Sandra‘s Closet

Last Wednesday, Mulberry hosted together with American Express Centurion an intimate event at the store in Zurich. Listening to the sounds of a harp player, guests were invited to observe the exquisite detail and craftsmanship that goes into creating an iconic ALEXA bag.

On display was the British brand’s newest family member that is part of the F/W 2013 collection: the PRIMROSE, a new take on heritage Mulberry detailing.

Inspired by a vintage bag shape, this softly-rounded satchel is a contrast to the other satchels in the Mulberry collection, yet still loaded with the house’s DNA. It has a structured top handle, cross-body strap and postman’s lock closure – updated exclusively for the Primrose. As opposed to the classic postman’s lock, this one has a side-opening hinge, adding a touch of newness to an iconic piece of Mulberry hardware.

YOU CAN SHOP A LARGE SELECTION OF MULBERRY BAGS HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Stills: Courtesy of Mulberry – Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, I went to the Rive Gauche Summer Party at the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich. It was a cabaret theme party and guests were entertained by astonishing shows and live acts.

My look: Embroidered tulle top, trompe l’oeil shoes with lace socks and gold-plated Swarovski crystal clip earrings, all by Dolce & Gabbana, mini knit skirt by Alexander McQueen, bag with cuff by Chloé, stay-ups ‘Twenties’ by Wolford and ring ‘Mitzah’ by Dior Haute Joaillerie.
On my nails: 593 Rose Moiré by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

All event photos: © David Biedert Photography – all outfit photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

To celebrate the launch of Rodial‘s newest line of products that include bee venom, the British beauty brand and Marionnaud Switzerland invited us busy bees, bloggers and journalists to a lovely lunch at the Widder Hotel in Zurich.

Listening to Rodial founder Maria Hatzistefanis who had flown in from London especially for the event, I learnt that the bee venom is a very interesting ingredient that helps to increase blood flow to the skin and provides a plumping effect to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It apparently fools the skin into thinking it has been stung with the toxin, which forces the body to produce collagen and elastin, which are both two key components of healthy skin, in the affected area. In case you are allergic to bees, no worries, the amount included is too small to cause an allergic shock or reaction. I am a big fan of the brightening eye cream of the line.

RODIAL Bee Venom Super Serum – CHF 229.00 (30ml)
RODIAL Bee Venom Moisturiser – CHF 219.00 (50ml)
RODIAL Bee Venom Eye Cream – CHF 165.00 (25ml)

Maria Hatzistefanis with me at the lunch

Also on display was the brand’s newest body care range. All products have some very fun names and promise to firm and target problem areas fast. Whatever body part you would like to focus on, Rodial has the right product: ARM SCULPT™ CHF 82.00 – TUMMY TUCK™ CHF 123.00 – BOOB JOB™ CHF 123.00 and SIZE ZERO™ CHF 79.00.
Rodial is exclusively available at Marionnaud in Switzerland.

The SIZE ZERO™ daily toning body moisturizer is a great way to get started as it works for most areas of your body. It helps to reduce stubborn fatty deposits and water retention. Maria told me that she loves to use it post-workout to firm and smooth the skin. A fast way to look great, just the right thing for busy bees…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

During this year’s Art Basel, Annette Weber (Instyle), Sue Giers (Closed) & Jenny Falckenberg (Unique Art Concepts) invited me for a very special dining experience to Pret A Diner, a pop-up restaurant at the Elizabethan Church in Basel. Located in the heart of the Swiss city, this neo-Gothic church was transformed into a space of sensory excellence and we enjoyed the creations of Michelin-starred chef Tim Raue. The location reminded me a lot of the amazing dinner I had with Luisaviaroma at a church in Florence a year ago.

German magazine Bunte wrote about the evening and called me a style icon, thanks for that! If you like my look, please click here for the previous post with all the details.

Lovely Sue Giers (Closed) with me

The amazing location at the Elizabethan church

Old buddies: Sanjiv Singh (Lacoste), Fabien Mollet-Viéville (MelonDistrict) and my humble self.

