Sandra‘s Closet

DRUNK WITH LOVE AND ELEGANCE
Three letters were all it took to mark an entire existence. They form the nickname of Arthur Capel, that dark, handsome gentleman with a penchant for mustaches and tailor-made tweed, who was more than just the love of Coco’s life. He was the first to truly believe in the remarkable talent of the young Gabrielle. “‘Since you are so attached to them,’ Capel said to me, ‘I’m going to get the clothes you have always worn remade elegantly by an English tailor,’” she loved to tell. With the funds that he invested in the opening of her first Parisian boutique —and that she reimbursed in full, a sign of her legendary independence— Gabrielle revolutionized women’s style and rendered it more accessible, borrowing what she deemed essential from men’s apparel. This period was the wellspring for all the founding elements of Rue Cambon.

Arthur «Boy» Capel and Gabrielle Chanel

But Boy is not just the one who believes in her. He is a woman’s murmur to her lover. He is the promise of a life of adventure. He is the widely read intellectual with a passion for politics and spiritualism; the one who would introduce Gabrielle Chanel to Western esotericism, the world of symbols, and Eastern culture, among countless other subjects. He is the polo player with an aloof elegance. He is the burst of laughter in the morning. He is the accent of desire. He is the one who makes her feel most like her true self. And because he continually influenced Gabrielle and the House of CHANEL, BOY CHANEL makes a natural addition to the Collection LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL. An olfactory tribute to an all-consuming passion and the endless play on masculine-feminine.

Coco Chanel’s love, her boy Arthur Capel

FROM ICONIC MASCULINE TO INTRIGUING FEMININE
The dazzling love of Gabrielle Chanel for twelve years, Boy Capel became the stuff of legends by dying too young. And this short-lived passion, this enchanting parenthesis, is what interested House of CHANEL Perfumer, Olivier Polge. Rather than focusing on the historical portrait, he set his sights on how Boy influenced Gabrielle. As he perused the CHANEL photo archives, one thing became clear: Arthur Capel’s irresistible elegance. The way he combed his hair back, the care he took with his shirt collars, the way he sported his riding clothes and even his bedwear with panache. And then there was the muscular body he flaunted on holiday in Saint Jean de Luz, this virile strength that seemed to overwhelm Coco’s frail silhouette. A male mythology that inspired Olivier Polge and sparked his interest in the fougère accord. Traditionally blending lavender with geranium, coumarin and moss, this classic structure in perfumery conjures up images of a clean shave and unequivocal virility. Polge used it as his point of departure for further explorations.

BOY CHANEL – the new addition to the Collection LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL

KALEIDOSCOPE OF ROSE GERANIUM
Like Gabrielle Chanel who borrowed from men’s wear without giving up any of her femininity, Perfumer Olivier Polge was motivated by this mix of genders, imagining the mark of a man on the skin of a woman. That unique fragrance of love when the other person’s scent permeates your skin and the fusion prevails over the original scent. Of the fougère structure, the nose was particularly interested in rose geranium. An androgynous flower with equally minty and rosy facets. A variety often tarnished by the monotony of balcony flower boxes and yet one that can prove to be absolutely splendid when properly cultivated. In Pégomas, near Grasse, where CHANEL already sources its jasmine grandiflorum and May rose, Olivier Polge chose to renew with this ennobled ingredient. He found it to be of an irresistible simplicity. All that remained was to give it a new breath, an impetus and a feminine touch.

LEGACY OF REFINEMENT
From the very first second, you detect the lively energy of lemon and grapefruit zest, and the scent of lavender as if freshly rubbed in the palm of your hand. An aromatic and distinguished burst that heralds the heart of rose geranium to follow. This flower with vapors of lemongrass, mint and rose, often reminiscent of lychee, is accompanied by rose and an orange blossom that is as soft as it is surprising. And as if it had mellowed in contact with slightly salty, sun-warmed skin, the geranium gradually melts into sandalwood, almondy heliotropin and coumarin, with a hint of vanilla and cottony musk accords. The entire fougère structure is there. And simultaneously reinvented. Knowing whether the olfactory composition was designed for a man or woman no longer holds importance. Its refinement on the skin is all that matters.

