Sandra‘s Closet

«An important part of my life designing installations, spaces and experiences is actually spent putting out fires! I thought it was time to celebrate that fire…and help put the Art World on fire too! So I chose to show only burnt art and art relating to fire from the fantastic Gmurzynska collection, and create for these an environment that is pop and thematic, inspired by the beautiful look of fire stations, as a boy dreaming of them, pop and joyful, yet modern, minimal and fairly neutral, to enhance the viewing of such important art. It is made of traditional industrial materials, lacquered diamond steel plates and fire extinguishers, but reinterpreted to serve their new purpose in a luxurious manner.» Alexandre de Betak

Having presented a Karl Lagerfeld designed booth in 2011 at FIAC, Galerie Gmurzynska – the leading international art gallery specializing in masterpieces of both classic modern and post-war art – is returning to the fair with a visionary installation by French designer, scenographer and creative director Alexandre de Betak, who is mostly known for his involvement in the production of Victoria’s Secret shows, which he has producing and choreographing for many years.

Sketch by Karl Lagerfeld, FIAC 2011, Galerie Gmurzynska’s booth design

2003 marked de Betak’s debut in design, when he created an acrylic glass bookshelf and a leather bench with French design house Domeau & Perez. Moreover, he is known for various collaborations with important museums, among others the MOCA in Los Angeles and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Preparatory rendering by Alexandre de Betak, FIAC 2018

Since its discovery, fire has been the propelling force of innovation, civilization and ultimately cultural advancement. Artists throughout the history of art have been drawn to its ethereal power to destroy, create, cleanse and illuminate.

Roberto Matta, Les Fumoïsses, 1973

The survey exhibition «On Fire» will include a diverse list of artists using or depicting fire in all forms throughout the 20th Century, from Joan Miró to Otto Piene, Yves Klein, Alberto Burri, Roberto Matta up to Tom Wesselmann and others. A booklet with an introduction by Germano Celant will be accompanying the exhibition.

Mathias Rastorfer at the booth with Alexandre de Betak

Isabelle Bscher at the opening party with Francesco Vezzoli

On Wednesday evening, the opening party of the gallery took place next to the Seine with a huge fire installation by Alexandre de Betak. The gallery owners Isabelle Bscher, Krystyna Gmurzynska and Mathias Rastorfer and star designer Alexandre de Betak welcomed actor Vincent Cassel, not only since his role as Vincent van Gogh in «Loving Vincent», an art fanatic, Parisian model and author Caroline de Maigret, star photographer Ellen von Unwerth, hotel guru André Balazs and actor and artist André Saraiva, the u.a. also designed for Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Tiffany and Converse, the Italian concept artist and filmmaker («Multimedia Popartist»), Francesco Vezzoli and Michel Gaubert, the best sound designer in the fashion world with clients such as Gucci, Fendi, Jil Sander, Roberto Cavalli, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Chanel.

Galerie Gmurzynska @ FIAC: OCTOBER 18 – 21, 2018 Booth 0.C24
When the world of fashion meets the world of art, there is fire…

LoL, Sandra

André Balazs and André Saraiva

Ellen von Unwerth

Vincent Cassel

Photos: Courtesy of Galerie Gmurzysnka

“There is no other country in the world, besides my own, whose way of life I like so much. I love English traditions, English politeness, English architecture. I even love English cooking.”
Christian Dior

 In February 2019, the V&A will open the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever staged in the UK on the House of Dior – the museum’s biggest fashion exhibition since Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty in 2015. Spanning 1947 to the present day, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams will trace the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most influential couturiers, and the six artistic directors who have succeeded him, to explore the enduring influence of the fashion house. 

Christian Dior with model Sylvie, circa 1948. Courtesy of Christian Dior.

Based on the major exhibition Christian Dior: Couturier du Rêve, organised by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, the exhibition will be reimagined for the V&A. A brand-new section will, for the first time, explore the designer’s fascination with British culture. Dior admired the grandeur of the great houses and gardens of Britain, as well as British-designed ocean liners, including the Queen Mary. He also had a preference for Savile Row suits. In 1947, he hosted his first UK fashion show at London’s Savoy Hotel, and in 1952 established Christian Dior London.