A warm hug from Jenny Falckenberg

My German peers: Thorleif Griess-Nega (Instyle Men) and Inka Marnette (Instyle, Bunte)

Me with EVA & ADELE who claim to be a living artwork.

Speaking of which, I would like to show my two favourite masterpieces spotted at this year’s Art Basel: Sylvie Fleurie‘s “Kelly Bag” and Jani Leinonen‘s amazing art work which has been fascinating me since many years.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

LUISAVIAROMA‘s Firenze4Ever was once again an outstanding experience. The sun was shining, blue sky over Florence and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Below are some backstage impressions and a little teaser of my photo shoot with Tommaso Fontanella.

A goody bag filled with amazing products from the likes of MCM and Sisley (my favourite mascara) among others waited for me.

LUISAVIAROMA goes punk!

Being interviewed by the lovely Kelly for Glamour and Vogue Italia.

My F/W 2013 selection: Fausto Puglisi, Emanuel Ungaro and Givenchy…

Tommaso showing me the first pics.

Very happy with the result of the shoot: Tom, Anna and me.
Stay tuned for the style labs coming up soon! Missing Florence already…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The closing night of LUISAVIAROMA‘s Firenze4Ever took place at the stunning Boboli Gardens (Giardini di Boboli), a park behind the Pitti Palace in Florence, that is home to a collection of sculptures dating from the 16th through the 18th centuries, with some Roman antiquities. It is amazing how LUISAVIAROMA always surprises us with another outstanding location.

Seated around the fountain in the Island Bassin (Vasca dell’Isola), we enjoyed a wonderful Tuscan dinner, a dance show, the amazing scenery followed by the after party with a private rock concert. The motto of the night was “Grunge Glam” and I went through my closet to find the most “punk-style” pieces that were in there.

My look: Cut-out knit dress, matching leggings and leather glove clutch, all by Alexander McQueen, choker by Louis Vuitton, bracelets by Miu Miu and Hermès, strappy sandals by Gucci and statement rings by Roberto Cavalli. All pieces are from previous seasons.

Below you can enjoy all my impressions of the night.

LoL, Sandra

Familiar faces: Sung-Joo Kim (looking a little different than at the MCM Grand Opening in Zurich last month) and the MCM team came to present their newest collaboration: they teamed up with illustrators, Craig & Karl, for a limited edition collection of summer accessories.

Adrian J. Margelist, Chief Creative Officer MCM, with me

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Firenze4Ever is always an amazing experience. LUISAVIAROMA invites us to spaces that you usually don’t get to see like that. On Sunday night, we went to the beautiful Museo del Costume at Palazzo Pitti. The walk up the hill to the entrance offered some stunning views on Florence with the Duomo within one’s reach.

My look: Chunky-knit cotton-blend cropped sweater by Chloé, appliquéd leather and lace skirt by Jason Wu, white ‘Duffle 6’ bag and Janis leather pumps, both by Saint Laurent and cuff by Stella McCartney.

Robert Cavalli, the youngest son of Roberto, framed by Tina (Bagsnob), Hilary (Lyst) and me.

Inside the museum, we had a fabulous dinner.

Thank you, LUISAVIAROMA , for another amazing event!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last night was probably the best one I have ever had in Tuscany. I was absolutely determined to go to bed early but that didn’t happen. It was so much fun being re-united with my favourite blogger colleagues and of course the LUISAVIAROMA team. The first Firenze4Ever evening started off with cocktails at the store.

Our host, Andrea Panconesi, owner of LUISAVIAROMA, with my beloved Hilary from Lyst and my humble self.

Bryanboy and gorgeous Tina from Bagsnob.

In the car with Hilary on our way to the next stop: La Fattoria Delle Corti, a gorgeous location 20 minutes outside of Florence, in the Tuscany wine region.

Hilary and me with Tiani from Belmodo

My look: Printed jumpsuit with studs, matching chiffon poncho, both by Givenchy, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps and Betty chain red leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent.

