Sandra‘s Closet

«When Lily got in front of the camera she transformed! Wearing the collection unlocked her own personal attitude and she took on a new energy and power. That’s exactly how you should feel when wearing Versace!» – Donatella Versace

The Versace F/W 2022 campaign sees Lily James with the new Greca Goddess bag; the actress interpreting a Versace goddess in images from well-renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

As in her films, where she has played roles from headstrong princesses to sex-symbols, Lily James’s impulsive and daring attitude is the epitome of Versace confidence. Lily is seen as equal parts mythological deity and contemporary rebel as she wears new season latex ready-to-wear in a campaign that clashes classical culture with empowered seduction.

Versace Men’s proposal of a modern opulence is visually clear, with the ornate flourishes of the classical surrounding contrasted with the collection’s contemporary content.

The Greca Goddess line of bags is introduced for F/W 2022. Very Versace contrasts within the campaign imagery fully reflect the new bag and its juxtaposition of rich craft and elegance with a totally contemporary and new energy. The new bag harnesses Versace’s culture of myth and luxury, finished with the brand’s Greca insignia.

I absolutely love Versace’s new collection for F/W 2022 and cannot wait to get my hands on it! The footwear is so divine…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Versace – CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Donatella Versace | CAMPAIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Ferdinando Verderi PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott | STARRING: Lily James, Sofiane Belaasri, Yilan Hua, Avanti Nagrath, Reece Nelson, Parker Van Noord, Lulu Wood, | CASTING DIRECTOR: Piergiorgio Del Moro | STYLIST: Jacob K | HAIR STYLIST: Karim Belghiran | MAKEUP ARTIST: Porsche Poon
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As summer begins, Gucci presents a special selection of ready-to-wear and accessories from the House’s latest collections envisioned for warm season. Mixing light fabrics with bright pops of color, the Towards the Sun pieces evoke the easy-going cadence that comes with sunny days.

Upon bags, shoes, and accessories, pattern comes to the fore with the House’s emblematic GG monogram woven from a raffia-effect material. Houndstooth and seersucker also become defining motifs, enriching signature items such as bags from the House’s archive- inspired Beloved lines. The women’s ready-to-wear proposes practical femininity in muslin slip dresses accented with lace, as well as a selection of bathing suits.

The men’s lineup ranges from the casual to the sophisticated with jogging shorts, patterned pants, nylon jackets, and double-breasted blazers.

The Towards the Sun selection is captured in a special campaign shot on the coast of Provincetown—the Summer escape of choice for many artists and creatives. The campaign captures a cast of characters partaking in a series of activities on the quaint northern tip of Cape Code, such as swimming, sunbathing, and strolling around the lighthouse. As an ode to the act of vacationing, the photographs also feature the Gucci Ophidia luggage, which progresses the House’s century-long legacy in travel.

Now available in Gucci stores worldwide, Towards the Sun will be presented in dedicated window displays and Pop-Ups with a creative concept that riffs on the houndstooth design found across the selection. The offering will also be available online at gucci.com.

I love Cape Code and the photos make me dream of my latest vacation there…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci #GucciTowardsTheSun
Creative Director: Alessandro Michele Art Director: Christopher Simmonds Photographer & Director: Julie Greve Make up: Lauren Reynolds
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Originally debuting on the Exquisite Gucci runway, a mirror-filled space where historic emblems multiplied and metamorphized across sartorial streetwear, the first adidas x Gucci collection expands on the creative concept founded on an affinity for three stripes. Revealed in a lookbook released last month, the cross-category selection portrays the kaleidoscopic aesthetic of Alessandro Michele by mixing the codes of the House with those of the historic sportswear brand, and consequentially those of high fashion and streetwear.

For the launch, Alessandro Michele has envisioned a campaign that takes inspiration directly from an archival 1979 adidas catalogue. To animate the concept, a gridded template showcases a variety of moving imagery captured by Carlijn Jacobs. Against brightly colored backdrops, models stretch, run, or dance in place to a soundtrack of pensive phrases such as, «When your thoughts become reality, you understand what magic is.»

