Sandra‘s Closet

MYTHERESA has started the winter sale and I browsed through the selection to put together a list of items you cannot go wrong with. Have fun shopping!

1 Rockstud Noir haircalf kitten heels by Valentino
Every season re-interpreted – an awesome pair to get on sale.

2 Susanna studded ankle boots by Chloé
Already a classic.

3 Leather ankle boots by Saint Laurent
Something that belongs into every woman’s closet.

4 Falabella striped clutch by Stella McCartney
Such a beautiful piece to be kept forever.

5 Obsedia leather and calf hair shoulder bag by Givenchy
Show your stylistic command with this object of desire.

6 Leather shorts by Isabel Marant Etoile
A great investment for the next season.

7 Leather and woll-blend biker jacket with fur collar by Victoria Beckham
You need a biker jacket and this one is perfect. No discussion!

8 Leather accented pencil skirt by Burberry London
Sexy and sharp. All said.

LoL, Sandra

Stills: Courtesy of Mytheresa

It is not Christmas yet but today it feels already like it… NET-A-PORTER‘s semi-annual international sale has gone live! Save up to 50% on designers like Gucci, Stella McCartney, Chloé and many more! I always recommend to get some basic pieces as you don’t want to invest at the end of the season into something too trendy and fancy.

I put together a wish list of basic items, classics that should be in your wardrobe and that could be mixed and matched:

1 Leather over-the-knee boots by 3.1 Phillip Lim
2 Ester cutout suede ankle boots by Giuseppe Zanotti
3 Wool-felt wide-brimmed hat by Gucci
4 Wool-blend blazer by Gucci
5 Wool and cashmere-blend sweater by Chloé
6 Silk and lace dress by Nina Ricci
7 Motocross-style low-rise skinny jeans by Balmain
8 Silk-blend chiffon pussy-bow blouse by Dolce & Gabbana
9 The Falabella crystal-embellished faux leather clutch by Stella McCartney
10 The Pashli medium two-tone shark-effect leather trapeze bag by 3.1 Phillip Lim
11 Geometrie hammered gold-plated cuff by Hervé Van der Straeten

Have fun shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Launched in 2011, the Boy CHANEL bag has become an recognizable House creation and its status as such, is set to last. For the CHANEL F/W 2013 collection Karl Lagerfeld has reinterpreted its design with a resolutely modern and supple version.

Quilted or smooth, the flap is animated by a graphic contrasting effect with an overstitched or quilted braiding. Forever faithful to its codes, the chain strap and the Boy lock, the handbag is available in four sizes from a mini version to a maxi bag.

In shades of black, pearl grey and white, there’s a distinct contrast with the deep nuances of brick red, lead green and bright petrol blue.

In addition to the smooth or patent calfskin and the exotic alligator and python skins, it also exists in two aged goatskins, one iridescent and the other with graduated shading.

Another variation has a smooth leather or tweed flap and comes with four different sized link chains, emphasising the Boy CHANEL’s definitive rock’n’roll allure.

I love this Boy and need it in my closet. My object of desire for F/W 2013, perfect to complement my edgy and punk-inspired looks for the next season. 
Available in CHANEL boutiques from September 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Those shoes are a phenomenon. They started as a must-have in every blogger closet in 2008 and were seen on the likes of Sienna Miller and Kate Bosworth. Over the last years, they have become a fashion classic, available in many different colours. Now, my favourite version in black with golden studs is back in stock for the new season.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE SUSANNA STUDDED ANKLE BOOTS

I still love mine, they are stylish and comfortable in one. Have a look at some previous posts, when I wore them during a girls trip in London or to the Fashion 2.0 Awards in New York City.

LoL, Sandra

Chloé Pre-fall 2008: The first season of the must-have shoes

Celebs wearing the Susanna studded ankle boots: Ashley Tisdale, Sienna Miller, Halle Berry and Kate Bosworth.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Courtesy of Chloé and Getty Images

Last Wednesday, I was invited by Louis Vuitton in Zurich for a style night in collaboration with annabelle magazine to celebrate an iconic bag: the NOÉ.

The Zurich store last Wednesday

Everybody knows the Noé. In strictly chronological terms, it is the second oldest Louis Vuitton iconic daily bag, its birth date of 1932 placing it at the start of an exceptional decade that saw the creation of the Speedy, the Alma and the Keepall.

In spirit, however, Noé is as young as any bag around, still tinged with the carefree air of those newly liberated women who wore short skirts, shorter hair and carried it – just so – swinging from their shoulder.

At the event: Daniella Gurtner (Fashion Director annabelle) framed by Anna-Christina Raab to the right and me to the left wearing the new Noé BB in citron

The story of its creation? Well, that’s the stuff of legend. Looking for a stylish way to transport his valuable vintages, a champagne producer placed a special order with Gaston-Louis Vuitton. He designed a timelessly simple bucket shape, which could hold four bottles upright and a fifth upside down, secured with a supple leather drawstring. He called the bag Noé – in reference, it is said, to the biblical hero who, when he left the Ark after the Flood, planted vines on the mountains of Ararat.