Princess Margaret (left), with the Duchess of Marlborough behind, presents Christian Dior with a scroll entitling him to Honorary Life Membership of the British Red Cross
© Popperphoto, Getty Images

This exhibition will investigate Dior’s creative collaborations with influential British manufacturers, and his most notable British clients, from author Nancy Mitford to ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn. A highlight will be the Christian Dior dress worn by Princess Margaret for her 21st birthday celebrations, generously on loan from the Museum of London. It will also bring to life Dior’s spectacular fashion shows staged in the UK’s most luxurious stately homes, including Blenheim Palace in 1954. 

Left: Sketch by Christian Dior for model Londres, F/W 1950 Haute Couture collection.
Right: Sketch by Christian Dior for model Oxford, S/S 1947 Haute Couture collection.
© Christian Dior.

Drawn from the extensive Dior Archives, the exhibition will also showcase highlights from the V&A’s world-class Couture collections, including the iconic Bar Suit, gifted to the museum by the House of Dior in 1960. The exhibition will present over 500 objects, with over 200 rare Haute Couture garments shown alongside accessories, fashion photography, film, perfume, make-up, illustrations, magazines, and Christian Dior’s personal possessions. 

Diorling perfume, 1963. Photo © Laziz Hamani

The exhibition will highlight Dior’s vision of femininity, encompassing garments, accessories and fragrances. Flowers are emblematic of the Couture House and have inspired silhouettes, embroidery and prints but also the launch of Miss Dior in 1947, the first fragrance created alongside the very first show. 

Yves Saint Laurent in front of Christian Dior London, 11th November 1958.
© Popperfoto, Getty Images

From horticulture to global travel and 18th century decorative arts, the show will reveal the sources of inspiration that defined the House of Dior’s aesthetic. From the daring designs of Yves Saint Laurent to the rational style of Marc Bohan, the flamboyance of Gianfranco Ferré, the exuberance of John Galliano, the minimalism of Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri’s feminist vision of fashion, the exhibition will show how each successive artistic director has stayed true to Dior’s vision of Haute Couture, while bringing their own creative sensibilities to the House. 

Soirée de décembre evening dress, F/W 1954 Haute Couture collection, H line. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Gift of Dame Margot Fonteyn.
Photo © Laziz Hamani

Tim Reeve, Deputy Director and COO of the V&A, said: “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams celebrates one of the most ingenious and iconic designers in fashion history. Reimagining this hugely popular exhibition from Paris – as the largest fashion exhibition the V&A has undertaken since Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty – will shed new light on Dior’s fascination with Britain. The V&A holds one of the largest and most important fashion collections in the world, and we are delighted to be able to reveal highlights from our outstanding collection alongside those from the remarkable archive of the House of Dior, for this spectacular exhibition.” 

Oriole Cullen, Fashion and Textiles Curator at the V&A, said: “In 1947, Christian Dior changed the face of fashion with his ‘New Look’, which redefined the female silhouette and reinvigorated the post-War Parisian fashion industry. The V&A recognised Dior’s important contribution to design history early-on in his career, acquiring his sketches and garments from the 1950s onwards. The influence of Christian Dior’s design was all-pervasive and helped to define an era. In their own individual ways, each of the House’s successive artistic directors have referenced and reinterpreted Dior’s own designs and continued the legacy of the founder, ensuring that the House of Christian Dior is at the forefront of fashion today. More than seventy years after its founding, the V&A’s exhibition will celebrate the enduring influence of the House of Dior and uncover Dior’s relationship with Britain.” 

Écarlate afternoon dress, F/W 1955 Haute Couture collection, Y line. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Photo © Laziz Hamani

The exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams runs from 2 February – 14 July 2019. Tickets will go on sale in Fall 2018 and will be available soon here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior

Last Sunday, I attended the private viewing of the 16th edition of ART IN THE PARK in Zurich, followed by an extremely delicious lunch created by Michelin Star chef Laurent Eperon. It is truly impressive what GIGI KRACHT has achieved over the past years, bringing the most prestigious artists to the garden of the iconic Baur au Lac hotel. Every time, I am there, I am amazed by the beauty of this oasis in the middle of the city. For the 2018 edition, Gigi invited one of New York’s ultimate ingenious artists, DONALD BAECHLER, a prominent figure in the Neo-Expressionist and Pop Art movements during the 1980s. He had especially flown in for the occasion to share with us a unique glimpse into the stages of his practice.

My look: Holzer lace-paneled fil coupé silk-voile maxi dress by Temperley London, leather T-strap sandals with pearls by Gucci, Monogram fringed shoulder bag by Saint Laurent, sunglasses from the Cruise 2018 «The Modernity of Antiquity» collection and bangles, both by Chanel, gold-plated multi-strand necklace by Etro, long necklace in white and gold by Roberto Cavalli, and Mitza ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie.

