Sandra‘s Closet

Recently, I was invited to an evening at the V&A museum in London with legendary French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, whom I had met earlier this year at La Soirée Monégasque in Monaco, and Net-à-porter founder Natalie Massenet. The event was linked to the launch of his first book and the 20th anniversary of the Louboutin empire.

On Nov 21st, 1991 Christian Louboutin opened his first store at the age of 27. Now 20 years later, he still lives his passion for shoes.  Louboutin is a very interesting man and a true latitudinarian.

He was expelled from 3 schools, he ran away from home at the age of 12 and grew up in a household with many women, 4 sisters and his mom who gave him a lot of support and encouraged him to follow his dreams. At an early age, he had already developed an obsession for burlesque clubs and showgirls that has inspired him all his life.

Christian Louboutin with me…

…signing the book with a personal dedication for me.

Meet Christian Louboutin and enjoy this insight into his world and life.

On happiness

“I don’t know how to be unhappy in life. This is a natural element that I have. For me, it helps me with my work. This is the great thing about designing, it should bring happiness.”

On destiny

“I don’t believe in destiny. I have loved drawing shoes from an early age but never thought that this would become my job.”

On his childhood

„I learned a lot from my sisters and my mum. Women behave differently when they are by themselves and when there is no man around. I never thought that I had a special childhood but I had. My mum was very supportive and gave me complete freedom. She believed that it is important to be brought up in love. She was beautiful, even though her shoes weren’t. She was definitely not a shoe person!“

On shoes

“A shoe has so much more to offer than just to walk. Shoes are bringing posture to the whole body. They change the way you are walking, standing, behaving. They give you confidence. A customer once said while trying on a pair of my heels: ‘Look, I’m completely transformed and it’s cheaper than a facelift!’ “

On his first success

“It was a flat shoe, the Love shoe”. Like the love birds that cannot be separated, I designed them. Only if you put the two shoes together, they are complete. I only sold those shoes in the first season and they were a huge success.”

On his favourite heel height

“Ain’t no high heel high enough!” (started singing)

On his favourite shoe

“If there was only one shoe to be made, it would have to be a pump. It is like a beautiful face without make-up. If you have a good pump, the rest is make-up.”

On Princess Caroline of Monaco

“Caroline is the second fairy in my life. Caroline came in my store at a very early stage in December 1991. A journalist who did a story on new shops was by coincidence there and when she spotted Caroline, she wrote a huge article that brought me many buyers and sales went up.”

On Folies Bergère

“I love Burlesque dancers. At the Folies Bergère, I saw all the shows, knew all the girls. So I decided to design for them. At one stage, I was even an intern at the Folies Bergère.”

On the importance of the red sole

“It is my signature, it is clear how important it is. But now I don’t even think about it anymore. It is a funny story how it started. During my designing process for my third collection, I was thinking a lot of Andy Warhol, pop art, bright colours. The first prototype arrived and I was very happy with it, with the heel proportion, a Mary Jane with a big huge flower. Still, I was looking at the drawing and at the shoe, and something was missing. Looking at the sole, it was all black which was not on my drawing because you didn’t see the sole. Sarah, a model, was sitting on the floor and painted her nails in red. I grabbed the polish from her and started to paint the soles. The magic took place. The sole is like a message, the red a signal.”

On sex

“You really need to be a criminal or a pervert to shock me! It is sad but you can even be sexy in bad shoes. Sexy is coming from a certain attitude.”

On independence

“I am very happy to not be a part of a big luxury company and do not plan to change it, because I enjoy my freedom very much. Freedom means a lot to me.”

On toe cleavage

“It is one of the important aspects of my designs, mainly because it gives the impression of longer legs. While working with the show girls, I learnt a lot. They are very specific with their shoes. Good balance is indispensable and to be able to dance while having the longest legs possible. This inspired me to create more toe cleavage.”

On his favourite thing to do

“Working.”

On his favourite colour

“Red.”

On his favourite quality in a person

“Tolerance and enthusiasm.”

On his nick name

“Laporo, Loubi, Bottinos or Los Bottinos which I hate.”

If I whet your appetite for a little Sunday shopping, you will find a great wish list below (just click here to be transferred). Channel Christian’s joie de vivre and enjoy your new shoes!