I am obsessed with the pink jumpsuit.

The assemblage plays out across women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, as well as on bags, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and lifestyle pieces.

Throughout the selection, the GG monogram and Interlocking G mix with the adidas Trefoil in colorful prints, as well as on jacquard fabrics; while the red and green Web of Gucci complements the three stripes of adidas. Pushing the collection further into hybridized territory, ready-to-wear pieces echo the sporting attire of decades past while portraying an undeniable contemporary character. Additionally, conventionally formal pieces like leather heels, suede loafers, and silk scarves are marked with casual codes. Beyond the standard selection, the expansive offering also includes some lifestyle items including a golf bag in two different variations, a nod to the House’s heritage in leisure products.

Reflecting a shared commitment to innovation, progress, sustainability goals, and collective action, the collection features multiple pieces crafted with future-conscious material fabrications including polyester, cotton, and viscose. Furthermore, each piece comes with special packaging that features the adidas x Gucci logo and that was strategically designed to reduce environmental impact (All paper and cardboard come from sustainably managed forest sources, and an uncoated paper has been used to ensure it is fully recyclable. In addition, shopping bag handles are made of 100% recycled polyester while pouches and suit carriers are made of a mix of regenerated cotton and recycled polyester).

The collection will be distributed through designated stores, online on Gucci.com and through ephemeral Gucci Pop-Ups, where the spaces will be decorated with one of the geometric prints found in the offering. A dedicated product selection will also be available on the adidas CONFIRMED app.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci #adidasxGucci
CAMPAIGN CREDITS Creative Director: Alessandro Michele Art Director: Christopher Simmonds Photographer: Carlijn Jacobs
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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

Tiffany & Co. presents its latest high jewelry campaign starring actress
Gal Gadot, who stuns in sparkling new designs from BOTANICA: Blue Book 2022, the pinnacle of the House’s jewelry portfolio. Shot in a pared-down environment, the photography features Gadot in key pieces from the spring Blue Book collection, including a dandelion-inspired diamond necklace
that can transform into five unique designs, as well as an orchid brooch, also transformable, and a
diamond and sapphire necklace that evokes thistles.

«I am incredibly honored to be a part of the new Blue Book high jewelry campaign and feel very fortunate to be able to represent the brand’s most esteemed jewelry collection during this exciting and transformative time,» said Gal Gadot.

Designs from Tiffany & Co.’s BOTANICA collection, Blue Book 2022, celebrating the timeless beauty of flora with these high jewelry pieces.

Gadot’s campaign represents the House’s first advertising venture with the actress. In addition to the new Blue Book designs, Gadot also wears several of Jean Schlumberger’s masterworks featured in BOTANICA, including his iconic Bird on a Rock brooch and the Fleurage bracelet. An exquisite creation that Tiffany & Co. artisans brought to life for the first time, the Fleurage bracelet is based on a sketch for a design that Jean Schlumberger once considered for the legendary Tiffany Diamond.

«Gal Gadot is more than a House ambassador. She epitomizes the effortless glamour, sheer sophistication and sense of modernity that Blue Book represents,» said Alexandre Arnault, Executive Vice President, Product and Communication, Tiffany & Co. «We are thrilled that she is the face of the new BOTANICA campaign.»

The campaign launches on Friday, April 22 on Tiffany.com, @tiffanyandco social channels, as well as in print and digital media globally.

If you are interested in reading an interview I did with Gal Gadot, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Tiffany & Co.
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Wander – to roam, to explore, indulge curiosity. To discover. Those instincts inspire the Miu Wander handbag by Miuccia Prada, that I showed you for the first time in January (click here for the previous post), a rediscovery and re-exploration of the identity of Miu Miu, through a new perspective.

