Sandra‘s Closet

Finally Zurich has its own Rolex store operated by Bucherer, the Lucerne-based watch and jewelry specialist founded in 1888. The new shop is located at the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse close to the Paradeplatz with 130 m² dedicated to everything beautiful the most popular fine watch brand in the world has to offer. As one of the guests put it: “You can never go wrong with a Rolex under the Christmas tree.” I think most of us would agree with that.

My look at the opening party: Printed stretch-silk mini dress, Miss Sicily wool tapestry and leather tote (Farfetch offers free global shipping from December 3-19, 2012), both by Dolce & Gabbana. Fur coat by Gucci, red boots by Prada and pearl necklace by Chanel, all from previous seasons.

LoL, Sandra

Tanja Fruithof, Managing Director Bucherer Zürich, Jörg G. Bucherer, President of the Board of Directors Bucherer AG, Gian Riccardo Marini, General Manager Rolex SA, Manuela Labhard, Store Manager Rolex Boutique in Ebony printed fitted dress by Mary Katrantzou, Guido Zumbühl, CEO Bucherer AG.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Great news for my Swiss readers: This upcoming Sunday, 2nd of December, from 12 -6 pm, you have the chance to meet and greet the jewelry designer GABRIELE FRANTZEN at GASSMANN in Zurich.

You have seen me many times wearing her amazing designs. Now, you will have the chance to explore her famous “Sense & Sensibilty” collection that is in the meantime available in 20 different shades with your own eyes or get your fingers on the new S/S 2013 “Zoo” designs.

For my foreign readers, you can shop Gabriele Frantzen’s designs online at LUISAVIAROMA.COM.

LoL, Sandra

SENSE & SENSIBILITY EMERALD

FLOWER CHOKER

KISSING PANTHERS

PEARL DRAKE

TIGER PENDANT

ZOO

Photos: Courtesy of Gabriele Frantzen, © Sandra Bauknecht

During the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich 2012, I went backstage several times. I love watching hair and make-up artists at work as you can always learn so much. Paul Mitchell and Marionnaud belonged to the main sponsors of the event. I spotted some great products that I am now completely addicted to and of course, I am sharing them with you.

Me having fun at work.

Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer by Smashbox
Let me introduce you to the first primer dedicated to the delicate skin under the eyes! The brand’s signature silky primer texture keeps your concealer looking fresh and never cakey or settled into fine lines so that your eyes will always look well-rested. 
Available in Switzerland for CHF 33.- exclusively at Marionnaud.

Germany’s Next Topmodel 2012 winner Luisa Hartema‘s hairdo was done with products by Paul Mitchell. Scroll down to see what you will definitely need to get the perfect blow-dry.

Hydromist Blow-Out Spray™
High-performance volumizers prepare hair for a flawless blow-dry. The weightless formula boosts volume, hydrates dry strands and delivers a clean, long-lasting hold while protecting hair from damage.

Shine Spray™
This finishing spray with a light mist adds brilliance and luminous shine to any style while protecting your hair.

Styling Treatment Oil™
The idea of oiling up your hair might sound weird, but rubbing a little of this lightweight formula between your palms and then over strands before blow-drying or ironing adds a beautiful gloss and tames frizz.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last week almost 300 guests celebrated the opening of the Moncler store in Zurich. Located at the prestigious Storchengasse 8, the shop carries the house’s impeccably tailored alpine outerwear for men and women as well as the Moncler Grenoble line that takes its name from the French village where the brand originated, along with fabulous accessories from cool hats to fashionable fur boots.

My look at the opening party: White padded gilet by Moncler Grenoble (Thank you, Moncler!), Millie tweed and wool-crepe dress by Stella McCartney, Swarovski crystal necklace by Lanvin, bow-embellished suede and snake-effect leather ankle boots by Miu Miu, small Boston bag by Céline.

Enjoy the photos of the night and the shop!

LoL, Sandra

Laurence Antiglio (Vestibule), Annina Frey (also dressed in Moncler Grenoble), me and a friend.

The lovely Moncler team, who came from Italy for the opening party, with me.

Guests received this exclusive gift.

Photos: Courtesy of Moncler and © Sandra Bauknecht

On Thursday evening, together with Bobbi Brown Cosmetic I hosted a dinner for the launch of Bobbi Brown‘s new Caviar & Oyster Collection at my house.

Bobbi’s inspiration for this season started when she spotted a black motorcycle jacket next to a piece of delicate pink satin. Seeing the two items together prompted her to create this amazing make-up collection, designing a contrast of both, polished and edgy. “It’s all about combining different textures and finishes.” – Bobbi Brown

Above you can see the lovely Bobbi Brown Cosmetic team from Switzerland with me and the invite for the evening.