LoL, Sandra

Last night, she won the Emerging Talent Award (ready to wear) at the British Fashion Awards in London, last week she took me out to lunch. I am talking about Mary Katrantzou, one of the hottest names in London’s fashion scene. As for me, she is the most innovative designer at the moment and as you know, I am a huge fan of her.

Her creations are different and new. Mary’s unbelievable talent to use bold, overall prints has been a huge influence on today’s fashion. For S/S 2012, many designers have seeked inspiration from her iconic arty florals, expressive colours and patchwork prints.

If you are wondering how can floral prints can be new, have a look at Mary’s flower power for S/S 2012. They are strong, unexpected, surreal and make fashionistas drool over it. The show in September was truly divine with a catwalk divided by a tennis court long field of carnations.

My favourite look by Mary Katrantzou for S/S 2012: “Battle Royal”
I adore that every dress gets its own name!

Last Wednesday, Mary took me to lunch to the Greenhouse restaurant in Mayfair that I can only recommend. Great interior design and awesome food.

We were sitting for hours, talked about her upcoming projects and about daily life. Mary’s birthday is only two days before mine and we loved that we are both aquarius. The 28-year-old was born and raised in Greece but loves living in London. She is a true fashion visionary, a print-cess charming and a wonderful refreshingly unpretentious young woman.

Mary Katrantzou is already hugely influential even though her label is just three years old. She won last year’s Swiss Textiles Award, her designs can be found in the most distinguished shops around the world and celebrities show up on the red carpet in them. If you think that the hype has overwhelmed her, you are absolutely mistaken.

She was so happy to see me in her Serendipity dress that by the way made a huge appearance this week on Gossip Girl. In the last episode, Serena wore this stunner to Blair’s bridal shower. Cocktail or lunch, the dress is a must around the clock!

Photo: Courtesy of The CW, © Getty Images

More testaments to Katrantzou’s reach and importance are her upcoming collaborations next year:

In January, Mary Katrantzou for Longchamp will be launched. The theme for this amazing S/S 2012 bag collection is “East meets West”. A must-have for all print lovers and for those who have been eagerly waiting for a Mary Katrantzou handbag!

Extremely exciting is the news of a second Mary Katrantzou for Topshop collection to be released in February next year. The first prototype was unveiled at the Topshop press day a few weeks ago, and even it was not supposed to go public, one photo has made its way around the globe. Doesn’t it look so promising?!

Please stay tuned, will keep you posted!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, © Style.com, Courtesy of Mary Katrantzou, Longchamp and Topshop

Tomorrow, the Versace for H&M collection will officially hit 300 stores worldwide (in the US on November 19th), so ladies and gentlemen be prepared to line up in the morning.

Last week in NYC, I got the pleasure to meet Donatella Versace and H&M’s creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch who sat down for a chat with Tim Blanks, Style.com’s editor-at-large, at the top floor of the Dream Downtown hotel.

Find out a little bit more about the collection and which one is Donatella’s favourite look. Believe it or not…Donatella even revealed that she likes shopping at H&M.

Margareta van den Bosch, Donatella Versace and Tim Blanks

What does this collaboration mean to you?

D.V.: It was very emotional for me to go through the archives to explore all the looks that Gianni created. It is an amazing way to reach the younger crowd. I am working closely with Lady Gaga or Nicki Menaj. It is great to collaborate with such dedicated artists who have so many followers. Gianni would be so proud to see his clothes worn by younger kids. This is an homage to Gianni.
I was scared to take over the reins from him when he died. I had to gain the credibility from the rest of the world.

Looking at your own shows, you are reenergized creatively. You are working with the Fringe London, Lady Gaga? Calling this a Versace moment, why do you think this was all coming together now?

D.V.: For me it is a fantasic moment. I talk and follow young designers. I am very interested in them and they are very interested in me. A house like Versace has a lot of history they can profit from but I am learning a lot, too. I am open to different opinions. Fashion is every day an exam. After all those years of minimalism, Versace and its luxury are back!

Margareta, did you feel a Versace moment as well?

M.v.d.B.: Yes, definitely. This is a different collaboration from what we did before with all those colours and prints, leather and studs. The essence of the house Versace was truly there.