With the lovely hostess, Gigi Kracht, who made this exhibition happen all by herself!
Bravo, Gigi!

Eight sculptures of Donald Baechler will be on display in the Park until August 3, 2018.

Even the lunch was inspired by the work of the American artist and we could spot the different sculptures on our plates or the table decorations. Loved it!

During lunch we were able to ask Donald Baechler questions.

«I started as a painter. One of the sculptures in the exhibition was made in 2002, based on a drawing from 1986. The first sculptures were exercises how to make things as I had not been a sculptor before. I was interested in learning, to teach myself about structure, how to hold up something without it collapsing.»
– Donald Baechler

Donald Baechler with me in the garden of the Baur au Lac.

«I’m interested in discreet and very mute objects, and I’ve never really been interested in narrative or psychology or these things which many people read into my paintings and probably into the sculptures,» Baechler remarked recently about his work.

Colour me impressed – don’t miss the exhibition!

LoL, Sandra

All Photos: © André Hengst – www.on-eyes-photography.ch – THANK YOU!
Photos of the food: © Sandra Bauknecht, me in front of the skull sculpture: Adam Sheffer

Last night, fashion’s most anticipated yearly event (yes, hotter than the Oscar’s), the MET GALA, offered a breathtaking red carpet that I will tell you all about today. It always takes place on the first Monday in May. But if you’re not an industry expert, you might be wondering why on earth there should be so much hype about it. First of all, Anna Wintour is hosting the night along some well-known co-hosts, which are all much-worshiped by the paparazzi: Amal Clooney, Rihanna, and Donatella Versace. But there is more… many stars, models and fashion designers attend the night in showstopping outfits worthy of unforgettable photos.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, right, designer Donatella Versace, left, and Vogue US Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour  in Rome last February.

It is a huge night for fashion fundraising as it is dedicated to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute – formally named The Anna Wintour Costume Center, in homage to the American Vogue’s editor-in-chief, who has been a chair member of the museum’s gala since 1995. It also celebrates the opening of the newest exhibition of which its theme sets the tone for the event and invitees have to dress accordingly. Personally speaking, I find this year’s motto extremely interesting, instead of being dedicated to the work of one designer, it is inspired by the dialogue between fashion and the masterworks of religious art: «Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination».

In Anna’s recent «Letter of the Editor» in the May 2018 edition of US Vogue, she writes: «The exhibition itself has been years in the making, and it will be not only the largest Costume Institue show to date but the biggest show ever at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s hard to not sound hyperbolic about it, but it is going to be an absolutely magnificent experience – spanning some 26 galleries and including work from the likes of Valentino, Gaultier, and Dolce & Gabbana along with more than 40 extraordinarily opulent liturgical garments and accessories on loan from the Vatican.

For curator Andrew Bolton, it required endless hours of patience dealing with the Vatican, given the labyrinthine way that it operates.»

Central to the conversation will be the papal garb on loan from the Sistine Chapel sacristy, many of which have never been seen outside the Vatican, even in the 1983 Met blockbuster, «The Vatican Collections: The Papacy and Art».

An enduring influence of religion on fashion: for F/W 2010, church elements played a huge role on the catwalks. Have a look at this previous post: The Nun’s Story.

The display of these extraordinary ecclesiastical pieces will highlight the enduring influence of religion and liturgical vestments on fashion. Among the 150 or so ensembles that will be on display are pieces by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, who was educated by nuns, and John Galliano, whose transgressive F/W 2000 Couture collection for Christian Dior opened with a mitred, incense-swinging pope-like figure who proceeded down the runway to a voice intoning: «Understand the concept of love.»

First look of Christian Dior Couture F/W 2000

Fashion is a way to express yourself and by placing clothes within the context of religion, you realize how much power the looks of Christianity have and that fashion has supported the way we feel the Catholic imagination.

Part of the exhibition
Left: Fragment of a floor mosaic with a personification of Ktisis, Byzantine, 500–550, with modern restoration, marble, and glass; right: Ensemble, Dolce & Gabbana, F/W 2013

Me in a Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2013 look: A Byzantine Moment

«Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination» is on view May 10–October 8, 2018. A catalog with photographs by Katerina Jebb will accompany the exhibition.

Below you can enjoy some of my favorite looks of last night.

My personal winner: Blake Lively in Atelier Versace
She needed to arrive in a party bus to have enough space for her amazing gown!