Unfortunately, Bobbi couldn’t make it herself but she sent me a lovely note along with a little gift that meant a lot to me.

The dinner was held in three different rooms with each room having its own special ambiance, from cozy to elegant and oriental.

Speaking of combining different textures and finishes, famous chef Peter Marty borrowed Bobbi Brown’s inspiration to create a menu that was – of course – all about caviar and oysters.

Between each course, one part of the Caviar & Oyster collection was beautifully revealed to the guests. Each of them got a plate with the products that were immediately applied with enthusiasm. Can you imagine how much fun we had?! Great food, sparkling champagne, only girls and trying out new make-up, it felt like being in heaven.

Below you can explore all the details of the Caviar & Oyster collection:

LIPGLOSSES

Bobbi has sized up all her glosses to give you an extra dose of shine. This sheer, reflective formula wakes up your face and helps create the illusion of fuller lips, plus the new tapered applicator lets you apply it like a pro. Wear alone or on top of your favourite lipstick.
(From left to right: Black Pearl, Moonlight Pearl, Pink Oyster, Oyster and White)
Limited Edition CHF 35.- (7ml) each.

DUAL-ENDED MASCARA

Designed to be layered, this two-in-one duo features Everything Mascara for definition and Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara for length. It’s Bobbi’s secret to megawatt lashes-and part of her Caviar & Oyster Collection. To apply: First, brush on Everything Mascara from base of lashes to the tips. Next, apply Lash Glamour Mascara. Let each mascara dry between coats.
Black – Limited Edition CHF 33.- (6ml).

SHIMMER NAIL POLISH

A little bit uptown, a little bit downtown. Bobbi’s shimmering polish looks striking on all skin tones. The epitome of Bobbi’s Caviar & Oyster Collection, this polish adds a little edgy-luxe to nails and is just the right amount of tough.
Black Pearl – Limited Edition CHF 27.– (11ml)

CAVIAR & OYSTER PALETTE

Strong and smokey or soft and pretty? There’s no need to choose with Bobbi’s beautifully-edited selection. Featuring eight shadows and a luminescent skin enhancer, this mirrored palette makes it easy to create a multitude of party and special occasion looks. Taking a cue from the look of something pretty against something edgy, the set includes rich caviar and pearlescent black shades. Introducing the standout star of the season, Ballet Sparkle, a shimmer so sheer it can be worn on both eyes and cheeks (without ever looking overdone).
(Shades included: White Eye Shadow, Sandy Pearl Metallic Eye Shadow, Pink Opal Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Grey Sky Eye Shadow, Plum Steel Metallic Eye Shadow, Rich Caviar Eye Shadow, Heather Grey Eye Shadow, Pearl Oyster Sparkle Eye Shadow and Ballet Sparkle)
Limited Edition CHF 120.-

And at the end of this amazing night, we all had the caviar and oyster glow…

Thank you Bobbi Brown for this wonderful experience!
All products are in stores now, so hurry as those limited edition pieces will sell out fast.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Bobbi Brown (Nadia) and © Sandra Bauknecht

The second evening of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days 2012 was dedicated to the well-known annabelle award.

Five young designers were able to show their collections, but only one of them won an internship with Barbara Bui, who also presented her S/S 2013 show as a culmination of the night.

The event started off with three established Swiss designers:

Van Bery is based in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The S/S 2013 collection was inspired by the painter Henri Julien Félix Rousseau (“Le Douanier” Rousseau) and the era of the ’20s. I am a big fan of Van Bery’s romantic, feminine florals und adorable bow embellishments and those head pieces were to-die-for. In Switzerland available at Globus among others.

Laend Phuengkit fuses Asian and European features to create an interesting collection for men and women that impresses with beautiful draped elements and contemporary cuts for S/S 2013.

Claudia Zuber started her label three years ago and has been on the rise since then. Her creative power: Sporty elements in colours of the ’70s mixed with an air of the ’20s. I especially loved the little books that the models carried on the runway, such a neat detail.

After that, the five finalists of the annabelle award were presenting their collections to the audience.

Flaka Jahaj (29): “Sheer Tedium” – Inspired by ornaments of ancient times and the architecture of historic temples
Désirée Gabriel (24): “Wind” – Asymmetrical designs that are flowing like the wind.
Julia Winkler (26): “Pinky’s Dream, Watch the Room” – Inspired by Davis Lynch’s movie soundtracks and his debut album “Crazy Clown Time”
Stéphanie Rosianu (26): “It’s So Bad, It’s Almost Good” – Ink scribbling printed on delicate organza and silk.
Safia Semlali (22): “Took My Sister’s Winter and My Father’s Fall” – Hightech materials worn in many layers.