Donatella, were you surprised when you went through your archives even that you know them well?

D.V.: I was amazed to see how Gianni did everything – I am sorry to say – before everybody else. I see a lot of homage to Versace today as for example young designer Riccardo Tisci did for the Givenchy F/W 2011 collection (looking at me as I was wearing a dress from this collection). But this is enough now. It is my turn, this is my homage to Versace!

Didn’t you have to make a concession?

D.V.: This was the best thing to work with H&M, there was no concession. There are fantastic people in this company. They said yes to everything, I never got a no. It has been a fantastic liberating moment. Just the amount of sketches surprised the team. 
31 looks were asked and I created 43 looks for the runway, from the chokers and the bracelets with the Medusa, flowers from Miami, printed jeans and skirts, leather, the high heels, nothing is missing.

Margareta, what are the criteria for a collaboration? Isn’t H&M and Versace at two comletely different ends? And how do you get started?

M.v.d.B.: It is very much a feeling that we discuss in-house. If we agree, we go for it. We had the first meeting and talked about the collection. We decided something little. When the second meeting took place with the teams around the products, like buyers, people for the packaging and many others, I expected some sketches but Donatella had everything ready. It was fantastic as we always have a lack of time.

Margareta, you said the time was right for Versace, what do you mean with that?

M.v.d.B.: Fashion should be something that makes you happy. This collaboration is about a dream, to give people the spirit of luxury. We try to make it as close to the brand as possible. Maximalism, colours, prints, everything is back. It is an optimistic upbeat collection even that you see all the bad news in Europe.

And how about you, Donatella? What do you think?

D.V.: It is a dream of luxury, for example when you touch the studded leather coat from the Versace for H&M collaboration or the original from the archives, you don’t know which one is the real one.

Donatella Versace with me

What is this collaboration about? Which impact will the collection have on H&M or Versace? Will it change your own work?

D.V.: I had that clear idea what to do, of the look that young people want. Fashion is freedom today. Technology plays a fantastic role and H&M uses it in an amazing way. It is interesting to see how young people put things together and that everything goes.

M.v.d.B.: Fashion is about expressing your individuality. This collaboration is about giving the customers something new and showing that you don’t need a huge budget to look good. We are very professional and have all the knowledge. We included for the first time homewear because it is part of the Versace look, as well as jewelry. I mean there is no Versace collection without jewelry. We have two different cushions, a blanket and many different jewelry pieces.

Which one is your favourite piece in the collection?

D.V.: I have 43 favourite babies.

M.v.d.B.: The studded leather dress and the rings.

________________

If I were you, I would definitely get a piece with the tropical print as this is a huge trend among the upcoming Cruise 2012 collections from the likes of Stella McCartney, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Givenchy.

And don’t forget to enter the contest to win the amazing purple one-of-a-kind Versace for H&M dress! Deadline is tonight! Good luck!

And rumours are out that the next collaboration might be with Tom Ford, OMG!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

As the culmination of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Show Friday night in Zurich, Talbot Runhof showed their beautiful S/S 2012 collection.

The Munich-based label was born under Johnny Talbot & Adrian Runhof. The best way to describe their style is to focus on their attention to craftsmanship and detail and their exquisite couture cuts. A Paris Fashion Week regular and often seen on the red carpets, their billowing gowns and playful creations present a sophisticated, feminine glamour.

Talbot Runhof can be found in the best boutiques all over the world, including leading American department stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and at Harrods in the UK.

Johnny Talbot to the left and Adrian Runhof to the right with me.

Before the fashion show, I went backstage to talk to the designer duo. Enjoy!

Adrian,  how does it feel to be here in Switzerland to present your collection?

I love Switzerland, I am often here. Therefore it is so exciting for us to have a show tonight. We have many fans among the Swiss and sell very well in Switzerland.

Please tell me something about your inspiration for the S/S 2012 collection that we are going to see tonight!

Christian Lacroix has designed the costumes for the Munich Opera recently. This has inspired us, not the costumes themselves, but the early stage of Lacroix. When we got started in the Nineties, Lacroix played such a major part in our fashion history. Later, he lost it, his creations became overloaded. His golden age was marked by his ability to mix and match patterns and fabrics, as well as his amazing colour combinations. And this has inspired us!