GEOMETRY OF PURE LINES
True to the architecture of LES EXCLUSIFS DE CHANEL bottles, BOY CHANEL is housed in a streamlined glass block with a monogrammed, magnetized cap that consistently realigns with the label.  BOY CHANEL will be available in two sizes 2016 (200ml, 75ml) as of June.
BOY CHANEL Eau de Parfum Vaporisateur 75 ml CHF 220.-
BOY CHANEL Eau de Parfum Vaporisateur 200 ml CHF 400.-

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

One week ago, David Bowie died at age 69, just two days after his birthday. As tributes flood the media, the fashion world mourns the star who had the power to express himself through versatile ways of dressing, hairstyles, makeup, and performance. His shape-shifting styles inspired generations of teenagers and adults, especially in the ’70s and ’80s. He was the one who first empowered gender-bending androgyny and was a huge inspiration for the world of music and fashion. In 2013, the V&A Museum opened the “David Bowie Is” exhibition with great success, which toured the world.

Enjoy this little tribute and see some looks inspired from his quirky and amazing style:

Aladdin Sane, 1973

US Vogue reports: «The Ziggy red mullet that launched a million imitators was inspired by a fashion shoot on the cover of Honey magazine of a model wearing Kansai Yamamoto. Bowie went around to his mother’s hairdresser, Suzy Fussey, who worked in a salon on Beckenham High Street, to do the cut and color. He was wearing it the day he walked into Brian Duffy’s studio to shoot the cover of the Aladdin Sane album in 1973. Celia Philo (Phoebe Philo’s mother), who was art directing, remembers the spontaneous moment when Bowie conspired with his favorite makeup artist, Pierre La Roche, to paint on the lightning flash.»

David Bowie dressed by Kansai Yamamoto, 1973

Bowie on tour in 1973, from The Rise of David Bowie 1972-1973.

And here is how the fashion world got inspired by the musical genius in many ways:

Kate Moss‘ covers for Vogue U.K. in 2003 (right) and Vogue Paris in 2011 (left).

Jean-Paul Gaultier S/S 2013

Hedi Slimane said once to AnOther magazine: «I was literally born with a David Bowie album in my hand.» Here some looks inspired by David Bowie from his men’s S/S 2014 collection.

To the right, you can see one of the geometrically striped black and white outfits from Givenchy‘s S/S 2010 collection. It looked like a rendition of the one Bowie wore in 1973 during his Aladdin Sane phase.

Candice Swanepoel on the Victoria’s Secret catwalk in 2009 in an asymmetrical jumpsuit reminiscent of the infamous Ziggy suits designed by Kansai Yamamoto for David Bowie who was one of the first ones to collaborate with fashion designers to create his costumes.

Miuccia Prada‘s F/W 2012 collection for Miu Miu was basically a remake of the 1971 music video “Life On Mars?”.

The same could be said for Gucci‘s S/S 2016 collection. I am convinced that the new Dionysus bag would have been loved by the legendary David Bowie.

Here is a funny one: there’s a website of cult fans that believe Tilda Swinton and Bowie are the same person. Check out Tilda Stardust, it is hilarious.

David Bowie print T-shirt by R13

Jeremy Deller God Bless David Bowie tote by House of Voltaire

His legend lives on in both industries, music and fashion, as David Bowie himself does today, in immortality. Rest in peace and thank you for all your inspirations!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Vogue Paris, Vogue UK, Mick Rock/Taschen, Brian Duffy / David Bowie Archive, Getty Images

«Where do his tennis dresses, his sailor dresses come from? Where did he find them? On the steps of Delphi. In the wardrobe of Electra. They are modern and they are antique.»
Violette Leduc ‘Is Courrèges Wearable?’ Vogue, 1965.