And the winner of the prestigious annabelle award is: Julia Winkler who received an internship with Parisian designer Barbara Bui who said on stage: “It is always hard to choose someone. Even that an award is important, you never know what will be after. Working in fashion is wonderful, but you have to be very strong to work in that field.”

Barbara Bui with me

For S/S 2013, Barbara Bui showed her iconic rock-chic looks in perfection. Leather in colours of black and ink was predominating the collection. My favourite was the beautiful embroidered material used for jackets, shorts and bags.

If you are interested to see more about the event on Glanz & Gloria, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

This was my look for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich Opening Night on Wednesday:

Mietta embroidered crepe top, Jessica flared crepe mini skirt, both by Stella McCartney, fur shrug by Prada, gold-plated Swarovski crystal clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, bow-embellished suede and snake-effect leather ankle boots by Miu Miu, Trapeze bag by Céline and cocktail ring by Roberto Cavalli.

If you are wondering why I brought such a huge bag, I was carrying two cameras. During the next days, I will show you all the photos from the events and runway shows.

There was a lot of press coverage from the night and I gave some interviews. If you are interested to see them, have a look at annabelle, 20 Minuten online and NZZ.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Screenshots via annabelle, 20 Minuten and NZZ

This week, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich take place. In comparison to the Fashion Weeks in Paris, Milan, London and New York, those days focus more on the business-to-consumer side with tickets available for sale to get a feeling of high class fashion in reality. They are also devoted to helping upcoming young designers, enjoying the S/S 2013 collections of established and famous designers and to just having a lot of fun.

Speaking of which, the four-day event kicked off on Wednesday with the Mercedes-Benz Opening Night. Among the famous guests American actress and former model Lauren Hutton, the world’s first male supermodel Markus Schenkenberg and British singer Dionne Bromfield. 
MSGM di Massimo Giorgetti, Marco de Vincenzo, Mila Schön and Angelos Bratis presented their collections for the next season, followed by a musical performance of the Swiss band Pegasus. The culmination of the event was the runway show of Laurèl.

Spotted on the red carpet in the VIP-tent and later on the runway: Luisa Hartema, winner of Germany’s Next Topmodel 2012.

Markus Schenkenberg with me

How cool are the shoes of Patrick Liotard-Vogt, especially in combination with his purple pants…

Greek designer Angelos Bratis,“The Draper”, won the first prize of the “Who Is On next?” competion for emerging fashion designers in 2011, organized by AltaRoma and Vogue Italia. The international jury was composed by important names of the fashion industry such as Suzy Menkes (International Herald Tribune) and Franca Sozzani (Vogue Italia). His winning brought him international press acclaim and a new job. He just moved to Milan to design the Vionnet collection. I couldn’t think of a better match!

“I love the air, the sky and the people”, Massimo Giorgetti said about being in Zurich. He went on about his designs: “I love Indie music. MSGM is my soundtrack of the last six months when I was preparing the collection.” Massimo Giorgetti’s idea of MSGM is to mix and match great tradition with revolutionary ideas from the new millennium, and the first collections have been celebrated by the industry thanks to their inner iconoclastic and celebrative spirit.
To shop MSGM by Massimo Giorgetti click here.

Marco di Vincenzo is Italian fashion’s rising star. He started his career as one of Silvia Venturnini Fendi’s key assistant on accessories at Fendi. Now with his own line, he has gone spare for the S/S 2013 season, showing cotton poplin pieces with jersey backs, sporty with an interesting approach to volume.

Bianca Gervasio, Creative Director of Mila Schön, has a very good eye for colour and feminine cuts and showed a contemporary lightness paired with romantic details for the next summer. The young designer said about Zurich that she likes “the colourful and prismic light that gives it an elegant ambiance and its sophisticated people.”

Lauren Hutton, who had graced 27 Vogue covers, was sitting of course front row and told Annina Frey that “her beauty secret is having a good man in your life”.

At the Mercedes-Benz Opening Night, Laurèl sent their models in ’50s bikinis, pencil skirts and cute little tops down the runway. Highlight of the collection: The vibrant gowns.

The after party took place at the Park Hyatt and was a lot of fun.

Bianca Gervasio with me

Lauren Hutton at the after party framed by Raquel Marquard and me

Lauren Hutton’s backpack was hilarious.