Do you have any Swiss woman that you would like to dress?

Actually yes and we dress her tonight: Sarina Arnold. She will open the show and will present the final look, too.

Sarina Arnold opened the show in a bright floral dress

What are your future plans?

(Both smiling.) Who knows? We have created for the first time bags and shoes and will take it from there.

The shoes are amazing!

Below you can see my favourite looks from the show. I took some details shots of the fabrics and details backstage for you to see the wonderful craftsmanship. Have fun!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Christiane Arp

Last night, the Fashion Days Zurich welcomed Christiane Arp, editor-in-chief of German Vogue, in Switzerland. She came to present her „Vogue Salon“ which had taken place for the first time during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin past summer. It is no doubt an amazing stage for the hand-picked designers to show their talent. Originally intended to attract buyers, Vladimir Karaleev, Augustin Teboul, René Storck and Michael Sontag showed their collections in a showroom on mannequins in Berlin’s Hotel de Rome. Last night, on models. As for Christiane Arp, the Fashion Days Zurich are an interesting platform due to the fact that the guests are paying for the tickets which means that they are really interested in fashion.

Enjoy the photos of the four uprising young talents below:

Frankfurt-based designer René Storck’s austere aesthetics, a little reminiscent of Céline and Lemaire’s collection for Hermès, have a certain graceful elegance. The models appeared on the runway with their hair tied back in buns like ballerinas with the movement of the cloth emphasizing the flowing aspect of the subject.

Bulgarian-born Vladimir Karaleev has an interesting design approach: He only drapes his creations on the bust, so-called „moulage“,  skipping the old-school pattern making. This way, he is incorporating any of the infinite variations of shape the human figure can take and is creating interesting, new looks. His designs are highly influenced by contemporary art.

The collection of Annelie Augustin and Odély Teboul, so-called Augustin Teboul, was my favourite last night. The cutting-edge designs combining poetic and gothic elements truly impressed me with their craftsmanship. And those knee tassels…OMG!

Michael Sontag’s collection is very wearable, not too trendy with a focus on his interesting, assymetric cuts and liquid silhouettes. His colour palette is very refreshing, from powdery tones of rose and light grey to summery shades of white and curry.

The culmination of the night was the S/S 2012 show of Talbot Runhof that I will post soon. So please stay tuned for more!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

“For the first time in my life I chose a man”, said Italian designer Roberto Cavalli when he proudly presented the winner of the 8th annabelle award last night in Zurich: 25-year-old Maxime Rappaz from Geneva. The young designer stood out with his innovative designs, the biggest eyecatcher: A bag that has its handels inside.

Each of the five young designers was asked to show two of their designs. Below you can see the creations of the other competitors who were all female. Maxime, the winner, has received a one-year internship with Roberto Cavalli in Florence.

Roberto Cavalli, who came directly from Japan, was completely jetlagged. I felt the same having just arrived from New York in the morning.
During the second night of the Fashion Days Zurich, he also presented his S/S 2012 Just Cavalli collection which I had seen already in Milan when I did the interview with him. The looks are powerful and if you like the style, you will be in love with these pieces. My favourite is the “Pocahontas” style dress with feathers worn by Leona Sigrist last night.

The evening was also dedicated to our national fashion designers. During the Swiss Fashion night, the well established labels Little Black Dress, Aziza Zina, Javier Reyes and Van Bery presented their collections. Please enjoy my photo coverage below. For more information on the designers, just click on the highlighted name.

Designers Joanna Skoczylas and Eliane Diethelm created a very colourful look for next summer even that the name of their label Little Black Dress suggests something else. But the classy and feminine approach paid a wonderful tribute to the iconic LBD.

Morena Gonzales and Moritz Stoll of AZIZA zina paid homage to the Roaring Twenties (as also seen on the Gucci S/S 2012 catwalk). Some of the looks were reminiscent of Giorgio Armani‘s beautiful forays into women’s suiting. Swiss model Anouk Manser convinced the audience in a pretty cool turquoise dress.