Love this look as well: Jennifer Lopez in Balmain, Jimmy Choo shoes and clutch.

Rare moment: The host of the night, Anna Wintour, caught smiling in Chanel.

Angel of the night: Katy Perry in Versace.

Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier

Co-host perfection: Rihanna in custom Maison Margiela by John Galliano, Christian Louboutin shoes, Maria Tash jewelry, Cartier jewelry, and a custom Judith Leiber Couture clutch.

Always an eye-catcher: Sarah Jessica Parker in Dolce & Gabbana and Jennifer Fisher.

Heavenly: Anne Hathaway in a stunning red Valentino gown.

Icon: Lily Collins in Givenchy

Cara Delevingne in Dior Haute Couture

Simple and elegant, matching the theme:
Andreea Diaconu in Michael Kors Collection and Chopard jewelry

Beautiful print: Ariana Grande in Vera Wang.

Lana Del Rey and Jared Leto, both in Gucci

Curvy and beautiful: Kate Upton in Zac Posen

Rita Ora in Prada

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in custom Ralph Lauren Collection

So cute: Cardi B shows off her baby bump in Moschino next to designer Jeremy Scott.

Kate Bosworth recreated her bridal look in Oscar de la Renta and Tacori jewelry.

Beautiful in velvet: Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren.

Definitely not the most sexy look, but matching the theme well: Greta Gerwig in The Row.

Stella Maxwell in Moschino and David Yurman

Sexy interpretation: Taylor Hill in Diane von Furstenberg

Best dressed man of the night: Chadwick Boseman in Versace.

I personally didn’t like this look at all, not matching the theme (as a co-host you would expect better) and the cut is not pleasing her beautiful shape: Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue.com, © Sandra Bauknecht, © Melanie Galea, (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Photos: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Harris Brisbane DickFund and Fletcher Fund, 1998; Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, Dodge Fund, and Rogers Fund, 1999 (1998.69; 1999.99) / © Metropolitan Museum of Art; Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana / Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Digital Composite Scan by Katerina Jebb, Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

Last weekend, I was in Paris to celebrate my daughter’s birthday with her girlfriends. On Saturday morning, we were very lucky as LOUIS VUITTON opened their Foundation Louis Vuitton exclusively for us so that we had a private tour all alone in the museum (a huge thank you!). I have to say this was one of the best experiences ever as the exhibitions are in general very well visited and crowded. Forget «A Night at the Museum», a day is much better ….

Having the exhibition all to ourselves was amazing…

We explored the Foundation’s new selection from its collection in an exhibition entitled In Tune with the World (AU DIAPASON DU MONDE) that will be open until August 27, 2018. This hanging of modern and contemporary works is presented in all the galleries throughout the stunning building designed by Frank Gehry.

Pretty impressive use of taxidermy, a race horse dangling from the ceiling: Maurizio Cattelan – «La ballata di Trotski» 1996

A sense of irony: Maurizio Cattelan – «Spermini» 1997, 150 latex masks that are self-portraits of the artist.

It invites visitors to reflect upon the place of humankind in the universe and the relationship between people and their environment and the living world. his reflects today’s questions about man’s place in the universe and the bonds that tie him to his surrounding environment and living world, highlighting the interconnections between humans, animals, plants, and even inanimate objects. The exhibition features nearly 30 artists – including Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse, Gerhard Richter, Pierre Huyghe, Yves Klein and Takashi Murakami – in a hanging that brings together modern and contemporary works.

Takashi Murakami aka Gero Tan Noahs Ark 2016

The exhibition spans all the galleries at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, organized in two complementary parts:

• Part A on Level 2 of the building (Galleries 9, 10 and 11) is entirely devoted to the world and works of one of my favorite artists in the world, Japanese born Takashi Murakami. Conceived in collaboration with him, this hanging is organized in three sequences: one centered on the artist’s alter ego DOB; a second is a monumental fresco, The Octopus Eats its Own Leg, displayed for the first time in public; and a third sequence featuring the Kawaii (which means “cute” in Japanese) aesthetic, comprising works in myriad different media.

Takashi Murakami – The Octopus Eats its Own Leg

• Part B is called Man in the Living Universe, featuring 28 French and international artists from different generations and works in a variety of media and techniques. This part stretches throughout the other three levels of the building, as well as the exterior, in the Grotto. Part B also comprises three sequences: Irradiances (Level 1), Here, Infinitely…” (Level 0) and The Man Who Capsizes (Level -1).

