Sandra‘s Closet

The forever scarves are heritage scarves, authentic and alive, that honor the original design in a unique and emblematic color. Neither reworked nor redesigned, they are presented in all their simplicity, true to the original drawing of the artist. This year there are four designs being honored.
This essential Hermès accessory complements any outfit. It can be worn many ways – around your neck, as a top, at the waist or as a headscarf!

COUVERTURES ET TENUES DE JOUR Forever Scarf 90

Designed by Jacques Eudel (1974)
Crème / Rouge H / Bleu / Multicolore

This emblematic scarf is part of the history of the House, whose primary inspiration has always been the horse. It offers us a beautiful glimpse of equestrian coquetry. Elegantly framed by leather bridles, ten stepping horses are having a fitting as their schedule, their stable, their wait or their presentation requires a different and adapted accoutrement. A «French-style», «American-style» or «net-style» blanket, or a chain mail camel or camarillo, Jacques Eudel’s colorful brushstrokes are so realistic and precise that the most difficult task will be to choose one.

JUNGLE LOVE Forever Scarf 90

Design by Robert Dallet (2000)
Marine / Vert / Orange

Just like these two leopards, Robert Dallet had no equal when it came to magnifying – with a continuous concern for truth – such incomparable coats, the strength of their features and the power of these feline bodies. As a collaborator of the Natural Museum of Natural History in Paris and a staunch naturalist, his work is a vibrant and necessary tribute zo the wonders of the wild. Here, he illustrates a page of love that has become an emblematic scarf in the House’s heritage. At the heart of the jungle, the lovers observe each other, a courtship performed under the curious eye of parrots, butterflies and galagos surrounding them.

EPERON D’OR Forever Scarf 90

Designed by Henri d’Origny (1974)
Caramel / Crème / Or

At first glance, it is a skillfully orchestrated composition of leather and metal, loops and circles intertwined in complex harmony – a rosette in the form of a scarf. But as the eye focuses it discerns each of the elements that give this movement its rhythm in a repetition that is as soothing as it is intriguing. An urge draws us to follow this mysterious network with no beginning and no end. Spurs, stirrups, rein hardware and riding crops with three rings of gold: the curves and straight lines of horse tack used by Cadre Noir master riders of France’s prestigious Saumur riding school established in the 19th century.

BRIDES DE GALA Forever Scarf 90 

Designed by Hugo Grygkar (1957)
Noir / Crème / Gold

In 1957, Robert Dumas worked with Hugo Grygkar. He placed two bridles face to face on the floor, and immediately it became clear that the composition was perfect, a scarf with unparalleled simplicity came to life. This was followed by the talent of a precise and subtle hand, which is so dear to the House. This design reflects the first love of a House of saddlers, its attraction to the beautiful, useful, and durable, as well as the enduring legacy of a title whose sounds evoke, as Jean-Louis Dumas once noted, «dazzling ceremonial garments». The interlaced harnesses feature pieces from the Émile Hermès collection. Objects sometimes have a truly wonderful destiny.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Hermès
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

This fall, everyone’s favourite fashion Teddy is celebrating a big birthday: ten gloriously chic years since the Max Mara Teddy Bear Coat won the hearts of well dressed women everywhere. The unsurpassed must-have, the Teddy Bear Coat, designed in 2013, was inspired by a Max Mara archival garment from the 80s. Its abundant volume is a tribute to the extravagance made it an instant hit, worn and sought after by stars and celebrities. The perfect, magical combination of glamour and playfulness its silhouette and exquisite fabric exude give it the extraordinary ability to work from the street to the red carpet with a simple change of accessories! Season after season, it reinvents itself as a gilet or a biker jacket.

This season a special advertising campaign – featuring Mariacarla Boscono and shot by Tyler Mitchell – spreads the message and mantra of every self respecting icon: «I was, I am, I will be».

The secret of the success of the iconic Teddy Bear Coat is its unique, enveloping shape and premium fabric. A perfect blend of extremely soft wool and alpaca or camel fibres on a silk base that strikes the perfect balance between glamour and functionality.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, the Teddy Bear Icon Coat gets an upgrade and comes as a limited edition that is embellished with sparkling crystals. The model is available in camel or white.