Celebrating with Angelos Bratis and his friends.

Stay tuned for a detailed post of my outfit and of course all the other nights coming up soon. Unfortunately, I am little behind with my posts as my blog has experienced some technical problems during the last days due to maintenance work. You might have realized that the newsletter hasn’t been sent neither. My apologies for that!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

From the 7th to the 10th of November 2012, Switzerland celebrates for the third time the ZURICH FASHION DAYS, this year for the first year under the helmet of a famous sponsor: Mercedes-Benz and at the trendy location “Schiffbau” in Zurich West.

With numerous side events and runway shows of national and international acclaimed designers, it will surely be a lot of fun. Follow me on Sandra’s Closet to always stay up to date with the program. The Zurich Fashion Days offer a unique opportunity for fashion lovers: Tickets to the fashion shows are available for sale. To get yours, please click here.

Here is a brief summary of what is coming up:

Wednesday, 7th of November 2012

Mercedes-Benz Opening Night
“An Homage to Design and Desire”

Runway Shows: MSGM di Massimo Giorgetti, Marco de Vincenzo, Mila Schön, Angelos Bratis
Music: Pegasus

Thursday, 8th of November 2012

annabelle award 2012 presented by Paul Mitchell
“An Homage to the Youth”

Runway shows: Claudia Zuber, Laend Phuengkit, van Bery
Runway Show: Barbara Bui/ Paris

Barbara Bui is coming to Zurich! The Parisian designer will be choosing the 9th winner of the annabelle award and show her collection on the runway of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich.

Friday, 9th of November 2012

Swiss Designers Show presented by Oerlikon
“An Homage to Diversity”

Special: Fibers & Yarns Award
Runway Show: Portenier Roth, Marc Stone, LBD White, Javier Reyes, KAZU

Official After Show Party: Radio 24 FridayNite, Kaufleuten

Four official languages and numerous different cultural regions are characteristic for Switzerland. This will also be visible on Friday evening when “an homage to diversity” is the motto. There will be various designers from different Swiss regions, who partially also manufacture their collection locally – something that has become relatively rare nowadays. Fashion from Switzerland for the whole world.

The collections will also be showcased the next day at the Swiss Designer Showroom. For more information, please click here.

Saturday, 10th of November 2012

International Closing Night
“An Homage to Glamour and Nightlife”

Runway Shows: Dawid Tomaszweski, Arzu Kaprol, Dimitri
Music: Kyla La Grange
Runway Show: Charlotte Ronson

Official After Show Party: Club Circuit Festival, Jade/Amber/Prive/Station

The closing night of the most important fashion event in Switzerland will end with the big closing party of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich 2012.

For all shopaholics, I have some great news. The Mercedes Benz Fashion Days will already kick off with on Tuesday evening with the Late Fashion Shopping Zurich event in cooperation with annabelle magazine and cool shopping maps. Around 40 shops will open their doors until 11pm and host special events, among them trend store Vestibule where you can create your own annabelle cover with the help of the egoshooting machine. The best one will win a CHF 1000.- shopping spree. All guests receive a 10% shopping discount during the event!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich, annabelle, Vestibule and © Sandra Bauknecht

This Christmas, Harrods and Disney are celebrating a glamorous collaboration with a pop-up boutique and exciting in-store events. The exclusive 7,000 square-foot boutique is open on the Fourth Floor at Harrods until January 2012. Housing an array of Disney products, it will also include bespoke limited-edition items, collectables and show-stopping dress-up pieces.

For truly royal treatment, visit the Disney Princess Parlour dress-up area and try on iconic costumes. Plus, for £19.95, visitors will have the opportunity to have a 15 minute photographic experience against an enchanting Disney backdrop and take home mounted photographs (by appointment only).

There will also be a Cinderella Slipper Salon offering replica glitter-embellished glass limited-edition slippers, ranging from £24.95 to £34.95; with limited stock available be sure to stop by early to guarantee your purchase.

To celebrate this pink and sparkly paradise, leading fashion designers including Versace, Valentino, Elie Saab and Roberto Cavalli were invited by Harrods to create a special interpretation of one of 10 Disney Princesses animating the store’s Christmas project.

An here is your exclusive first look at the beautiful gowns that will be unveiled in the famous Harrods Christmas windows on Thursday November 1, 2012. I love!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP DISNEY AT HARRODS.

LoL, Sandra

Pocahontas by Roberto Cavalli

Aurora by Elie Saab

Cinderella by Versace

Snow White by Oscar de la Renta

Belle by Valentino
Photos: Courtesy of Harrods