Sandra‘s Closet

Prepare for your world to turn pink! First I thought, it was a joke, but then I realized April’s Fool is over. The hype is real. May I introduce you to the new limited edition Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce, a sensationally smooth plant-based BBQ-flavoured mayo created to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Barbie™. It’s the perfect pink pairing for burgers and brings extra smokiness to everything from chips to pizzas. Consider your summer BBQ days sorted! In stores now.

In those days of gender equality, I am convinced that there will be a Kenchup soon!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © 2024 Mattel / Heinz
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All good things come in threes. I love birthdays, I love cake and I love pink. For my last birthday luncheon, I wore this fun «Barbiecore» style inspired by pink fashion and a birthday cake. Layers resembling ruffles, adorned with pearls and bows to show elegant couture.

My look: Belted floral-print faux fur coat in pink by Balenciaga, coat dress with icing print, cake clutch bag, and bow-embellished long pearl necklace, all by Moschino, jewel and bow embellished pumps by Miu Miu, and bi-color heart-shaped earrings by Alessandra Rich.

Next time, I might get inspired by the limited edition Barbiecue sauce :-). By the way staying slim can be so easy, just wear your cake instead of eating it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Sanjeev Velmurugan
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Louis Vuitton debuts Low Key, a new collection of bags that stand out for their streamlined, sophisticated design. Launching with two styles, Low Key embraces a certain minimalist approach while signaling timeless Louis Vuitton style.

The Low Key Hobo is a generous, shape with a supple construction. Proposed in black, cognac and limestone, the grained leather is at once smooth and exceptionally tactile. A signature padlock is anchored to the strap, which is adjustable for a hand, shoulder or cross-body carry. Inside, a detachable Monogram pouch provides easy storage.

Low Key Hobo: CHF 3’450.-

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Buccellati is debuting in collaboration with designer Patricia Urquiola the new Tahiti picnic baskets. These new objects enrich the famous tableware and objects line Tahiti, conceived in the 1960s by the Maison Buccellati and characterized by the discerning crafting of silver and bamboo and are unveiled at the brand’s new boutique in Via Montenapoleone 23 during the Milan Design Week 2024.

The combination evokes the natural wonders of the Polynesian islands and still today represents elegance and sophistication. Externally, they feature an interweaving of leather in the shades of beige and brown while the internal structure is made of wood covered in a soft suede fabric. The silverware included in the set belongs to the Buccellati Tahiti collection, while the porcelain items are part of the collection created in collaboration with Ginori 1735.

LoL, Sandra

With Patricia Urquiola

Photos: © Buccellati and © Sandra Bauknecht
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Fashion house Taller Marmo is a fusion of luxurious design with ‘60s and ‘70s-inspired spirit. Based in Milan, the label uses quality fabrics to craft eveningwear that mirrors styles seen on the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren. Discover the elegant silk kaftans HERE.

On  the occasion of Milan Design Week 2024, the brand’s founders Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea spotlight the work of Studio Sana Benzaitar, a female-led studio that produces one-of-a-kind rugs in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Each rug tells a story, that of Amazigh and Berber weavers who hold a know-how passed down from mothers to daughters.

For the occasion, artist Sana Benzaitar also realized an exclusive rug paying tribute to the brand’s signature Mrs. Ross caftan and replicating the exact roomy shape of the fringed garment.

Sana Benzaitar’s reinterpretation of Taller Marmo’s signature Mrs. Ross caftan.

You can visit the exhibition at the new Casa Taller Marmo in Milan on the occasion of Salone Del Mobile 2024 until Friday 19th of April, 2024.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Taller Marmo
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For Milan Design Week 2024, Fornasetti unveils its surreal interpretation of one of the most welcoming spaces in the home: the dining room.

In this setting where nothing is ever as it seems, décor and objects merge in an effortless matching game between content and container, between furniture and the room that hosts it.