Javier Reyes presented a well-crafted, beautiful collection, very wearable and feminine. Absolute eyecatchers were the fabrics that the Mexican-born designer chose for his S/S 2012 designs.

Van Bery is the label created by Berivan Meyer in association with Marie Tournant. Their joyful looks for S/S 2012 were colourful and sweet but not as strong as the other collections presented last night.

Below you can see some more impressions! Have fun! I am on my way to the Mercedes Benz Fashion Show…

LoL, Sandra

Lisa Feldmann, editor-in-chief of annabelle magazine, in Just Cavalli and killer heels…

…by Barbara Bui.

Me front row…truly loving the attention…

My look: Dress by Antonio Berardi, boots by Givenchy, bag by Céline and earrings by Chanel.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” – Marilyn Monroe

In Milan, I met Burak Uyan, the designer behind the eponymous shoe label that leaves fashionistas around the world drool. He has worked for Givenchy, Giambattista Valli and Aperlai before launching his own label in 2010. Since then, he is on the rise, his creations are sold in high-end stores around the world. The reason? He creates high heels that you can wear without discomfort or pain.

Recently, Cameron Diaz wore his multi-coloured architectural sandals to the 2011 Teen Choice Awards and proved that the right pair of shoes can change your look completely. Her basic dress combined with those amazing heels took her outfit to a whole new level.

Burak Uyan with me

Enjoy the photos that I took in the showroom of the upcoming S/S 2012 collection and of his collaboration with the Mulleavy sisters.
Burak Uyan created the heels for their S/S 2012 Rodarte show.

Below you can see Burak Uyan’s S/S 2012 MOODBOARD:
His inspiration: Geometric shapes, the sea and butterfly colours.

My must-have for the summer is one of those multi-coloured bags, to-die-for!

Ladies, there is only one thing to say: Redefine your wardrobe from your feet up!
To shop Burak Uyan shoes, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Daniele Cavalli with me, Photo: Olivier Zahm

Meet the Man of the Year: Daniele Cavalli. The 25-year-old son of fashion designer Roberto Cavalli who is in charge for the Italian house’s men’s line, is not only an extremly interesting person, but also highly intelligent, down to earth, beautiful from the inside and outside, with a wonderful vision of life. I met with him recently in Milan and he told me some very interesting things, enjoy the interview.

After the huge success of your S/S 2012 presentation, which inspiration do you have for your next menswear F/W 2012 collection?

It will be an evolution, not a revolution, but totally different in the concept. The last two collections I did were connected with the same concept made in different ways. This is going to change for F/W 2012.

Summer gave me lots of inspirations. I turned off the phone and went to Africa. I started in Morocco and from there through the Sahara, where I met pythons and scorpios.
We went with camels, which was pretty adventurous. If something bites you, you die. You don’t have time to go to the hospital. We, my friend and I, travelled with Tuaregs. I love the nature and the adventure. And if you are respectful to death, nothing happens.

In the desert, you can’t have a fire. Fire would help you to scare away the animals. The gas lights we had were even worse as they attract the animals. At one point, I stood up, looked under my matress and found five scorpios. The Turag took a piece of a dry plant, and killed them like with it. Done! You have to know nature to survive. We slept in the dunes, totally covered because of the wind and the sand.

I know that you love music. Did you bring an instrument to the desert?

I brought a small guitar, a sort of mandolin.

What do you think about the relaunch of the Just Cavalli brand, of the S/S 2012 collection?

I liked the Just Cavalli show, strong and a very good way to relaunch the brand.

Do you prefer the main line Roberto Cavalli or Just Cavalli?

It depends on the show. The S/S 2012 Just Cavalli show was really good and it is great to see that the Just Cavalli brand is coming back. It is perfectly coordinating with the soul of the brand.

How would you dress women? Sexy like your father or more covered?

Both ways. I have my own vision of women. It would be really smart, chic and elegant. But believe me, I am telling you the truth,  I have never really thought about it. I think that I would do it the same as for the men, I would work on the tailoring, on the colours, on the  fabrics, always in a very chic way.

Yes, I would cover, but in the right way. I like to imagine. I love the dream. When the things are too obvious, it is less tempting. As a man, I like to use my imagination.

Have you studied fashion design?