The Miu Wander delineates the codes of Miu Miu with a fresh attitude. Executed in the tactile Matelassé leather, simultaneously playful and sophisticated, that has become a Miu Miu hallmark, the curved lines of the Wander underscore an omnipresent femininity. The pillowy surface invites touch, yet the easy handle – punched through the body of the bag itself – offers innate practicality, fusing pragmatism with decoration. It gives you the freedom to wander at will.

In the same spirit, the actor Sydney Sweeney – of Euphoria and The White Lotus – stars as the face of the Miu Wander, within a campaign photographed by Tyrone Lebon. The spirit of rebellion embodied by Sydney’s characters mirrors the ethos of Miu Miu, a twisted luxury energised by youthful rule-breaking – the hallmark of the Miu Miu girl, here embodied anew.

Across the campaign, Sydney is reframed within her craft, captured in imagery that recalls classic film stills. These portraits seem like fragments of a wider narrative, enigmatic and elusive – switching between different contexts, different moods and feelings, they encourage the viewer to imagine scenarios, devise plots. They inspire the mind to wander.

TO SHOP THE MIU WANDER BAG ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Miu Miu  – Talent: Sydney Sweeney – Photographer: Tyrone Lebon – Stylist: Lotta Volkova – Creative direction: Lina Kutsovskaya (BeGood Studios)
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Inspired by the language of evening dressing, a vocabulary of scintillation – sequin embroidery, crystal strass, the lusters of satin and velvet – for its campaign, the Miu Miu Nuit collection by Miuccia Prada is captured after dark. The images serve as both portraits of individual women – the actors Ever Anderson, Ciara Bravo and KiKi Layne – and as document of the vista of the collective Miu Miu world.

Ciara Bravo for MIU MIU

Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, those campaign stars are poised in enclaves that speak of the night: a deserted bar, a draped antechamber, the illuminated entrance to a member’s club. Images seem loaded with the memory of celebrations just ended, or the promise of those about to commence – the clothes themselves reminders of parties too, embroidered and embellished, joyous and optimistic.

Ever Anderson for MIU MIU

Each star shines brightly – a new generation of female talent celebrated for their abilities to transform. Ever Anderson has gardened critical acclaim for her turn as the young Natasha Romanov in Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’: her latest role is the titular female lead of Disney’s ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’. Ciara Bravo debuted on the small screen but quickly transitioned to cinema: she delivered a revelatory performance in the Russo Brothers’ ‘Cherry’, and acclaim for her role in ‘Small Engine Repair’. KiKi Layne has been lauded since her screen debut as the female lead in Barry Jenkin’s 2018 Golden Globe-nominated feature If Beale Street Could Talk. Layne also starred in HBO’s ‘Native Son’, in 2019. Most recently, she starred in ‘The Old Guard’ for Netflix opposite Charlize Theron and featured in ‘Coming To America 2’ alongside Eddie Murphy.

KiKi Layne for MIU MIU

Here, these women both adopt other personas and, paradoxically, personify themselves – dressed in finery, caught in fleeting moments. They shift between realities, embody characters, make believe – to make us believe.

I am so obsessed with the denim pants… should I get them?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu

Cinema is a fantasy: acting a craft, like fashion, that brings dreams to life. For the Prada Holiday 2021 campaign, ‘A Midwinter’s Night Dream’, a cinematic dreamscape is created using ground-breaking technology, transporting both stars and audience.

Cinema has always inspired Prada – evocative of complex storytelling, further narrative and deeper meanings. In an evolution of Prada’s heritage of campaigns featuring leading Hollywood actors, four new talents debut for Holiday 2021: Julia Garner (Ozark, The Assistant, Inventing Anna), Shira Haas (Unorthodox, Asia), Louis Partridge (Pistol, Enola Holmes) and Taylor Russell (Waves, Bones & All). They are captured in a winter’s scene as they quest across a frozen terrain – revealed as Los Angeles, fantastically engulfed in snow. Dressed in a collection designed for celebration, they move towards a joyous gathering – a definition of the holiday season.

