative is Elvis and Priscilla’s legendary love story. Priscilla Presley’s beauty and iconic style has indelibly marked contemporary culture. Accordingly, it was important for Baz and I that we remain true to this legacy by not merely imitating Ms. Presley’s actual clothes, but that we find a modern way of connecting audiences to her distinctive, history-making style. It was wonderful for both Baz and I to collaborate creatively with Miuccia once again. Immersing ourselves in the Prada and Miu Miu archives with superlatively skilled ateliers, we made the journey to translate the Presleys’ historical clothes into the costumes that would be in the film,» said Catherine Martin.

Starting from the study of Elvis’s and Priscilla’s clothes sources, Prada and Miu Miu found affinities and similarities in their immense archives, giving shape to new creations. The result strongly recalls the years represented in the film, but it is also an expression of the DNAs of the two brands and their histories.

Miu Miu has frequently explored and reinterpreted the Zeitgeist of several decades of the 20th century, according to its own codes. This is the reason why several of its most famous collections easily inspire an evocative endeavor around the style of Priscilla Presley, which was also the result of a personal approach to the fashion of her time. The garments were created from such inspiring pieces as the brocade pantsuit embellished with beads and fringes worn by Priscilla at the opening concert of the evening in Las Vegas.

Prada has also often turned to those years and that cultural landscape – animated by a revolutionary spirit and by a desire for freedom – to offer an original aesthetic interpretation. Through that same notion, several of Priscilla’s authentic outfits were reinvented for the film, such as the tweed dress worn over a mohair sweater with a brown suede jacket worn to the NBC Elvis special.

Along with Elvis’s custom look by Prada – a distinctive plum wine kid mohair suit –, these costumes distill the essence of the characters in the film, silhouettes and recognizable forms that are at once instantly reminiscent of the past while appearing contemporary, underlining their eternal timelessness.

I am really excited to see this movie!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada / Warner Bros.
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Finally my kind of cryptocurrency I love and trust! On April Fool’s Day, Tiffany & Co. announced it is venturing into the world of cryptocurrency. Now, the joke is up and while cryptocurrency may not be in the cards, the House revealed that it will sell a limited series of 499 18k yellow gold coins— TiffCoin—that celebrate the jeweler’s heritage and nod to the future of Tiffany & Co.

From 1973 until 2007, Tiffany & Co. offered Tiffany Money — actual silver and gold coins that could be exchanged for Tiffany & Co. jewelry. While the tradition is no more, the release of TiffCoin is an homage to this legacy. Each TiffCoin is individually engraved and numbered, featuring a T insignia with currency-inspired graphics. The exclusive 18k gold coin is 34.8 mm in diameter, 2.8 mm thick and comes in an exclusive TiffCoin case within the iconic Tiffany Blue Box® and retails for $9,999.99 USD.

Originally announced as a drop available for only 24 hours, there are still some available for good customers. By buying the TiffCoin, you will also get access to special events in the future.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Tiffany & Co. @ tiffanyandco
Tiffany, T&CO., Tiffany & Co., The color and word mark Tiffany Blue, and the design and word mark Tiffany Blue Box are trademarks of Tiffany and Company and its affiliates. © 2022 Tiffany and Company. All rights reserved.

Ten years after its global collaboration, Louis Vuitton launches chapter two of its partnership with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, hitting stores worldwide in January 2023.

Since the creation of Louis Vuitton in 1854, the Maison has nurtured strong ties with the art world, collaborating with a series of artists who have brought their unique vision to Louis Vuitton. These close relationships have produced often radical reworkings of the Maison’s most iconic creations, in the process rewriting the rules of creative collaborations between luxury brands and artists. Yayoi Kusama’s collaboration in 2012 (Part one in July 2012 –  Part two in October 2012) flourished through various universes of the Maison, from exhibitions, products and a series of unique window installations, which included a startingly life-like mannequin modelled after the artist herself.

Finale at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2023 show in San Diego and some detail shots:

Yayoi Kusama, born in March 1929, is an avant-garde artist whose perspective is expressed through myriad techniques from sculpture, painting, installation, filmmaking, photography, and happening, to writing in a variety of styles. She is regarded as a precursor to Pop and Minimal art, yet her diverse art practices resist any singular classification. Yayoi Kusama’s artworks originated from hallucinations such as where the red flower patterns on a dining table’s tablecloth started to spread across the walls, floor, and even across herself…She has been battling her inner fears and obsessions and pursuing the mysteries of life by depicting the hallucinations she has experienced since her childhood. Please click here for a post about her retrospective in Berlin last year.