I am lucky that I didn’t do it. I learnt everything from scratch.

Your father is Italian, your mother Austrian. What are you, more Italian or more Austrian?

I am really Italian, I am not Austrian. Actually, I am Florentine. My hometown is a historical, charming city, that sees the future, but keeps its treasure. Gardens, flowers, nature… Florence is a Rennaissance city. There is also something really dark. It is the contrast. My dark side is my blues side, meaning the music. I always like to work with opposite things and make them happen. Princess meets the bohemian women for example. I do it with everything in my life. The fusion is the most interesting part.

How is your German doing? Does your mum speak German with you?

No, my German is bad and whenever I saw my grandparents in Austria, it was pretty tough to understand them.

Was it a curse or a blessing to be Roberto Cavalli’s son?

Of course, a blessing! When I grew up, my father wasn’t popular at all. He was a pirate of the sea. We were riding in the summer times on small boots and he was protecting his family in the cabin when the weather and the waves were getting too tough. I like to see him like that. He is my father. The rest is part of the game.

Do all your siblings work in the company?
(Roberto Cavalli has two kids, Cristiana and Tommaso, from a previous marriage and three children, Rachele, Daniele and Robin with his wife Eva.)

My first sister Cristiana has a baby now and enjoys being a mom. She works just a little. My brother Tommaso takes care of the vineyards and trains the horses. Rachele designs the bags and has a little baby, too. My youngest brother Robin is still very young.

Would you like to move to another city? Or do you prefer staying in Florence?

Not to a big city like New York City. As for me, the horizon is so important, meaning it metaphorically, as a strong point of view. To live in a big city, it is always hard to see the horizon.

I am attracted to Asia. Moving for me would have more the impression of escaping. Maybe a girl would make me move (smiles).

Are you a heartbreaker?

Always, I live my life to break my heart. To be conscious, I fall in love with everything. What scares me in Milan sometimes is the following: I was at a friend’s party, where I said  hello to a lot of people. So many of them were asking me if I will be in Paris next week. And I was thinking why do they do that? People are working for Milan fashion week all year, and then they don’t even enjoy it because they are thinking already of the next thing. People are not appreciating what is in front of them. Florence saved me from such an attitude! I love Rome as well!

Do you like to do sports?

I was a sporty person. Until I was eigtheen, I was a soccer player, and I was a pretty good one. One day, I just put my shoes on the hook and stopped.
But I like sports. Your mind and your sould can only be powerful in a healthy body.

How do you see yourself in 25 years?

In the music industry. That is my biggest dream! I will do something important for myself in the music industry. I am ambitious. A great album would be amazing, producing, doing it by myself, but just if I am convinced of it. If I opened a music label, it wouldn’t be connected with the Cavalli universe, it would be mine.

Thank you, Daniele!

The photos are taken by André Saraiva for l’Offciel Hommes September 2011. The editorial is called “After Hours” and shows Daniele Cavalli in is his own collection of  S/S 2012. Tonight he will receive the GQ Man of the Year Award in Berlin and I am sure that for him there will be so much more to come…

LoL, Sandra

Roberto Cavalli, the “King of Bling” and the “Godfather of the Animal Prints” (as he quoted himself), will be soon coming to Switzerland for the Fashion Days Zurich. He will attend not only to present his latest relaunched Just Cavalli S/S 2012 collection, but also as a guest judge for the 8th annabelle award which will take place on November 10th, 2011. The lucky winner will receive a one year internship with the Florence based house.

Wild animal prints, floral embellishments and leather patches? It is surely no other than Roberto Cavalli.
His flamboyant iconic mix is seen everywhere on the red carpet and not only on celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Madonna and Lenny Kravitz. Last year, he celebrated his fashion house’s 40th anniversary. During Milan Fashion Week, I was able to meet with the Italian designer (who gives his nationality a lot of credit, believe me!). Please enjoy the interview where he explains his secret of success and why the Swiss women love Italian men.

You will be coming soon to Switzerland for the Fashion Days Zurich. Have you ever been to Zurich? Or will it be your first time in November?

Oh I have of course been to Zurich, many times! What a fantastic city, with a great energy. I love Switzerland, my wife Eva and I have a beautiful boutique in Saint Moritz, the nature is really stunning, it offers up a lot of inspiration.