The original Noé was crafted from natural leather, pale gold like the champagne it was destined to carry, and light as its exuberant ribbons of bubbles. Since then, Noé has appeared in many guises – most famously, of course, Louis Vuitton’s emblematic Monogram canvas, which by the 1960s could at last be made supple enough to do justice to the bag’s generous forms.

Petit Noé in indigo, fuchsia and piment

Today, Noé and its cousin Petit Noé can be found in a myriad incarnations, from Damier Azur to colourful Epi leather – each time different, yet still, somehow, the same.

Florence Amiguet (Store Manager Louis Vuitton Zurich) with a selection of the new Noé BB

So, everybody knows Noé. But now there is a new Noé: Noé BB. Irresistibly cute, unmistakeably contemporary, a diminutive replica of the original which comes with its own innovation: an extra-long shoulder strap that enables it to be slung casually across the body.

Noé BB in Monogram and Damier Azur

In Monogram or Damier Azur canvas and candy-bright Epi, Noé BB is just waiting to be discovered by a new generation. Will it, one day, like its larger namesake, be handed down from mother to daughter, its distinctive drawstring symbolic of an enduring bond of elegance?
Noé, Petit Noé, Noé BB. The legend lives on.

Noé BB in figue and citron

And while you are reading this, I am already off for a new adventure with Louis Vuitton in Munich…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton and © Sandra Bauknecht

In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld joined forces to curate ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited’, which presented stunning photographs of stylish celebrities boasting their interpretation of Chanel‘s timeless and iconic black jacket. Over the last year, the book and exhibition were celebrated in cities across the globe.

Some of those photos were even the inspiration for Karl Lagerfeld’s artwork Fire Etchings, presented at Galerie Gmurzynska in February 2013 in St. Moritz.

This year, a new expanded edition of the book will go on sale (Steidl, Göttingen, 2013, 280 pages. Available in selected bookstores, €78).

For this occasion, Karl Lagerfeld has once again focused his lens on twenty or so international celebrities and close friends of the House, including Keira Knightley, Diane Kruger, Carla Bruni and Carole Bouquet. The photo shoot took place in Paris in the couturier’s studio in January 2013. Taking time out from their busy schedules, the celebrities all enthusiastically reinterpreted the little black jacket in their own inimitable style. Once more Karl Lagerfeld illustrates the universality of the Chanel jacket, one of fashion’s most legendary and timeless pieces.

Here is a sneak preview of how stunning Diane Kruger looks in it:

The exhibition is at the moment in Milan and opening next in Dubai on April 27, 2013. For more information, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Sorry for bringing you bad news twice today, first we have heard that Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau’s passed away at 81 yesterday and it has been announced that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died this morning peacefully following a stroke. She was 87 years old.

The Iron Lady was not only an outstanding politician, but also a fashion icon. On both sides of the Atlantic, Maggie Thatcher is being considered as the originator of the power look for women. She opted for tailored skirt suits and pussycat bows. One of her clever tricks to show power was funnily enough that she never wore pants. Her signature pearls, shoulder pads (to stand literally “shoulder to shoulder” with men), handbags, and royal blue hues were a sign of control. Throughout her career, she turned her looks into POWER DRESSING!

Let’s honour her with this look inspired by her: Iris wool-twill blazer and matching Alyssa pencil skirt, both by Stella McCartney, polka-dot silk-twill pussy-bow blouse by Saint Laurent, Amelia patent-leather pumps by Jimmy Choo, croc-effect and textured-leather bag by Lanvin and multi-strand pearl necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane.

R.I.P. Maggie Thatcher!

LoL, Sandra

2013 is starting with a fashionable comeback of previous season’s must-haves of which some could be truly named vintage pieces. Another proof for my closet theory, keep everything, there will be a time to wear it again. So I am very happy to have all those pieces still in my wardrobe…

Olivia embellished leather waist belt by Moschino
The return of the iconic Moschino belt is probably the biggest surprise for me. I bought mine in Rome during my final school trip… a long time ago. It looks so used that I have ordered a new one now. Gosh, who would have thought that?!

The Britannia Skull leather box clutch by Alexander McQueen
This Union Jack-inspired clutch has become officially a true classic and will vamp up every outfit in seconds.

Double-breasted wool-blend blazer by Balmain
First launch for Pre-fall 2010, this blazer of glory sold out in seconds. Now, it is back in black. Hurry up to stock up your colour palette or to finally add this classic to your wardrobe selection.
If you interested to see me wearing it, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

While few, including myself, can resist the intoxicating frivolity of fashion’s flights of fancy, the essential basics of a stylish wardrobe have a more utilitarian character. It is these humbler pieces – often derived from work wear, military uniform or sports gear – that Louis Vuitton’s Icons collection elevates to new levels of luxury. Preserving their functional essence, it endows them with the allure of exquisite cut, fine fabrics and sophisticated detailing.