Courrèges S/S 2016

September marked Courrèges‘ first runway show in 13 years, and the House’s new designers Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant offered a fresh take on the iconic «Space Age» classics. The LVMH Prize finalists got down to the basics, a great start to revive André Courrèges’ famous label of the ’60s. Unfortunately, Monsieur Courrèges, who retired from his vocation in the mid-1990s, won’t experience this relaunch to the fullest. Last week, he lost his 30 year battle with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 92.

André Courrèges

Born in 1923 in France, Courrèges was a major force in ’60s fashion and helped define a generation. After graduating in engineering, he studied fashion and textile design which got him a job at . He Balenciaga for ten years, where he developped his great skills in cutting garments. In 1961 he launched his own eponymous fashion house.

Space Age coat by Courrèges, 1964

His breakthrough came with his 1964 «Space Age» collection. Stars such as Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve loved the designer’s ground-breaking geometry, plastic miniskirts and futuristic textiles.

Moschino’s S/S 2013 show was a copy of Courrèges’s 1965 collection (here seen at Audrey Hepburn).

Courrèges left, Moschino S/S 2013 right

His favorite silhouette was known as «Moon Girl» look, that he embellished with oddities such as googles and astronaut helmets.

His famous miniskirts

Courrèges was also known for his extremely short angular mini skirts and trouser suits in black-and-white. Over many years, there was a dispute with Mary Quant, who claimed to have first popularized the miniskirt. Regardless of who came first, his skirts were definitely the shortest and his creations came to symbolize the Swinging Sixties.

1968: Models pose in red and white looks

Andre Courreges at his S/S 1973 fashion show.

New owners: Frédéric Torloting and Jacques Bungert

In 1967, Courrèges married his assistant, Coqueline Barriere who took over artistic direction of the company upon his retirement. In 2011, the couple sold a majority stake of their company to two Frédéric Torloting and Jacques Bungert, the two former co-presidents of the Paris branch of Young & Rubicam.

Courrèges x Estée Lauder make-up collection

Last Spring, Estée Lauder and Courrèges collaborated and launched a 12-piece make-up, including the first false lashes for the beauty giant, and added Kendall Jenner as their face. To shop, please click here.

French President Francois Hollande paid tribute in a statement that described Courrèges as a “revolutionary designer” who “made his mark on French haute couture.”

Another fashion icon has left our planet. Rest in peace, Monsieur Courrèges and thank you!

TO SHOP THE NEWEST DESIGNS BY COURRÈGES ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Courrèges, Estée Lauder, via Vogue, AGIP/RDA/EVERETT COLLECTION, Getty Images 

This week’s publication about the project «100 YEARS: THE MOVIE YOU WILL NEVER SEE» that will be released in November 2115 has inspired me to today’s post.

How will fashion probably be in 100 years? Will there be an innovation that will revolutionize the future that we don’t know about yet? Will women rule this world?

The movie with John Malkovich in the leading role was inspired by the legacy of hundred years of craftsmanship it takes to create LOUIS XIII Cognac.

Before thinking of 2115, let’s move back in time 100 years to the year 1915.

The Hobble Skirt (1911) – the speed-limit skirt

1915 Pictoral Review

In 1915, women’s fashion was affected by the war in Europe in many ways, necessity was more important than style. The need to be able to move faster as well as the new independence of women also asked for a looser, more comfortable models. The rich opulence that the century had started with slowly disappeared. Hobble skirts that were widest at the hips and very narrow at the ankle transformed from floor length into styles above the ankle that opened up at the bottom, allowing for freer movement.

Theda Bara in the 1915 film «Sin»

In 1915, makeup started to become more popular, literally, as the term itself was considered vulgar, “cosmetics” was the more common expression but applying beauty products was still nothing chic and done only by people in the theater or of dubious reputation and not something for the high society.

Rubinstein’s Fifth Avenue Salon

A big milestone for the beauty industry took actually place in 1915, when two major forces opened salons on Fifth Avenue — Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein. By then, Max Factor, who was going to invent the first lipstick just a bit later had already perfected his first cosmetic product, the «pancake makeup» for sale. And 1915 marked another milestone, Tom Lyle Williams, who was only 19 at that time, founded one of today’s most successful beauty giants: The Maybelline Company.