Look 51 Louis Vuitton Cruise 2023

As a celebration of the Maison’s relationship with the artist and to mark the 10-year anniversary of the first collaboration, a handful of leather goods were premiered during Artistic Director of Women’s Collections Nicolas Ghesquière’s Cruise 2023 fashion show at the Salk Institute in San Diego. These exclusive bags feature a reinterpretation of the artist’s obsessive dots across Louis Vuitton signature shapes as well as on new models. A true first taste of a transversal collaboration that, come January 2023, will radiate through all Maison categories.

More information will be disclosed at a later date.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Rome or Roma as the locals call their home, the Eternal City, with its unique and fascinating history, its thousand churches, palaces and fountains; Rome, where behind every corner and building lies a secret to be discovered, a legend to be told, history to be revealed, is also home to many famous fashion brands.

The country’s contribution to fashion is vast and its capital is no exception. Many designers come from Rome, such as Elsa Schiapparelli who was born there in 1890, Giambattista Valli, and of course the famous houses of Fendi and Valentino, along the jewelry brand Bulgari. Valentino will present his next F/W 2022 Couture show on July 8 in Piazza Mignanelli, home to the company’s storied headquarters, and a stone’s throw away from the Spanish Steps.

The Italian obsession with looking good is nothing new. It is contagious. So I photographed this fun summer look from the Versace S/S 2021 runway in front of the famous Colosseum, the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, that began to be built under between 72 and 80 AD.

My look: Ruffled embellished cady and plissé mini dress, padded-shoulder denim jacket in blue, Trésor de la Mer gold-tone crystal choker, Trésor de la Mer gold-tone crystal bracelet, and Trésor de la Mer gold-tone crystal earrings, all by Versace, black calf leather lace up Janis pumps by Saint Laurent, Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet, and waist bag with chains and pearls, all by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Daydream Studio
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A fresh talent reflecting new horizons and showcasing different perspectives. Prada collaborates with the artist Cassius Hirst – known as Cass – to imagine the Prada America’s Cup sneaker anew, through a customised capsule collection of four styles, in 22 variables.

«I was painting shoes, taking photos, and turning those photos into complex vinyl stencils that became abstract designs. I would mask off part of the body of the shoe, and then wrap the whole shoe in the stencil. It looked crazy. I sent a photo to my dad [Damien Hirst], and then he sent a photo of that to Miuccia [Prada]. And she said, «This looks amazing, let’s do something» The best part about this project – this collaboration – was how willing Prada are to invest their time, to be open to ideas, to challenges. And to really commit to something new.» said Cassius Hirst.

Cassius Hirst painted his first pair of sneakers when he was 14 – a gift for his father, the artist Damien Hirst. Growing up in a household where exposure to art was inevitable, sneakers became his canvas: sculptural objects whose topographies were reworked through hand spray-painting, no two pairs exactly alike. His work has garnered a cult following, purchased by the likes of A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Offset, Rihanna, AJ Tracey and the late Virgil Abloh.

«The Cass x Prada collection finds parallels between the bold work of this fresh talent and the heritage of Prada – the sense of the hand, an excellence in manufacture, a constant search for innovation, a restless urge to re-examine and reinvent our history. Here, the iconic silhouette of the Prada America’s Cup sneaker becomes a canvas for creation, offered in a special capsule. Something unique, something new.» said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Marketing Director and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility.

In a unique project with Prada Linea Rossa, Cassius collaborates to reinvent the America’s Cup sneaker across a full range of special pieces, reconfiguring its distinct surfaces to rework a 20th century design classic for a 21st century generation. The capsule is showcased in a still and motion- image campaign by Axel Morin – a surreal performance invading a pristine space, showcasing the Cass x Prada sneaker styles and custom-made, one-of-a-kind masks – each character simultaneously anonymous, yet unique. The soundtrack to the campaign film features music specially created by Cass.

The four Cass x Prada sneaker styles draw their names from the world of music, reflective of the interests of Cassius and the passions of his fans. ATT4CK, D3CAY, SUST4IN, REL3ASE are all named after the ‘envelope‘ or life of a sound, the stages of its evolution, reflecting this new evolution of the America’s Cup sneaker. The title of each style suggests their look and feel: the hard-edged, molded spikes of ATT4CK, sprayed with neon; the distressed leather of D3CAY, stripped and intentionally faded; the solid brights of SUST4IN, with overpainted white relief details; and the neon- spray finish of REL3ASE.

All styles are hand-worked in Italy by Prada in a meshing of traditional craft and cutting-edge imagination – wholly unique, no two pairs exactly alike, with signature labels each with a distinct CASS signature. Each pair is sold in a co-branded Prada box, featuring the logo of Cassius Hirst – a scan of his brain.