Yves Klein painted models in his favorite color and made them roll over the canvas for this masterpiece, «ANT 104, Anthropométrie sans titre», 1960

Giovanni Anselmo – «Entrare nell’Opera», 1971
Art changes people’s awareness of their relationship to the world.

Takashi Murakami

Let me tell you a little more about one of my favourite artists who collaborated with Louis Vuitton for over 13 years (2002-2015).

Some pieces from my own personal Louis Vuitton x Murakami collection.

Since the early 1990s, Takashi Murakami has been crafting a unique world of darkness and wonder, one populated by fantastic characters, marvellous animals, fabulous creatures and mischievous monsters.Blessed with an unbridled imagination and a resolutely innovative language combining ancient techniques and advanced technologies, his important body of work is marked by its multiplicity of forms and media – painting, sculpture, installations and even animated film.

A little kiss for Murakami’s artwork «Max & Shimon».

Drawing on Japan’s political, social and cultural history, his colour-saturated universe borrows as often from Kawaii aesthetics and manga pop as from the ancient masters of classical painting and Buddhist iconography. Also omnipresent are references to recent traumatic events, such as the atomic bomb and the tsunami.

Takashi Murakami Flower Ball – one of my favorite art works.

The exhibition In Tune with the World is accompanied by a series of conversations with artists and experts.

Location:
8, avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, 75116 Paris.
Exhibition until 27th August 2018
Reservations: on the website www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr.

LoL, Sandra

Portrait Takashi Murakami: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
All other photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

My avid readers know how much I love MARY KATRANTZOU. Since her first collection, I have been collecting her designs. So I was over the moon when she told me to be part of her first solo exhibition that opened its doors this weekend at Dallas Contemporary as part of its first season for the new year. «Mary, the Queen of Prints,» explores the innovative work and kaleidoscopic world of fashion designer Mary Katrantzou. In addition to the museum celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2018, the upcoming year also coincides with the 10th anniversary of Mary Katrantzou’s brand.

With Mary at the Net-à-Porter Dinner in London in a S/S 2014 printed top and skirt.

Mary Katrantzou has said: «Print can be as definitive as a cut or a drape and allows a woman to filter beauty found in design, in a subversive way. All my prints are constructed through digital technology. Digital print allows me to experiment with print in a way that fine art and other methods could not. It opens up a huge spectrum for possibility; I can create possibility out of impossibility, surrealism out of realism and both vice versa.»

Following previous collaborations with top cultural institutions such as the New York City Ballet and the Paris Opera, this exhibition will be the first time the entirety of the designer’s previous collections is represented under one roof.

«Mary, the Queen of Prints» will be on view at Dallas Contemporary, 161 Glass Street, in Dallas, Texas, until March 4th, 2018.

A beautiful dress from the F/W 2011 collection photographed by Tim Walker for Vogue.

Curated by Museum Director Peter Doroshenko and Director of Exhibitions Justine Ludwig, the exhibition will consist of approximately 200 garments as well as accessories, sketches, and textiles by Katrantzou. The works reveal Katrantzou’s diverse inspirations ranging from the pages of Architectural Digest to Fantasia, and provide a closer look at her inventive tailoring and techniques.

Presented in color groupings rather than chronologically (Katrantzou’s masterful use of color has been central to her aesthetic since the beginning of her brand), the garments create a prismatic field of color within Dallas Contemporary’s distinctive space and reflect the designer’s recognition in the industry as a creative mind and innovator.

With Mary at the UBS Unique Event in London in 2017

ABOUT MARY KATRANTZOU
Born in Athens, Mary Katrantzou studied Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design and graduated with a BA in Textile design and an MA in Fashion from Central Saint Martins. Her graduation show in 2008, which featured trompe l’oeil prints of oversized jewelry on jersey-bonded dresses, took the industry by storm, immediately securing a number of prestigious stockists, notably Browns, Joyce, Colette. After her graduation show, Mary Katrantzou established her namesake brand. She now boasts over 100 high-end stockists ranging from Selfridges to Joyce, Matchesfashion.com, Harrods and Saks.

Wearing the Ivory Dress from the F/W 2012 collection.

Mary Katrantzou was dubbed “The Queen of Print” by press, a moniker that recognized the enormous influence of her work in the medium. Katrantzou plays with clashing aesthetics, mixes technology and craftsmanship and explores opulent innovative embellishments in a world that is feminine, innovative, fresh and elegant.