What do you expect from the Fashion Days Zürich?

I’m really looking forward to taking part in Fashion Days Zürich, it’s a wonderful project. I expect to see new ideas from young, passionate people. I’m always curious about young talent and emerging designers, they are the people who will enter the industry with a fresh mind and new ideas, it’s essential to keep fashion alive!

One contestant will receive an internship with you in Florence. What are the main qualifications you are looking for?

The person will have to be positive, to come with a smile on their face and be driven by a strong desire to learn. I’m looking for raw talent that can be drawn out, and the curiosity of a young person. It’s so important that they are curious to learn!

Do you have an idea how your Swiss customers look like?

It’s not about how my customers look, the Cavalli world is not about looking a certain way! It’s about an attitude, it’s about personality, emotions! I think that my Swiss fans share in these beliefs the same way as my fans in Italy, China or Brazil do!

And oh yes, I had many Swiss girlfriends. The Swiss women are wonderful. They like the Italian men because we appreciate them. The Swiss men are sometimes too dry.

You have many different labels, from the main Roberto Cavalli line to Just Cavalli and Class by Roberto Cavalli, all three in different price levels. Dolce & Gabbana will be stopping their D&G brand and integrate it in the main line because they experienced that consumers didn’t understand the difference.
What about you? Is there a risk of confusion that costumers don’t understand why they should pay more for the Roberto Cavalli runway collection.

No, there is no risk of confusion. Obviously there are a lot of similarities, aesthetically speaking, between Just Cavalli and my main line Roberto Cavalli, because they are both part of the same Cavalli world and vision. But there are very basic and obvious differences too—Just Cavalli has a very young mindset— youthful, free-spirited, carefree! It’s an experimental line, and it obviously has a lower price point, so it’s more accessible than Roberto Cavalli mainline, whereas Roberto Cavalli is more formal and is taking the direction of demi-couture, the artisanship, the attention to detail—this is the fundamental difference.

What is your main target group for Just Cavalli? What is for you the big difference compared to the runway label?

Firstly, Just Cavalli is also a ’runway’ brand! We always have a fashion show, equally as beautiful as for the first line Roberto Cavalli. It may be the second line, but it is my baby! I love designing for Just Cavalli, because for me it’s a world of experimentation, researching and discovering new shapes, styles, materials! Just Cavalli has a ‘younger’ target, I don’t mean ‘younger’ as defined by an age bracket, but a younger philosophy—it’s very free-spirited and carefree and is highly competitive in the market segment known as “designer contemporary”. Roberto Cavalli is obviously accessible to a narrower target, it’s more exclusive of course, but I put the same amount of love and thought into each line.

The Just Cavalli line will not lose its distinct style codes, which have led to its success over the years, but will however evolve.

Is Just Cavalli your favourite son? Speaking in a metaphor.

I have three sons and two daughters. So yes, probably Just Cavalli is my fourth son. He is a little son but he grows very fast. But for a few seasons he was making me a little nervous, he was not good in school. But now, we have changed school and it is fantastic. And I enjoy teaching my son Just Cavalli. The DNA Cavalli is definitely there. He is a good son. He made so much progress.

Which do you think was the most important advice you have given your children? Did you expect them to work for you? Or did it happen naturally?

I got to where I am by believing in myself and following my heart, so I encourage my children to do the same! I’m proud to say that despite leading a very hectic life, I’ve always been very present in my children’s lives and I love having them around me in the work-place…but! If one day they decided “Papà, I want to leave the company to follow a different dream“, they would be leaving 100% with my blessing!

What was the most important thing you have learned from your father?

Sadly, I lost my father when I was very young, four years old. Luckily for me I had my outstanding mother! What a fantastic, marvellous person, a very brave woman … she was also present, by my side, in every phase of my life. She encouraged me to always carry on in the face of difficulties.

Please describe yourself in three words.

Passionate, curious, optimistic!

The secret of your success.

Self-belief and passion.

What makes a woman irresistible and sexy?

It’s not just how a woman looks but how she feels. I design my clothing so that the woman wearing my dress feels confident and believes in her beauty … it empowers her and this makes her fascinating. And last but not least the eyes. They are the soul of a woman!