TO SHOP THE LIMITED EDITION TEDDY BEAR ICON COAT, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Max Mara
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise

I love Hermès scarves. This essential accessory complements any outfit. It can be worn many ways – around your neck, as a top, at the waist or as a headscarf!

This year, for the first time, the French Maison is launching the so-called «forever scarves» (carrés de toujours). They are heritage scarves, authentic and alive, that honor the original design in a unique and emblematic color. Neither reworked nor redesigned, they are presented in all their simplicity, true to the original drawing of the artist.

Each year from now three designs will follow, in 2023 those ones below are available:

GRAND APPARAT Forever Scarf 90
Designed by Jacques Eudel in 1962
Color: Crème / Gold / Multicolore

This design showcases various pieces of ceremonial harnesses and saddles, which were adornments used for parades and celebrations. The luxuriousness of these embossed leather ceremonial harnesses, trimmed with fringes or braids and adorned with bronze elements, laurel leaves, royal emblems and coats of arms, indicates the nobility of the person being transported as well as the importance of the event. Held together by pyramid studs and braiding, the central picture was inspired by the design of a horse harnessed to a carriage, which was created for the coronation of Louis XVIII.

COACHING Forever Scarf 90
Designed by Julie Abadie in 1976
Color: Rouge / Vert / Blanc

This design is composed of different elements used for harnessing a horse. It depicts Hermès’ original expertise as a harness maker, as well as the elegant equestrian world for which the Maison has become renowned. The background features a blanket lined with a wide wool braid. In the lower right and upper left corners, dress sheets are revealed: blankets which are thrown over horses after exercise or racing to protect them from the cold. In the 17th century, coaches were imposing horse-drawn carriages driven by coachmen that transported passengers and luggage.

ASTROLOGIE Forever Scarf 90
Designed by Françoise Façonnet in 1973
Color: Bleu Cobalt / Vieil Or / Blanc

It was in Mesopotamia that the first calendar was born, around the third millennium BC, followed by the signs of the zodiac. They segmented the sky into twelve sequences which the sun takes one year to pass through. Linked to the lunar cycle and particular planets in the galaxy, they inspired many beliefs and shaped our measurement of time. Here, Gianpaolo Pagni adds stamped motifs to an emblematic scarf designed in 1963 by Francoise Faconnet, inspired by a Renaissance-era astrological table conserved at the Musee de l’Observatoire in Paris. The Italian illustrator’s geometric prints overlap with complex symbols which only the enlightened can decipher.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Hermès
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

For F/W 2022, British designer Ian Griffiths, who joined Max Mara in 1987, seeked inspiration after seeing the major retrospective of the work of Sophie Taeuber-Arp at the Tate Modern in London. She was not only an artist, but also an architect, a dancer and a designer at the same time. During the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century, she met at Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, with fellow artists of the avant-garde including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst and Guillaume Apollinaire night after night. Their performances, publications, recitals and readings produced an astonishing new aesthetic: Dada, a call for peace corresponding with the outbreak of World War I, which resonates with the times we are living in now.

Max Mara F/W 22

From the beginning, Max Mara’s ethos has been to turn ideas into garments that women will not only desire but want to live in: an all-round wardrobe for the modern, stylish yet elegant strong woman. Always respecting the philosophy and iconic elements of the brand, the colour camel, for example, Ian Griffiths is constantly looking for styles that show self-expression. Whimsy was the desired effect of the teddy bear material for F/W 2022, which the designer cut not just into oversized enveloping coats, but also full skirts both short and long, dresses and even sweatpants.