The Atelier’s collection of furniture and home accessories is enriched with new elements: storage furniture and polyhedral bar cabinets, tables boasting new shapes and materials, and chairs that seamlessly combine the charm of mid-century design with the comfort of upholstery. Incongruous and extravagant combinations give rise to new patterns and intricate images created with meticulous care and skill, simulating a hint of reality that is in fact pure design.

In Ceci n’est pas une salle à manger, the fusion of seemingly incompatible elements transforms the dining room into a theatre of surrealism, creating a world free of any conscious association, preconception, or specific intention. Fornasetti furniture and accessories introduce a unique perspective, where the boundaries of reality and fiction intertwine, creating an experience in which the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

ON THE EDGES OF REALITY
The new curved bar cabinet engages in a visual dialogue with the dining room, elegantly anticipating the decorated world hidden within. Inspired by Piero Fornasetti’s iconic interior design projects for the Pasticceria Dulciora and Casa Lucano in the 1950s, the buffet and curved bar cabinet transform the dining room into a fascinating setting with a surrealist twist.

TABLE ENTERTAINMENT
Fornasetti’s new dining tables are a tribute to the design and aesthetics of the 1950s. An array of scattered objects floating on the surface, and swirls of vivid colours are an irresistible invitation for the curious eye to get closer and discover hidden details.

An invitation to sit at Fornasetti’s surreal table. The iconic chair is enriched with high-quality jacquard fabric designed with bottles, cocktails and scattered objects that bring a touch of imagination and energy to the room.

A REDISCOVERED REPERTOIRE
The Atelier reissues its oval tray, an original model from the 1950s: an extraordinary, rediscovered repertoire, rich in expressive variations that accommodate the symbols of Fornasetti’s prolific hand and mind.

I am a huge Fornasetti fan and personally speaking love this new collection for the dining room.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Fornasetti
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As part of Milan Design Week, Off-White™ is releasing a limited-edition rug, which also takes center stage at the brand’s Via Verri flagship with an immersive floor-to-ceiling installation and a takeover of its windows.

Spanning 170×240 centimeters, the rug is available in only 40 pieces and is coming with a numbered label.  The design is marked by a floral pattern in a deep blue shade and bold lettering in popping yellow reading «Don’t walk here.» Crafted in Germany with a double-layer felt lining, the rug is to retail at €1,250 euros exclusively at Off-White™ Milano Verri store, beginning April 15, 2024. The brand will also host live DJ sets in-store on April 17 and 18, extending opening hours to 9pm in honor of the occasion.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: PR © Off-White™
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Louis Vuitton is revealing the expansion of its Tableware collection – now available in a new beige colourway – celebrating the Monogram flower’s artistic spirit with a contemporary touch that subtly intertwines classic and modern style.

Epitomising purity and timeless elegance, the Monogram Flower tableware set, made with Limoges porcelain, is available in an essential palette of blue and beige. Its motifs highlight the defining Monogram flowers’ graphic design with subtle watercolour effects on a stark white base. The collection boasts a variety of formats ranging from elegant plates to wide bowls and teapots, giving every mealtime a dreamlike ambience.

The tableware collection is accompanied by Twist Glasses and Flower Carafes, all available in Cristal Clear, Sapphire, Amber, Emerald, or Venetian Ruby, in a reflection of the Maison’s spirit. Twist Glasses and Flower Carafes are crafted in Murano glass and hand-blown in Simone Cenedese’s atelier, demonstrating their exceptional artisanry and imbuing each piece with unique character.

The new Louis Vuitton Tableware collection is available on louisvuitton.com and in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores. I am totally in love!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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As part of Milan Design Week, Louis Vuitton unveils a unique reinterpretation of its iconic Bed-Trunk at its Garage Traversi store in Milan. This exceptional piece draws inspiration from the very first Bed-Trunk, designed in 1865 by Louis Vuitton himself and now updated to blend tradition with modernity.