«The brain scan represents hope and knowledge in a world of shadows and uncertainty. The brain is where the thoughts happen – for me it all became about creativity and the creative process. I’ve learned that sometimes we have to look inside ourselves to see what’s really going on. We shouldn’t be afraid of that.» declared Cassius Hirst.

At the core of each of the Cass x Prada styles is the iconic America’s Cup sneaker: invented in the late ’90s for the sailing crew of the Luna Rossa, in all-leather, or leather with distinctive cross-hatched breathable bike fabric inserts. Ergonomic, technically innovative, the silhouette is immediately recognizable – the perfect canvas for seemingly endless reinvention.

The Cass x Prada collection is an edition limited to 3,000 pairs globally, sold through a selection of Prada boutiques and via prada.com.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada
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Gucci opened the doors to its fully renovated store in Zürich, Switzerland this month at a new location. The boutique spans over 746 square meters across two floors and a terrace and showcases a full array of Gucci’s products including men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, handbags, luggage, small leather goods, shoes, jewelry and watches, silks, eyewear as well as Décor and Lifestyle collections.

With a look that invites customers to feel welcome and relaxed, the interior design is discreet. It is a new concept, first presented in Zurich. Contemporary luxury is suggested not only by the employment of beautiful and idiosyncratic materials, but also through a determinedly spare use of space. In keeping with the elegant and contemporary eclecticism that characterises Gucci’s collections, the store sees the combination of traditional and modern, industrial, and romantic. This reflects in the refined marble staircase contoured by Bronzed aged brass railing and Salvia Green satin panels.

On the terrace of the new Gucci store in Zurich, dressed head to toe in the Italian brand.

The terrace on the first floor pays tribute to the original architectural features of the store. The existing historical window frames are complemented by dark green metal aviaries, inviting customers to take a seat and enjoy the outdoors, surrounded by the greenery. The concept effortlessly complements the product-offer from the House.

The mood within the store is one of discretion, where understated drama is created by the surprising and unexpected combination of materials. Juxtaposition of this sort, where opposites forge a new connection, is repeated ubiquitously: technical, mechanical display contrast with the softness of the rich fabrics that adorn the rooms; round tables offset rectangular ones; Salvia Green and ivory satin panelling elegantly complement the optical marble flooring. Throughout the store, one finds sumptuous chairs and sofas while vintage oriental rugs are layered over each other for a textured effect. The result is a space that entices, surprises and feels personal to Gucci.

Gucci Zurich
Location: Bahnhofstrasse 39, 8001, Zurich, Switzerland
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 – 19:00, Saturday, 10:00 – 18:00

Mark your calendar! The Gucci Cruise 2023 show will take place on May 16, 2022 at 8.00 pm CEST at Castel del Monte in Puglia, Italy. You can watch it live here. It will be full moon and the invitation revealed a cosmological theme, so stay tuned for #GucciCosmogonie. On behalf of each guest, the House has adopted a star and registered it under their name. How cool is this?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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A cutout swimsuit may be a straight-up no-no for some, with very bizarre tan lines being too much of a risk, but given that cutouts are a major S/S 2022 fashion trend this year, you might want to change your mind. This season, they are absolutely trending, preferably in black. Below you can find my absolute favorites. Just click on the highlighted text to be transferred directly.

LoL, Sandra

Cutout crochet-paneled swimsuit by PATBO

Cutout swimsuit by Alaïa

Crystal-embellished cutout stretch-nylon swimsuit by Dolce & Gabbana

Cutout embellished halterneck swimsuit by Magda Butrym

Wilona crystal-embellished cutout swimsuit by Agent Provocateur

Cutout halterneck swimsuit by Norma Kamali

Maddy cutout stretch-ECONYL halterneck swimsuit by Mara Hoffmann

Cutout halterneck swimsuit by Christopher Esber

One-shoulder cutout swimsuit by Versace

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht
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In the spirit of the S/S 2022 show, CHANEL reinterprets a sunglasses frame symbolic of the 1990s: the shield, available this season in two graphic versions with masculine/feminine accents. These designs come in black acetate or two-tone black and white, navy blue and fuchsia or emerald green. Each one is adorned with wide temples, enhanced by quilting punctuated with mini double Cs or an oversize double C. All details that render these sunglasses a veritable fashion accessory.

«Charms» also feature on a line of sunglasses. Whether worn singular or as a trio, a camellia, pearl, heart and hexagon inspired by the stopper of the CHANEL N°5 perfume bottle adorn the temples like a playful signature. Three pairs of sunglasses make up this line: graphic butterfly, cat eye and oversized square. All adopt the classic colours of black, tortoiseshell, navy and burgundy.