Personally speaking, I was immediately drawn to the Mito camel hair maxi dress, «the teddy dress». This long dress comes with fitted sleeveless bodice in double pure camel fabric, with a slightly low waist. The wide skirt is made of pure camel teddy fabric, with slant pockets on the sides. It is lined with monogram fabric and comes with a concealed back zip fastening. For me, a must-have for my museum. Stay tuned to see me wearing it very soon!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Max Mara and © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

Let me introduce you to Max Mara The Cube. Born in 2008, it is an integrated system of outerwear and accessories, a collection of quilted coats and jackets neatly packaged into cubed carry-cases for on-the-go women. This celebrated range shows Max Mara’s commitment to innovation, that sets it apart from anything else in the fashion industry, by combining unparalleled warmth-to-weight functionality and adaptable styling.

 The Max Mara The Cube’s design is so innovative that it has been «boxed» into the display cases at the Berlin State Museums and New York’s FIT, as a «cult object» in the «Fashion and Technology» exhibitions.

This season, Max Mara takes The Cube collection to the next level. The Italian fashion house is synonymous with camel hair. The legendary coats have been crafted from this sustainable fiber that is collected from the camel as it naturally sheds. The excess camelhair fabric of the Max Mara coats is upcycled to create a new coat with a sustainable padding, the Cameluxe, an ultra-fine material used as insulation for a new generation of The Cube – the integrated system of outerwear and accessories that has been around the «block» a few times.

Luxury, high-performance outerwear – and its neat travel bag – modern fashion, cubed. I am loving it and will show you soon how I am combining it.

TO SHOP MAX MARA THE CUBE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Max Mara and David Biedert Photography 
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

In the 1930s, Robert Dumas, son-in-law of Émile Hermès, whom he succeeded at the head of Hermès (1951-1978), created the women’s bag with straps. He designed a trapezoid shape with two triangular gussets, a cutout flap, a handle and two side straps, and with it he brought the house into the era of boldness and modernism.

In the late 1950s, legend has it that Grace Kelly, a Hollywood star turned princess of Monaco, was photographed holding the bag over her stomach to conceal the early signs of her pregnancy.
The bag shot to international fame and was renamed the Kelly.

The Kelly bag comes in different sizes and styles (like the Kelly Pochette or Kelly Ado for example), offering different aesthetics. There is no «right» size or shape. Although right now smaller bags are the rage, the size for you is the size you choose.

Recently, I have added a Kelly Danse to my Hermès collection. Originally released in 2007 by Jean-Paul Gaultier, who was at the helmet of Hermès at that time, Kelly Danse is a more casual and multi-functional version of the iconic Hermès Kelly. Without the top handle, and with a long strap, you can wear it seven different ways: around the waist, as a crossbody bag, a shoulder bag at two different lengths, as a wristlet, a clutch and even as a backpack!

Danse means dance in French. The idea behind its creation was to attract a younger audience: young ladies who like to dance while having their hands free. Kelly Danse was a revolutionary design for the brand. However, it was discontinued in 2013 because the shape was too «advanced» and fashion-forward. Comfortable cross-body bags were not so trendy at that time.

However, as it often happens, after the bag has been discontinued, the bag has quickly turned into a rare collector’s item and was re-introduced in 2019. Known today as the Kelly Danse II, the bag is around 22 cm in length and 17 cm in height. In terms of dimensions, the Kelly Danse II is very similar to its predecessor.

I chose my Kelly Danse II in Verso Blush/Rose Jaipur Evercolor leather (a leather that is very resilient to wear and tear) with silver hardware and love it, as it is without a doubt, the most versatile of all Hermès bags.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: AP, Courtesy of Hermès, © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored. I own and love this bag!

Founded in the city of Reggio Emilia in 1951, Max Mara represents the «epitome of Italian quality and craftsmanship.» The brand is adored for its coats and modern, sophisticated approach to wardrobe classics that transcend seasons and trends. Beautiful fabrics define each collection.

My personal hero piece: Teddy Bear Icon camel hair and silk-blend coat by Max Mara

An ode to extravagance in both form and fabric, the Teddy Bear coat shot to icon status on its debut in 2013. An «It Coat» from conception, the cocoon-like oversized cut and plush faux fur of camel hair on silk make it a must-have for women worldwide; Heidi Klum, Karlie Kloss and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley a among them.