Created for the design connoisseur and the elegant traveller, this new variation celebrates the Maison’s heritage – innovating while respecting traditions and savoir-faire since 1854. The exterior of the trunk is covered in Louis Vuitton’s classic Monogram Canvas, while its interior displays the bed’s sophisticated structure – an innovative combination of aluminium and beechwood that allows the Bed-Trunk to quickly and easily transform into a stable bedframe.

The mattress is split into four sections specially crafted to support and accommodate its owner in total comfort. A memory-foam mattress topper covers every section, which rest on the same woven cotton straps that have been used to keep clients’ belongings safe during travel since the very earliest Louis Vuitton trunks. The mattress is covered in waterproofed cotton precisely embroidered with the classic Monogram pattern. For even more comfort, the head of the bed – with an included pillow – can be raised to the perfect angle and a small beechwood side table attached to the edge of the trunk.

In the mid-1880s, Louis Vuitton came up with a new Bed-Trunk specially designed for explorers from around the world – an invention patented by his son Georges in 1885. The Bed-Trunk was then showcased in several universal and international exhibitions, spurring its immense success among travellers, explorers and other nomads – just as the Camp Bed-Trunk became indispensable for officers in training or on active duty.

The Louis Vuitton Bed-Trunk will be available for pre-order from 16 April.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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DESIGN ANCORA GUCCI PRESENTS FIVE DESIGN ICONS AT ITS FLAGSHIP STORE ON VIA MONTE NAPOLEONE

From an idea of Creative Director Sabato De Sarno, GUCCI Design Ancora is a special project co-curated by Michela Pelizzari. From April 15 th 2024, five icons of Italian design, reedited and customized, are showcased in an immersive exhibition conceived by Spanish architect Guillermo Santomà at Gucci’s flagship store in via Monte Napoleone, 7.

From April 21st 2024, a special edition of the objects will be available online on gucci.com.

• Storet by Nanda Vigo for Acerbis (1994, reedition 2020)

• Clessidra rug, Portaluppi Pattern Project by Nicolò Castellini Baldissera (great grandson of Piero Portaluppi) from an iconic design of Piero Portaluppi, edited by cc-tapis (2024)

• Parola by Gae Aulenti and Piero Castiglioni for FontanaArte (1980)

• Le Mura by Mario Bellini for Tacchini (1972, reedition 2022)

• Opachi by Tobia Scarpa for Venini (1960, reedition 2021)

«Through Design Ancora, Gucci doesn’t simply celebrate old icons, it creates new ones,» explains Michela Pelizzari, founder of Milan based creative agency P:S, which co-curated the project, «The aura emanating from the brand spotlights five pieces by Italian masters that are perfect from a design standpoint but less known to the general public.»

The chosen objects represent the golden age of Italian design, while also reminding us of the important relationship between designers and brands, craftsmanship and industrial production. All objects are re-edited in Rosso Ancora, the red hue chosen by De Sarno to mark the beginning of Gucci’s new creative chapter.

Gucci Design Ancora comes to life at the Gucci flagship store in Via Monte Napoleone, 7.
In every room, the curved walls in green a color chosen by Sabato De Sarno contribute to blurring boundaries and creating a metaphysical space in which each object appears on its own, displayed as an idea rather than as a mere product.

«If we had put the objects all together, we would have created a living room. Instead, we decided to remove the boundaries given by how we use these objects and create a sort of limbo,» explains Guillermo Santomà, who is known for a multidisciplinary approach merging design, architecture, sculpture and scenography, «Floating objects don’t have meaning or a function. They are just shape, materiality, color.»

The same visual approach is applied to the windows on Via Monte Napoleone, 7. In one of them, a pair of Gucci Cub3d a limited edition sneaker created combining 3D printed elements and the House’s own Demetra material float in the middle of the air and rotate on their own in a magnetic installation. In another one, a 3D printer is displayed as a unique object customized by Santomà himself.

Definitely worth seeing when you are in Milan!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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