Who is the most beautiful woman in the world? The sexiest woman alive?

Oh! What a question, there are too many beautiful women to name! Honestly I think that the sexiest woman alive is someone with great personality and strong character, a woman who knows who she is and what she wants! And, of course, she is even more beautiful if she is wearing a Roberto Cavalli dress, no?

Please tell us something about your iconic printed photographs on your materials!

Absolutely. That is my style. This makes the difference. Therefore they all like to copy me. I am the designer of the animal prints. Why? I remember one night in Kenia. I took a photo of a leopard. When you look at my prints, you can see the hair on it. Today, all the other designers copy me and do it my way. Two days ago, they opened a new store on Via della Spiga. So I thought: Ohmygod a new Cavalli store? It was no Cavalli, it was another designer but it looked completely Cavalli. My style is my style! This makes me nervous.

You have so many different projects and licenses, like the Just Cavalli restaurant in Milan, the Caffè Giacosa In Firenze, your own chocolats, vodka, wine, eyewear, clothes for dogs, childrenswear.
You have created a Cavalli universe? Where does the inspiration come from? Where are the limits?

Limits? This word is not in my vocabulary! The inspiration comes from everywhere, when you are a curious person you find everything you look for and more. I travel a lot, I’m a lover of the outdoors, of nature—my creations always have a connection to nature! What a beautiful world we live in!

Thank you Mr. Cavalli!

My dear readers, I hope that you have liked the interview!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Zurich has got a new shopping oasis in the Seefeld quarter: Modestrom #110. Bibiana Stoecklin-Bruderer and Gabrielle Mazurczak have opened this weekend their second store that is filled with beautiful pieces from Nina Ricci (love!, the handbags and the prints are among my season’s favourites), By Malene Birger, Inès and Maréchal and Issa London among others.

Modestrom #110, Seefeldstr. 11o, CH – 8008 Zurich, phone +41 43 499 93 93 (new!)
Modestrom #53, Feldeggstr. 53, CH – 8008 Zurich, phone +41 43 499 91 91

Dream team: Bibiana Stoecklin-Bruderer and Gabrielle Mazurczak

The two lovely ladies have a good eye for exceptional beauty and carry some extraordinary things in their store which you might not find somewhere else such as Edition Poshette by Simone Bendix, an accessories collection inspired by vintage book covers, that also brings poetry into your life.

Magic fairies: Simone Bendix (to the left) with her sister.

Simone Bendix came for the shop opening to Zurich and presented her designs in an extraordinary way by telling us a fairytale-like story about how she came up with the idea:
“My fingers were always typing, pressing buttons and working, but they were actually longing for more, for fresh air, for feeling the paper of a good book and for the sensation of a soft fabric. One day, a butterfly came by and showed me the way…”

The beautiful brunette captured the audience immediately. No wonder as she used to be a well-known Danish actress. Today, she lives with Kasper Winding, who was previously married to Brigitte Nielsen, and their two kids in Paris.

Being a phenomenal artist, Simone creates original prints inspired by old book covers and transfers them onto accessories such as clutch bags, wallets and more.  Her romantic, vintage-inspired designs come with a very unique shape and style. To add to their sense of literary universe, Simone numbers her creations and gives them evocative poetic names such as “Mes Cartes À Jouer – May Good Fortune Find You”.

I found a lovely poem about her collection on her website. Please check it out, you can flip through the products similiar to pages in a book.

IDEA

Like all things of beauty,
this object that you now hold in your hands
began life as an idea.

The i.de.a. – from the Greek word for form or pattern –
begins in the mind.
Rubbing against our experiences, gaining in patina,
our ideas push upwards to find the light of day.

This Edition Poshette, a distillation of my ideas,
tastes and memories, is now yours…
Yours to cherish as a thing of beauty
on which to leave the marks
of your own prcious experience
and with which to live your own ideas
to the full.

Modestrom #110 carries a large selection of Edition Poshette along with many other fabulous pieces. And if the good fortune finds you, there will be nothing to keep you from shopping…
See you there!

LoL, Sandra

Beautiful display of Edition Poshette at Modestrom #110

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht