Sandra‘s Closet

Greetings from Montreux where fashion meets art at the lake. Ken Price (1935 – 2012) was a Californian artist, born and raised in Los Angeles, whose esoteric style defied categorization. Calling on eclectic influences from Mexican folk art to erotica and surf culture, his output included vibrant landscapes that have become the focus of Loewe’s capsule collection – a selection of limited edition ready-to-wear, iconic bags and accessories.

When Price died in 2012, his obituaries universally acknowledged the scale of his impact on modern and contemporary art. The New York Times described him as «one of the outstanding artists of postwar America», while the Washington Post noted his role in «expanding orthodox definitions of American and European sculpture.»

My look: Cropped asymmetric denim jacket, and Tread Slick canvas and rubber exaggerated-sole ankle boots, both by Alexander McQueen, printed cotton hoodie, and matching small La Palme Heel bag, both by Loewe x Ken Price, track pants in salmon by Moschino, wide bow hair clip by Jennifer Behr, and crystal-embellished sunglasses by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
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 The latest creation from HUBLOT and celebrated Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is finally here – and it may well be the duo’s most eye-catching and exceptional creation to date. Introducing the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow, reimagining the artist’s iconic smiling flower as a sapphire sculpture set with colorful gemstones and fitted with HUBLOT’s first central tourbillon movement.

Takashi Murakami in front of the Hublot Ginza Boutique with Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO

Transcending the preconceived notions of contemporary art, Takashi Murakami created his own art movement dubbed «Superflat», extending from fine arts such as painting, sculptures and installations to more commercial media such as fashion and animation. Blurring the line between high and low arts, Murakami melds the aesthetic of the Japanese artistic tradition with contemporary art and culture. Of all his works, the most iconic is the smiling flower, which HUBLOT has sought to bring into a watchmaking context through several collaborative pieces. 

The MP-15 is the symbol of a friendship in full bloom, born from a shared passion for breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations. HUBLOT first began working with Murakami in 2021, with a shared drive of breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations with their respective artforms. After his eponymous Classic Fusion models and a series of NFT artworks paired with unique pieces, HUBLOT and Takashi Murakami took their partnership to the next level with the unveiling of the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon for the Only Watch 2023 charity auction. Reimagining one of Murakami’s most emblematic motifs, the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon took on the «smiling flower» and transfigured it from Murakami’s signature aesthetic into a wearable sculpture that seamlessly merges contemporary art, avant-garde watchmaking and exceptional gem-setting; the latter of which HUBLOT has pioneered with unexpected techniques and a mastering of the perfect rainbow effect. This requires carefully selecting gemstones that work together in a perfect transition of tones. 

Meticulously crafted from a block of Sapphire crystal, the modestly sized 42mm smiling flower case features twelve petals. True to Murakami’s highly chromatic palette, the twelve petals feature polished Titanium inlays that are set with 444 colored gemstones in total, including brilliant-cut Rubies, Pink Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites and Yellow or Orange Sapphires. These stones are grouped together so that each petal is in a different vibrant color, just like the original Murakami smiling flower. 

More than just an incredible feat of gem-setting however, the MP-15 features a truly revolutionary mechanical caliber. At the heart of the HUB9015 calibre is the central flying tourbillon, which can be admired through the domed sapphire crystal engraved with two twinkling eyes and a smiling mouth. A first for HUBLOT, the central tourbillon is an exceedingly rare type of complication that demands advanced engineering and reimagining how a mechanical movement is built. In the MP-15, it is animated by means of a manual-winding caliber that boasts an exceptional power reserve of 120 hours – enough to run for nearly a whole week. To make the winding experience as effortless as possible, HUBLOT has created a special rechargeable stylus that’s placed on the crown, which winds the twin barrels in 100 revolutions. 

With this work of sculptural, wearable art, the notion of innovative and original watchmaking nonetheless takes center-stage. Surrounding the MP-15’s central flying tourbillon and keeping its view unobstructed, the hours and minutes are indicated by two hand tips that revolve around its periphery. The hands are actually positioned beneath the tourbillon cage, with just their tips bent upwards and outwards thanks to an intricate co-axial construction. Making the reading of time effortless and intuitive, the opening features a flange ring set with twelve baton hour markers, each continuing the color of the petal. The visual intrigue of the MP-15 is further enhanced by the fact that most of the movement’s components have been skeletonized, which appear as if floating in a vacuum. A true feat of superlative watchmaking. 

The finishing touch comes in the form of the strap, which is transparent and decorated with Takashi Murakami’s signature flower motif. Like the case, the deployant buckle is crafted in Sapphire crystal and Titanium. 