The result: every season, a collection of pieces to return to again and again, experiencing each time the dual thrill of their unrivalled comfort and timeless elegance.

1. THE MESH

A simple sweater in a classic shade and softest cotton is sure to be one of the hardest-working items in any woman’s wardrobe. Louis Vuitton’s version comes with the added luxury of an embellished collar, hand-embroidered with Swarovski beads and LV studs. In a touch typical of the Icons collection, it can also be removed, taking a look from precious to pared-down in seconds.

2. THE TRENCH

The feather-light sensation of nylon faille – sensual as silk, but a whole lot more practical, and not merely because it’s water-resistant – plus the irresistible allure of the Stephen Sprouse leopard print, now in a new scaleddown version. Louis Vuitton’s neo-trench has all the emblematic details, from the belt (wear nonchalantly knotted) to the epaulettes, but it comes luxuriously long and with ultra-feminine bracelet sleeves. Pure silver screen glamour for the 21st century.

3. THE MACINTOSH

With its new cropped cut and cute collar, the season’s mac – the epitome of the Icons collection – holds more than a hint of the Swinging Sixties. The perfect cover-up against a spring shower, it doubles up as a neat boxy jacket. Polished gold buttons playfully reference the military, while the lining is pure Louis Vuitton: the legendary Stephen Sprouse leopard print, interspersed with mini Monograms.

4. THE JEANS

For S/S 2013, the perfect pair of jeans morphs into the must-have Capri pant. Stonewashed for an instantly worn-in feel, with a casually loose yet impeccably chic cut, it combines style and attitude. The iconic detail? The Monogram jacquard yoke, to be concealed or revealed depending on mood and moment.

5. THE PERFECTO

Louis Vuitton transforms a staple of bad-boy style into an icon of luxurious femininity. To the rugged sex appeal of the classic perfecto, this sleek design opposes the refinement of smooth stretch leather, enhanced by eloquent details like multiple zippers, signature rivets and – the quintessential couture touch – a half-belt at the back.

6. THE LEATHER DRESS

Leather never felt like this. Unimaginably supple, lightweight lambskin lends itself to the simplest yet most sensual of cuts: a dress like an oversize T-shirt that suggestively skims the body. Raw edges, diagonal zippers and military-style suede patches on the shoulders provide the modern, real-life details. Dress it up with heels or down with leggings, the leather dress – now in bold, beautiful red – remains both sporty and sophisticated.

My personal must? The red leather dress! See you at Vuitton…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

The pearl is one of the oldest gems in the world. There have been many ancient legends handed down from one generation to the next on those precious jewels. The Roman Empire considered pearls to be status symbols. According to the myth, Cleopatra bet her lover Marc Anthony that she could provide him with the most expensive banquet the world had ever seen. The day of the feast, Cleopatra, who was wearing an enormous pair of extremely precious pearl earrings, dropped one of them in a vessel containing vinegar that dissolved it completely which was more expensive than most lands.

For the ancient Greeks the pearl was a symbol of love and marriage. Thanks to Coco Chanel, they stand today for the ultimate statement of style. Coco loved pearls and used several necklaces of various sizes for a more dramatic effect.

Pearls can make you look more radiant. In Europe, the most popular shades have been white and pink-rose to flatter fairer skin tones whereas in Asia, natural-coloured golden pearls have enjoyed great popularity since many years.

Finally, pearl farmers have succeeded to cultivate golden pearls in a shade that suits all skin tones, “Vanilla Overtone” is lighter and more radiant. Bucherer is the first European jeweler, that is offering this new colour in a large selection. To celebrate the launch, I was invited to a Golden Pearl High Tea in collaboration with Falcon Private Bank at the Haute restaurant overlooking Zurich’s rooftops. Everything matched the golden tone of the pearls, from the shimmering pastries to the sparkling champagne and the exclusive tea.

And as a diamond is a pearl’s best friend, enjoy how beautiful the two look in combination.
Available at Bucherer, Bahnhofstr. 50, CH- 8001 Zurich, Phone +41 44 211 2635.

LoL, Sandra

RING with one natural-coloured golden South Sea cultured pearl (15,2 mm), brown brilliant diamonds (total 2.65 ct), and brilliant diamonds (total 0.69ct), CHF 21000.- / € 13990.-

NECKLACE – Yellow gold with 12 natural-coloured golden South Sea cultured pearls (10 – 11mm), CHF 6600.- / € 5900.-

PEARL NECKLACE with natural-coloured golden South Sea cultured pearls and interchangeable clasp with brilliant diamonds (11 -14.9mm), CHF 15800.- / €13300.-
Interchangeable clasp, CHF 4800.- / € 4300.-

EARRINGS – Yellow gold with natural-coloured golden South Sea cultured pearls and brilliant diamonds (10.4mm), CHF 2850.- / € 2550.-

BRACELET – Yellow gold with natural-coloured golden South Sea cultured pearls (8 – 8.9 mm), CHF 12800.- / € 11400.-

Photos: Courtesy of Bucherer and © Sandra Bauknecht