Max Factor in 1915

Personally speaking, when I started to research about what happened one hundred years ago in fashion and beauty, I was utterly impressed about how much we still profit from those inventions and changes in the world. I learnt about all of that during my fashion design studies, but most of the knowledge fades away…

Chanel’s Biarritz store 1915

… but one designer that has always interested me the most, Coco Chanel, started to really influence the fashion world in the mid 1910’s. With her reputation firmly established, she opened her first couture house in Biarritz, France in 1915, followed only three years later by the opening of the famous 31, rue Cambon store in Paris.

Just after 1915, it became popular to wear a knitted sweater that pulled over the head (yes, a pullover!), with long sleeves, belted at the hip that left a no discernible waist as seen here at Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in Biarritz around 1920.

Just try to imagine the world now 100 years later if Coco Chanel had never been born, we might still be wearing corsets. This amazing woman redefined womanhood in fashion and gave us freedom. She gave us pants, the little black dress, costume jewelry and elegance in general.

“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” Gabrielle Coco Chanel

If we start to think forward now, who might be the designer pioneer of today about whom the world in 2115 will still be speaking? And especially how will fashion change?

 Personally speaking, for me it is very interesting to see that in 2015 trends are fading, everything is possible and that we are reviving previous eras constantly. There is nothing really new.

Today, we are constantly challenged by the limitation of our resources on our planet. Returning to nature will and has to play an important factor. Organic fabrics will mostly be extremely common in 2115. The improvement of technology makes everything from impossible to possible.

Already very innovative in 2015: Studio Roosegarde has developped a fabric that undresses you. ‘Intimacy‘ is a curious material made from opaque e-foils which turn transparent during personal encounters thanks to a sensitivity to the wearers heart rate.

If I imagine the world in fashion in 100 years, I could think of very innovative materials that will show their impact as they might not stain anymore and have a self-cleaning effect. In an Huffington Post article from 2012, Mingce Long and Deyong Wu from Donghua University are mentioned “who have developed a fabric which could see washing machines replaced by a stint in the sun. The fabric makes use of a titanium dioxide and nitrogen coating which decomposes stains and kills microbes using light from the visible spectrum.”

UK-based BioCouture, the world’s first biocreative design consultancy, is already investigating the use of microbial-cellulose to produce lab-grown clothing. New materials that could be used in clothing production might include fibers that can produce heat in winter and coolness in summer, so that you might be able to wear shorts in the cold season. Probably to go one step further and imagine the beauty industry, there might be clothes that have the ability to constantly speed up your metabolism so that just by wearing them you are loosing weight or have a treatment included that can cure skin problems or fight aging. That is a nice idea, don’t you think?

There might be machines in which we put our faces inside in the morning that will apply makeup by themselves. I would miss the fun of putting on my favorite beauty products in the morning though, but I know a gazillion of my girlfriends who would be in heaven with a machine like that.

But who could be the Coco Chanel of today, meaning a designer that will be remembered for his or her changes?

Stella McCartney with me

First to my mind came Stella McCartney who helped to pioneer the vegan leather movement and made environmentally-conscious fashion stylish.

Mary Katrantzou with me

Another designer I thought of is my beloved Mary Katrantzou who made digital prints popular. As you might now printing uses a lot of energy but “with digital printing, prints are directly applied to fabrics with printers, reducing water usage by 95 percent, energy reduction of 75 percent, and minimizing textile waste“*.

Coco Chanel, Stella McCartney, Mary Katrantzou, all women that have changed our thinking. Women are key to improving the well-being of children and achieving lasting change in society. We have the power to make this world a better place. And I am sure that in 100 years, Mr. Georges Clot, a former LOUIS XIII Cellar Master, who used to say: “When you discover LOUIS XIII, you become a different man“, would have said:”… you become a different woman.”

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of LOUIS XIII, © Sandra Bauknecht, via Huffington Post, New York Sun, © Chanel, *via gbnews