Tiani, Tina and lovely Camilla with me.

Having fun at dinner with Bryan and Tina.

After we left the Fattoria, we went to the pool party at Roberto Cavalli’s mansion which was absolutely amazing. The ambiance, the house, the enormous gardens, every little detail was just beautiful. The music was outstanding and I danced until dawn. Before leaving, I even spoke to Roberto’s parrot as you can see in the last picture.

The decor reminded me a lot of the one that Roberto Cavalli created for the amfAR gala.

I am sure that you are curious how Roberto Cavalli’s palace looks like. It is amazing as you can imagine. I would like to respect his privacy but of course I have some photos for you. Enjoy!

I am off to more adventures today! Firenze4Ever is the best…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The first Piaget Rose Day is tomorrow on June 13, 2013 – a special occasion for a special rose, the Yves Piaget rose. It will be celebrated around the world, becoming an annual event for the brand. An ode to the rose and a fitting tribute to springtime.

To mark the occasion, special events have been organised in Piaget boutiques all over the world. The day honoring this distinctive rose will also be an opportunity to discover the collections it has inspired. I am absolutely in love with those romantic and dramatic jewlery creations that you see me wearing here.

To celebrate this day to the fullest, Piaget hosts in Paris a private Melody Gardot concert in a secret venue near Place Vendôme. The ambassador of the Piaget Rose collection will sing her version of ‘La Vie en Rose’ that she has created in honor of the famous jewelry brand. Bar Rafaeli, the face of the campaign, will also be present.

And I have also a very big surprise and some exciting news to share. I am a new ambassador for Piaget and I couldn’t be more happy about it! During the next months, you will be discovering some interesting projects, so please stay tuned!

In the meantime, I invite you to enter the Piaget Rose Contest by clicking on the picture below. Write your message now and make June 13 an unforgettable day for your loved one. Only a few hours left…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Piaget and © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I have more amazing news! I am so excited and cannot wait for the weekend to come. This Saturday, I will be off to Florence to attend LUISAVIAROMA‘s amazing FIRENZE4EVER ON STAGE event. Those of you who have been following me since quite a while know how much fun it will be as I am back for the fourth time. At the end of this post you can find the highlights of the previous editions.

What is FIRENZE4EVER all about?
The cultural heritage of Florence, the most important Italian fashion destination online, the world’s most influential fashion icons, trendsetters and bloggers, an exclusive location and a fantastic live event… these are the ingredients that will spice up the three-day event hosted by LUISAVIAROMA.

This time, it is inspired by the era of rock, punk, grunge… one of the biggest F/W 2013 trends. FIRENZE4EVER ON STAGE is a salute to the music that defined an attitude and the attitude that continues to inspire fashion.

Francesco Mele with his fiancé Bianca Balti for Vogue Brasil August 2012 – She Rocks! by Fernando Lombardi

But it is not only about celebrating fashion, above all, it is an hommage to Florence and investing in its most precious resource: its culture. In fact, this season, it will contribute to the restoration of the fountain in the Vasca dell’Isola (Island Basin) in the Boboli Gardens, where the private Dinner Party closing the event will take place. On the evening of 17th June, the most cutting edge names of the international underground rock scene will be “ON STAGE,” including Francis and the Cats (with the celebrated Francesco Mele) and Goose, the Belgian alternative-electro band described by The Guardian as the link that joins rock, electronic and DJ-set.

An extraordinary edition where art, music and fashion meet between the virtual and the physical, thanks to the support of LUISAVIAROMA.

Some of the highlights of previous FIRENZE4EVER editions that I attended (January 2011, June 2011, January 2012) were for the example the Mulberry tea party book launch, my interview with Laudomia Pucci, the amazing dinner at the church, Pug Dogs for Happy Kids auction and of course all those fun style labs.

Here are my favorites. If you click on the photo, you will be transfered to the previous post.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Luisaviaroma, style.com, Vogue Brasil, © Sandra Bauknecht