A third line includes four pairs of sunglasses in oval, rectangular, aviator and shield shapes in black and burgundy, brown khaki or deep green acetate imbued with a subtle sparkle. Two double Cs combining strass and metal are overlaid on the temples of the oval and rectangular designs, while the temples of the aviator and shield designs feature a single double C in metal, set on a square of micro-strass.

A variation on the metal glasses completes the collection. Devoted to the theme of light, they focus on delicate lines of strass: one covers the bridge of an aviator, available in two sizes; another surrounds the lenses of a graphic square or rounded frame.

These glasses will be available in boutiques from March, and from April for the frames embellished with charms.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
#CHANELEyewear #CHANELSunglasses

PRADA THE SYMBOLE

Subjectivity, interpretation, perspectives. For the campaign celebrating the Prada Symbole handbag, three artists approached the same subject matters – the Symbole, and the actor Hunter Schafer – in a series of divergent and distinct portraits. Three artists, three sides of Prada, three points of view.
A triptych in its conception, the campaign is created by three of art’s modern masters: Catherine Opie, Thomas Ruff and Carrie Mae Weems, symbolic and powerful names, whose work has rarely, if ever, been printed in the form of a fashion campaign. While respecting the processes and meanings inherent to both art and fashion, each questions and challenges the other, to create works that explores the blurred boundaries between these disciplines through mutual exchange.

Catherine Opie

Each artist regards the same figure, and the same object, but their practices, methodology and results are wildly individual. Like the Symbole itself, different sides – different facets – are discovered. Each series of images connects to a cannon of artistic expression: Opie’s work revolves around the body and identity, new codes of beauty – her images seem to sculpt Schafer into a series of triangles, fusing woman and object, Ruff’s reinterprets ready-made images, distorting and manipulating reality – the objective value of a photograph, it questions our ideas of image. Weems connects her imagery to concepts of identity, representation, projection – notions of transformation and courage.

Thomas Ruff

Before each of their lenses, Schafer transforms – an act that, through the art of its creators, reflects her own craft as an actor. The campaign images become character studies – of Hunter Schafer, and the Symbole – composed of triangles, a graphic representation of the codes of Prada.

Carrie Mae Weems

THE PRADA SYMBOLE HANDBAG

A new type of logo, a new concept of an emblem – the Prada Symbole handbag is inspired by Prada’s iconic Triangle. Precise, direct, meaningful, it is a shape that resonates without words. Drawn from Prada’s heritage, it is reinvented for today – where the Triangle, alone, says Prada.
The Triangle was first used by Mario Prada – founder of the brand – in 1913, as a mark of quality and craft, a symbol of luxury. Today, it has become a shape immediately associated with Prada – echoing the shape of the ‘A’ of the brand’s name, a distinct and unique marker intrinsically tied to the history and identity of Prada.

In the Symbole, the Triangle becomes a luxurious jacquard – woven into the very fabric of the handbag. Geometric, modern, multi-faceted, it is a wordless assertion of Prada’s unmistakable persona. The Symbole couples this to a versatile tote, trimmed in Saffiano leather and proposed in a variety of sizes – a style as multi-faceted as its surface. Here, the Triangle retains its century- old role as a stamp of approval, expressing the highest level of craftsmanship synonymous with Prada.
The Symbole – like the Triangle itself – is a symbol of the ethos of Prada. Past, present, future.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada – Talent: Hunter Schafer
Artists: Catherine Opie, Thomas Ruff, Carrie Mae Weems Creative Director: Ferdinando Verderi

New Alaïa, new denim! I am such a huge fan of Pieter Mulier‘s first collection for Alaïa. Four years after Alaïa’s passing, the Belgian designer, who was Raf Simons right hand before, created a collection with so many amazing pieces that pay homage to Azzedine Alaïa‘s greatest hits, including body-sculpting knitwear, multi-strap corset belts, and hooded silhouettes evocative of Alaïa’s North African roots. As Pieter said, he wanted his first collection for the French house to be «a return to foundations.» I bought many pieces, among them this beautiful denim look that I photographed on the streets of Paris and that you will hopefully like as much as I do.

My look Hooded denim and stretch-knit thong bodysuit, and high-rise straight-leg jeans, both by Alaïa, Yigit silk-satin platform pumps by Amina Muaddi, Milena embellished metallic embroidered tulle and satin bra, and Milena black lace thong, both by Agent Provocateur, video tape clutch by Louis Vuitton, and cat-eye tortoiseshell-acetate sunglasses by Bottega Veneta.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Nadia Krawiecka
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