Julia Roberts’ favorite: Teddy Bear Icon Short alpaca, wool and silk-blend coat by Max Mara

Teddy Bear Icon wool, alpaca and silk-blend coat by Max Mara

Teddy coats can be seen everywhere, but I do love an original. The Max Mara teddy coat is a true classic, an iconic investment piece. Try it on and you will be instantly transported back to your bed. They are the coolest, coziest and warmest outerwear you can dream of. You won’t want to take them off and let’s face it, they look so damn good you don’t even need to worry about what’s underneath them.

LoL, Sandra

On the F/W 2020 runway: Teddy Bear Icon hooded alpaca and wool-blend coat by Max Mara

Photos: Courtesy of Max Mara
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

Recently a dear friend asked me where to find the perfect classic black dress with a prim white collar that adds a nice contrast. The timeless look of this fashion favorite makes this a much-sought-after women’s choice for any occasion. Today, I put together a great selection with some pieces being amazingly marked down. Don’t forget – when you click on the link (highlighted description of each item) – to enter the special discount code at the end of your order.

Happy Shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Crystal-embellished slit-front dress by Alessandra Rich (MY FAVORITE)
(30% off and today an extra 10% off with code EXTRA10)

Faux pearl-collar wool-blend mini dress by Sara Battaglia
(40% off and today an extra 10% off with code EXTRA10)

Sequinned wool and silk-blend mini dress by Valentino
(50% off and today an extra 10% off with code EXTRA10)

Embellished velvet-appliquéd cady mini dress by REDVALENTINO
(30% off)

Contrasting collar sleeveless dress by REDVALENTINO

Contrast collar mini dress by Miu Miu

Lace collar sweater dress by Ermanno Scervino
(30% off and today an extra 35% off with code 35FF)

Contrasting collar and bow dress by REDVALENTINO

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

With fall coats this cute and versatile, we dare you to pick just one. Sounds difficult, not this time! With these reversible options, you are getting two for the price of one. So you can stay ahead of the fashion game and coat up in style. Furthermore I have always loved the idea of reversible items,  they take up less space in your wardrobe and you can inconspicuously wear the same thing two days in a row.

Here are my favorite options available at the moment, just click on the highlighted text to be transferred directly to the shop:

Pegli reversible coat by Weekend Max Mara

Reversible belted camel hair-blend coat by Brunello Cucinello

Reversible belted cashmere coat by Loro Piana

Lyonia belted two-tone wool and cashmere-blend coat by Veronica Beard

Rach reversible wool-blend coat by Rag & Bone

Reversible belted coat by Givenchy

Happy Halloween!

LoL, Sandra

Photo in Collage © Peruvian Connection – Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

Revised for the Resort 2020 collection, the Prada Bowling Bag is a 21st century classic.
An archive style originally presented as part of S/S 2000 «Sincere Chic» Collection, in turn, it is an echo of the mid-twentieth century Accessories: A memory of memories.

Prada S/S 2000 runway (isn’t the quality of the photos hilarious)

I remember buying it during my first year as an editor at Marie Claire magazine (I cannot believe this was almost 20 years ago) and of course it is still in my closet soon to be worn again.

Reminiscent of the aesthetics of modern design in its straightforward contours, automobile chassis in their reliefs contrast similar materials in vibrant colors to evoke the visual vocabulary of fashion and a broader design vocabulary. Miuccia Prada always combines architecture, art and fashion in perfection.

Prada Resort 2020

It was represented on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the debut of this then iconic and today archetypal model in New York on May 2, 2019 as part of the Prada Resort Runway Show.

The reinterpreted bowling bag is a symbolic Prada silhouette made of fine, soft calf leather offered in four hyperclassic color combinations: white with black, cinnamon with white, white with red and black with white (what a pity the pink and white one is not produced). The Prada Bowling Bag is available from on November in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Thank God, I still have it in my closet, like this I am ahead of the game… therefore you should always keep your pieces until their time has come again.

LoL, Sandra

My Prada bowling bag and lip print skirt, both from the S/S 2000 runway collection.
I love the perforated leather detail….

Photos: © Prada, © Sandra Bauknecht