Winning the Swiss Textiles Award in 2010 in Zurich

In 2010 Katrantzou was awarded the Swiss Textiles Award in recognition of her pioneering textile treatments; in November 2011, she received the British Fashion Award for Emerging Talent, in February 2012 was awarded Young Designer of the Year at the Elle Style Awards. In 2015, Katrantzou received the Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, was awarded Glamour designer of the year, Harper’s Bazaar Breakthrough Designer as well as the British Fashion Award for New Establishment Designer.

In Mary’s Powdy Print from the F/W 2012 collection.

Prestigious collaborations have included capsule ranges with Swarovski, Longchamp, Moncler, Topshop, Cowshed and Adidas Originals. Mary has also collaborated with artist Pablo Bronstein at the ICA, designed costumes for the NYC Ballet and the Paris Opera and her work has been exhibited at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and at Lord Rothschild’s «Creatures and Creations» exhibition at Waddesdon Manor in the UK.

Mary’s Girls: from Mira Mikati to Nicky Hilton, from Sabine Getty to Wendy Wu – we all celebrated with opening of «Creatures and Creations» in May 2017.

From left to right: Eugenie Niarchos, Sandra Bauknecht, Elena Perminova, Miroslava Duma, Mary Katrantzou, Tamu McPherson, Elisa Nalin, Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis and Viviana Volpicella.

COLLECTION HISTORY
S/S 2018 – The Youth of the Year
F/W 2017 – A Fantasia  /  S/S 2017 – Minoan
F/W  2016 – Rodeo & Juliette  /  S/S 2016 – Cosmology
F/W 2015 – Kenophobia  /  S/S 2015 – Pangea and Panthalassa
F/W 2014 – Symbolism  /  S/S 2014 – The Shoes
F/W 2013 – Landscapes   /  S/S 2013 – Postage Stamps
F/W 2012 – Ordinary Objects  /   S/S 2012 – Flower Fields
F/W 2011 – Objets d’Art   /  S/ 2011 – Rooms
F/W 2010 – Madame Pompadour   /  S/S 2010 – Blown Glass
F/W 2009 – A Woman in a Bottle /  S/S 2009 – Jewels

Below you see how many pieces of the exhibition are from my closet. So proud of my personal collection and the fact that I have been part of the Katrantzou family from day one.

Serendipity Dress from the S/S 2011 collection

Jewel Tree Dress from the F/W 2011 collection

Kite Runner Dress from the F/W 2011 collection

Caramolengo Dress from the F/W 2011 collection

Harp Hazard Dress from the S/S 2012 collection

Fishtank Dress from the S/S 2012 collection

Powder Gun Dress from the F/W 2012 collection

Expandit Dress from the F/W 2012 collection

Alias Dress from the S/S 2013 collection

Ziggy Dress from the S/S 2013 collection

Orlyon Dress from the F/W 2013 collection

Godiva Jacket and Godiva Skirt from the S/S 2014 collection

Olivier Coat and Charm Butterfly Dress from the F/W 2016 collection

Hemera Dress from the S/S 2017 collection

Look 32 (Fustaella Shirt – Dove Top – Pantheon Skirt)  from the S/S 2017 collection

Nausheen Fox Fur Coat from the F/W 2017 collection

To many more year to come! Congrats, Mary, I love you!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mary Katrantzou and © Sandra Bauknecht

Why do all great things tend to happen at the same time? This what I am asking myself constantly, for example last week, the Zurich Film Festival has officially opened, Paris Fashion Week has started, and the tempting Oktoberfest in Munich celebrated its end. As you cannot attend everything, I had to decline an exclusive invitation to Paris with a heavy heart.

Last Friday, OMEGA has officially opened its «Her Time» exhibition in the French capital at the city’s historic Hôtel de Sully. Having already been showcased in Milan, Moscow, Shanghai and Sydney, this exhibition displays the house’s evolution of women’s timepieces and changing styles, from early Lèpine pendants and the iconic Ladymatic, through to «secret jewellery watches» and today’s latest creations.

Such a beautiful family, Kaia Gerber, Rande Gerber, Cindy Crawford and Presley Gerber.

As an added highlight for guests, OMEGA also welcomed Cindy Crawford along with her beautiful children, Kaia and Presley, who have recently been announced as the brand’s newest ambassadors. Moreover, a family portrait taken by Peter Lindbergh on Malibu Beach was unveiled to celebrate the occasion. Having joined OMEGA in 1995, Cindy Crawford is one of brand’s closest friends and has been a renowned figure in the house’s advertising and events for over 20 years.