An artistic endeavor that’s bound to garner the appreciation of contemporary art lovers for its audacity and discerning watch aficionados for its complexity, the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow is a limited edition of 20 pieces, available to HUBLOT boutiques and authorized retailers around the world upon request. 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot #Hublot
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CHANEL and The Boat Race Company Ltd have announced the signing of a long-term partnership with CHANEL as Title Sponsor and official Timekeeping Partner. The 2025 event will become The CHANEL J12 Boat Race. 

The historic race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities was established nearly 200 years ago in 1829. It is the oldest major sporting event in the UK, with the dark and light ‘Blues’ crews of eight rowers pitted against each other on the River Thames every year in the Spring. 

The 2025 edition of The Women’s Boat Race and The Men’s Boat Race will take place on Sunday 13 April along the 4.25 miles of the Championship Course between Putney and Mortlake in London. The Boat Race is attended by over 250,000 spectators on the riverbank, broadcast live on the BBC, and watched by millions globally on television. It has become a treasured highlight in London’s sporting calendar. 

The long-term partnership is an expression of a shared philosophy, one of an uncompromising pursuit of excellence which relies on collective effort to succeed. Boat Race Day encapsulates the raison d’être of Oxford and Cambridge: to develop and showcase exceptional talent, in the same way the House of CHANEL supports outstanding creative expertise. 

CHANEL has had its roots in sport since it was founded in 1910. Inspired by sporting attire predominately worn by men of the time, Gabrielle Chanel was an active sportswoman herself and used materials such as jerseys, and tweeds and created trailblazing designs. These designs gave women the freedom of movement – to ride horses, cycle, and most importantly to choose how they dressed and who they wanted to be. 

CHANEL was the first luxury house to launch its own fragrance in 1921 and its own high jewellery collection in 1932. Decades later in 2000, CHANEL launched the iconic J12 unisex watch – the name inspired by the J Class 12-metre race boats from the early 20th century. 

The iconic J12 watch is produced in the ‘CHANEL Watch Manufacture’ in Switzerland and is powered by self-winding movements from the Swiss Manufacture Kenissi, co-owned by CHANEL. 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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Never stop dreaming! Never take any blessing for granted. Coming back from Milan Fashion Week, I was super grateful for all those amazing moments, encounters and experiences. Even after all these years being in the fashion industry and collecting fashion, I have never lost my spark for it. Here you see me at the Prada S/S 2025 re-see. Exploring all the runway pieces up close is one of my favorite things to do as you really get the essence of the collection. Prada has always been a visionary house and you might only understand a few seasons later what this was all about. It is intelligent fashion. I have an extensive Prada collection and like to mix and match different seasons, combining vintage items with new ones like I did here.

Stay tuned for the full report on the Prada S/S 2025 collection coming up shortly.

My look: Double-breasted cloth jacket with feather detail, knitted top in green, and matching green jacquard skort, sequin-embellished triangle bag, and matching sequin-embellished bucket hat, earrings, and black suede boots, all by Prada.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Stefano Facca
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Louis Vuitton presents its new Art of Dining collections, testaments to the Maison’s creativity, heritage and savoir-faire. The Maison now offers complete sets of porcelain, cutlery, glasses and decanters, blending the unexpected with a touch of playfulness. These new collections reflect the creativity and expertise of a House that makes every moment a shared experience: the graphic spirit of Monogram flowers on fine porcelain, hand-blown glass, the Épi motif on sparkling silver or the LV initials illuminated in fine gold… Each piece fuses the heritage of the House with contemporaneity, celebrating the art of living in the Louis Vuitton way.

Constellation Collection
This Limoges porcelain collection christened Constellation was designed to bring a lively, artistic touch to every meal. Each porcelain piece is graced with a pointillism- inspired theme, seemingly hand-painted with an infinite number of dots, recalling the iconic Monogram flower.

Splendor Collection
The Splendor service is a tribute to grand dining moments, combining the refinement of Limoges porcelain with the incomparable gleam of fine gold. Each of the seventeen pieces, from the serving plate to the sauce boat and including the rice bowls, sugar bowl and salad bowl, is decorated with a series of dynamic motifs: the Maison’s initials, the letters L and V, endlessly intertwining, echoing and mirroring each other.

Rivet Collection
For the first time at Louis Vuitton, the offer includes a fourteen-piece cutlery line. The Rivet collection was developed around the timeless trunk nail, a tribute to the artisanal savoir-faire so esteemed by the Maison. This collection, both elegant and functional and available in two variations, gives the cutlery the nail’s tubular shape.

I am totally in love with these new additions to the Louis Vuitton offering for the home.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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