Fusing together film and fashion, this short movie is based on an original story and script by cult screenwriter and director Mary Harron (American Psycho, The Notorious Bettie Page, Daliland), and is directed by Glen Luchford – a talent who has worked with Prada from the 1990s through to today. In a further crossover between creative realms, the campaign’s imagery is drawn from film stills – presented as bold cinematic panoramas, each captures an enigmatic moment.

Stories of voyages are constantly told through cinema’s rich history: here, they are brought to life with cutting-edge 21st-century technology. ‘A Midwinter’s Night Dream’ utilises the Volume, a virtual effects tool originally engineered for The Mandalorian – an immersive experience composed of a curved cocoon of glowing LED screens. The Volume is – like the story – transportive, recreating environments, inventing new realities.

Fashion and moviemaking unite in their wish to convey a story, one that brings people together in shared experiences. The Prada Holiday 2021 campaign is a celebration: of cinema, of fashion, of community, and of dreaming. You can watch the movie here.
And the new Prada winter collection is definitely a midwinter’s night dream.

LoL, Sandra

Credits: Photography and film: Glen Luchford Creative Direction: Ferdinando Verderi Talents: Julia Garner, Shira Haas, Louis Partridge, Taylor Russell

Dedicated to the mountains, the Coco Neige F/W 2021 collection offers essential winter sports pieces and accessories imbued with the codes of CHANEL. The collection campaign, photographed by Inez & Vinoodh, is embodied by artist and House ambassador JENNIE, reflecting different facets of the CHANEL spirit.

A collection moving between sport and style, designed for unrestrained enjoyment on the slopes.

A pair of sophisticated ski goggles has joined the Coco Neige F/W 2021 collection. Enhanced with three lines of micro-strass and signed with the CHANEL letters on the sides, these goggles come with a black, silver or electric blue mirror lens. For the ultimate touch of femininity, the black or pale grey elastic strap in gathered fabric has a satin-finish.

The Coco Neige F/W 2021 collection will arrive in boutiques from October 19th 2021.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, © Trix Hildebrand and © CHANEL
#CHANELCocoNeige #CHANELEyewear #CHANELSunglasses

I got so many lovely messages regarding my two last Prada outfit posts and lots of you were curious about the locations I shot the looks in Milan. Thank you for your interest!

For Prada‘s F/W 2021 campaign #FeelsLikePrada, the Italian fashion house came up with an amazing concept. The patterns of the show decorate buildings, houses and walls in different cities around the world. You can find them in Paris, Milan, Florence, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York and Hong Kong until October 21, 2021.

Left: Feels Like Prada – Milano – Corso Garibaldi 95 – Building artwall
Right: Dinner with Prada – Milano – Via Spallanzani – Viale Regina Giovanna (Porta Venezia) – Building artwall

Feelings – emotions and senses, intimacy and tactility. The Prada F/W 2021 campaign, showcasing the collections for women and men designed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, is an exploration of the evocation of feeling.

To feel has connotations both sensorial and emotional – rather than intellectual discourse, it is about instinct, spontaneity. Photographed by David Sims, each image is implicitly a fragment of an independent narrative – yet presented in serial, laid side-by-side, these photographs form a new abstract story of their own, expressing emotion. Deeper than appearance, this campaign is about what feels like Prada.

Building in New York

This narrative will come to life through a variety of experimental activations during Fall 2021, spanning digital and physical – life, re-fashioned, through the lens of Prada. Real-world spaces and quotidian objects will be enveloped in tactile patterns drawn from the Prada F/W 2021 collection, alongside building façades also featured in the campaign imagery – objects and places that can be touched, felt.

Prada objects at the Wet Market in Shanghai

The campaign as a whole is a proposition, a proposal – positing a vision of a brand, intentionally multi-faceted, to reflect its complex and ever-transforming nature. It is that which – always – feels like Prada.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Nadia Krawiecka
Prada F/W 2021 Campaign
Photographer: David Sims – Creative director: Ferdinando Verderi
#PradaFW21 #FeelsLikePrada #Prada