Raynald Aeschlimann at last Friday’s event in Paris with the supermodel family

OMEGA’s President and CEO, Raynald Aeschlimann said about the «new family members» of his brand:«Kaia and Presley represent the next generation of watch wearers. They are good looking, motivated, inspirational and full of energy. It’s incredible to have such a passionate family tradition within our brand and I’m so excited to begin working with these two young people.»

Personally speaking, I couldn’t agree more with Raynald. Kaia and Presley are stunning as their mom, who has been one of my favorite models since ever. I had the chance to meet the family on several occasions and they are all not only super good-looking, but also extremely kind and fun to talk to.

Framed by Kaia and Cindy last January at Nikki Beach in St. Barts.

Fashion soulmates

I liked Cindy’s look a lot. Surprisingly, she decided not to go for something new season but to wear a knee-length dress in iridescent sequined jersey by Givenchy from their Pre-fall 2014 collection that I sported for the Fashion Days Zurich three years ago.

The «Her Time» exhibition can be seen at the Hôtel de Sully until the 15th of October 2017 from 9am to 7pm each day.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of OMEGA and © Sandra Bauknecht

Great news for all lovers of art. The Museum of Modern Art and Fondation Louis Vuitton announce the exhibition “Being modern: MoMA in Paris” taking place from 11 October 2017 to 5 March 2018.

Fondation Louis Vuitton presents, in its Frank Gehry-designed building, an exceptional exhibition devoted to the unrivaled collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Featuring more than 200 renowned masterpieces and less familiar, but highly significant works. This exhibition highlights the pivotal role that MoMA, its curators and its exhibition program have played in the history of art in the 20th and 21st Centuries, ranging from the birth of modern art through trends and styles such as American abstraction, Pop art and Minimalism to the most contemporary art.

Now engaged in a significant expansion and renovation of its building, MoMA has chosen Fondation Louis Vuitton as its partner to bring its legendary artistic heritage to Paris, showcasing its mission to be perpetually modern.

Bernard Arnault, President of Fondation Louis Vuitton says:
“I wanted Being Modern: MoMA in Paris to fall within the tradition of our previous major exhibitions such as Keys to a Passion, 2015, and Icons of Modern Art, The Shchukin Collection, 2016. All three have been organised in close collaboration with some of the world’s most prestigious international modern art museums. This exhibition marks, once again, our desire to provide the widest possible audience with the opportunity to engage with some of the world’s most remarkable works of art.”

Paul Signac (French, 1863–1935) Opus 217.
Against the Enamel of a Background Rhythmic with Beats and Angles, Tones, and Tints, Portrait of M. Félix Fénéon in 1890 1890
Oil on canvas (73.5 x 92.5 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Fractional gift of Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller.
© 2017 Artists Rights

Among the 200 works presented at Fondation Louis Vuitton are masterpieces by Paul Cézanne, Gustav Klimt, Paul Signac, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Giorgio de Chirico, Edward Hopper, Max Beckmann, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, Alexander Calder, René Magritte, Walker Evans, Yayoi Kusama, Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Yvonne Rainer and Frank Stella.

Constantin Brancusi (French, born Romania. 1876–1957) Bird in Space 1928
Bronze (137.2 x 21.6 x 16.5 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Given anonymously, 1934.
© 2017 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Some of the works will be shown in France for the first time: Constantin Brancusi’s bronze Bird in Space (1928) (see above); Diane Arbus’s Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey (1967); Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962); Philip Guston’s Tomb (1978); (Untitled) “USA Today” by Felix Gonzalez-Torres (1990); 144 Lead Square by Carl Andre (1969); Untitled by Christopher Wool (1990); Untitled (You Invest in the Divinity of the Masterpiece) by Barbara Kruger (1982); and Patchwork Quilt by Romare Bearden (1970).

Enjoy some first impressions of the exhibition in this post. To book your ticket, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

Bruce Nauman (American, born 1941) Human/Need/Desire 1983
Neon tubing and wire with glass tubing suspension frames (239.8 x 179 x 65.4 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Emily and Jerry Spiegel, 1991
© 2017 Bruce Nauman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Cindy Sherman (American, born 1954) Untitled Film Still #21 1978
Gelatin silver print (19.1 x 24.1 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Horace W. Goldsmith Fund through Robert B. Menschel, 1995 © 2017 Cindy Sherman

Ellsworth Kelly (American, 1923–2015) Colors for a Large Wall 1951
Oil on canvas, sixty-four panels (240 x 240 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Gift of the artist, 1969.
© 2017 Ellsworth Kelly

OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) Welfare Palace Hotel Project, Roosevelt Island, New York, New York 1976
Gouache on paper (129.5 x 102.9 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Gift of The Howard Gilman Foundation, 2000.
© 2017 Rem Koolhaas

Shigetaka Kurita (Japanese, born 1972) for NTT DOCOMO, Inc., Japan, est. 1991 Emoji 1998-1999
Digital image dimensions variable
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Gift of NTT DOCOMO, Inc., 2016.
© 2017 NTT DOCOMO

Rirkrit Tiravanija (Thai, born Argentina 1961) untitled (the days of this society is numbered / December 7, 2012) 2014
Synthetic polymer paint and newspaper on linen (221 x 214.6 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York Committee on Drawings and Prints Fund, 2014.
© 2017 Rirkrit Tiravanija

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

This year marks the 15^th anniversary of ‘Art in the Park‘ at the Baur au Lac hotel and the tenth time it has been organised in collaboration with Galerie Gmurzynska. It is always a pleasure to visit the beautiful exhibition curated by Gigi Kracht. This year, some amazing artist were  present such as Spanish Surrealist Joan Miró with a “supporting cast“ – Mel Ramos, Rotraut, Allen Jones, Silvester Stallone, Sophia Vari, and Louise Nevelson.

Exhibition is open to the public till August 4^th, 2017.

My look: Embroidered paneled linen maxi dress by Delpozo, ruffled woven hemp sunhat by Rosie Assoulin, Kan I leather shoulder bag,  flower fur key fob, ABClick letter key charm and embellished leather bag strap, all by Fendi and leather T-strap sandals with pearls by Gucci, asymmetric earrings by Dior and bangles by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

All photos of me at the exhibition: Thank you © André Hengst – www.on-eyes-photography.ch
All other photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Albert Kriemler, who was awarded this week by the Couture Council of The Museum at FIT with its award for Artistry in Fashion, is one of the designers who has been impressing me with the creative background of his designs since many seasons. He is taking the term «inspiration» to the next level. For the first time, the Swiss designer showed in NYC at Lever House. The collection, which is one of his best ones, is dedicated to the work of New York artist Carmen Herrera.

Carmen Herrera (b. 1915), Blanco y Verde, 1959. Acrylic on canvas, two panels: 68 1/8 × 60 1/2 in. (173 × 153.7 cm) overall. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Painting and Sculpture Committee 2014.63 © Carmen Herrera; courtesy Lisson Gallery, London

Albert Kriemler’s sketch for his first look.

The first look of the Akris S/S 2017 collection has obviously been inspired by Carmen Herrera’s work «Blanco y Verde».

“On my first visit to the new Whitney Museum in New York, in June 2015, I saw a painting I could not take 
my eyes off. It was „Blanco y Verde “, from 1959, an off-white plane with a green arrow-shaped triangle, by Carmen Herrera, born in 1915 and living in New York. Her sense of color and proportion,
a blend of euphoria and perfect order, stunned me.” – Albert Kriemler

Albert Kriemler at the finale of his S/S 2017 show.

“The starting point in my creative thinking is pure intuition. It started with „Blanco y Verde “. It is a process of choosing from a multitude of options the one that blends emotion and purpose perfectly. I set out to translate her abstract, geometric lines which captured my mind and heart into a woman’s body language expressed in a relaxed and refined wardrobe.” – Albert Kriemler

„To Albert, My best wishes for a great success, Carmen Herrera, May 31st, 2016“ (her 101st birthday).

“On her 101st birthday, I met Carmen Herrera in her studio and we spoke about our work. I received her approval to design my next collection with the inspiration of her exceptional paintings.” – Albert Kriemler

Albert Kriemler seems to have truly a nose for trends. On September 16, 2016, Carmen Herrera‘s solo exhibition «Lines of Sight» opens at the Whitney Museum. It is her first museum exhibition in New York City in nearly two decades and it will close on January 2, 2017. Find out more about the amazing artist and the upcoming show here.

Below you can enjoy some of my favourite looks of the show!

LoL, Sandra

Carmen Herrera (b. 1915), Iberic, 1949. Acrylic on canvas on board, diameter: 40 in. (101.6 cm). Courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery © Carmen Herrera

Photos: Courtesy of the Whitney Museum and © Akris