Sandra‘s Closet

After two chapters of The North Face x Gucci (Chapter One – Chapter Two), the collaboration expands to Vault, Gucci’s experimental online space envisioned by Creative Director Alessandro Michele. With both brands embodying the spirit of exploration, The North Face x Vault collaboration presents a limited run of just 150 brightly colored Base Camp Duffels available exclusively on Vault’s website.

Launched in 2021, Vault continuously ventures into uncharted territories in luxury through unexpected collaborations with brands that speak to its forward-thinking ethos. From the moment its first store opened in San Francisco in 1966, The North Face has united travelers and adventurers across the globe. Known for its durable, ergonomic and high-performance designs, its apparel and equipment have become the choice of athletes and explorers from the metropolis to the mountaintop. Today, by merging their creative codes, The North Face and Vault propose a piece for those pursuing unique finds.

Legendary for its rugged construction, The North Face’s Base Camp Duffel is reimagined with a playful pattern inspired by Vault for the collaboration. Made from sustainable weather-resistant material, the bag features adjustable shoulder straps and padded side handles that can be carried or worn as a backpack.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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Jo Malone London celebrates the rose by introducing a collection of scents, from light and fresh to deep and voluptuous, honouring this iconic fragrance note.
Four distinctive scents offer a different interpretation of the queen of the flower beds, decorated in special-edition glass designs with tonal details. The collection includes colognes and home scents, allowing customers to enjoy the scent of freshly cut flowers as part of their everyday or in their home.

Each one makes a thoughtful gift for fans of floral fragrances, with no need for a vase and water.
«Over the years, we’ve created many different rose fragrances for many different collections. Almost unconsciously, we keep coming back to the rose, so it just felt natural that we should celebrate this timeless flower with a collection of its own.» – Global Head of Fragrance, Céline Roux

THE SCENTS:

RED ROSES
A romantic rose scent. Inspired by a blend of seven of the world’s most exquisite roses. With crushed violet leaves and a hint of lemon, it unfolds like a bouquet
of freshly cut flowers.
Top: Lemon
Heart: Red Roses Accord
Base: Honeycomb
Available in a decorated 30ml and 100ml Cologne, Home Candle and Diffuser.

VELVET ROSE & OUD
A decadent rose scent. Darkest Damask rose. Rich and textural, wrapped with smoky oud wood. Spiked with clove, decadent with praline.
Top: Clove
Heart: Damask Rose
Base: Oud
Available in a decorated 50ml Cologne Intense and Home Candle.

ROSE & MAGNOLIA
An enchanting rose scent. A sensual floral with a mysterious character.
Luminous magnolia and a duet of roses. A decadent heart of sweet and petaly
Rose de Mai, warmed by the spicy opulence of Rose Damascena, draped in sensuous patchouli and warm amber.
Top: Magnolia
Heart: Rose
Base: Patchouli
Available in a decorated 50ml Cologne.

ROSE BLUSH
A petal-fresh rose scent. The charm of blushing pink rose petals. Vibrant basil
and a juicy note of lychee add a modern twist to this pretty floral scent,
cocooned in the comforting embrace of white musk.
Top: Basil Grand Vert
Heart: Rose
Base: White Musk
Available in a decorated 50ml Cologne.

THE FULL LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTION
Red Roses Cologne 30ml RRP £55 / €61 / CHF 76
Red Roses Cologne 100ml RRP £107 / €124 / CHF 142
Red Roses Home Candle RRP £52 / €59 / CHF 86
Red Roses Diffuser RRP £68 / €82 / CHF 96
Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense 50ml RRP £90 / €103 / CHF 120
Velvet Rose & Oud Home Candle RRP £52 / €59 / CHF 104
Rose & Magnolia Cologne 50ml RRP £76 / €88 / CHF 94
Rose Blush Cologne 50ml RRP £76 / €88 / CHF 94
Available online and Jo Malone stores and counters from now.

Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? I am with Velvet Rose & Oud! It is such a warm, seductive and captivating scent.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Jo Malone and © Sandra Bauknecht
@JoMaloneLondon #JoMaloneLondonRoses
DISCLOSURE: I received some of the products to test them.

With the Lunar New Year falling on February 1, the year of the tiger has officially arrived. Tigers symbolize strength, power and fearlessness so as we reach the Lunar New Year, I am channeling all of the tiger energy I can get (not so hard… haha, I was born in the Year of the Tiger).

As China is still a huge market in the fashion industry, many luxury brands have hopped on the train to release their festive capsules inspired by the Year of the Tiger and to promote the holiday on their global social channels, among them blockbuster brands such as Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Below you can find the best capsules collections of 2022:

The symbol of strength and bravery takes center stage in the new BALENCIAGA Year of the Tiger series, which largely consists of pre-existing seasonal lines updated with a new tiger motif.

BOTTEGA VENETA is going big for this Chinese Lunar New Year. The house has taken over a piece of the Great Wall of China in its latest large-scale activation celebrating the annual holiday. Bottega’s signature green shade mixed with a vibrant tangerine color (a symbol of luck in Mandarin) is digitally displayed across a massive chunk of one of the seven Wonders of the World.

BURBERRY evokes the power and strength of the tiger zodiac sign in this limited-edition collection dedicated to the Lunar New Year.

This year, the DIOR tiger will bring you strength and luck as he roams around the blooming garden, illuminated by glowing lanterns. For men, Dior Men’s Artistic director Kim Jones has teamed up with American artist Kenny Scharf to celebrate the New Year of the Water Tiger.

DOLCE & GABBANA pays homage  to the Year of the Tiger with a unique collection: the iconic print  is intertwined with the tiger pattern,  revived in different colors.

ETRO launches a capsule collection starring the strong and courageous Tigress, a character from the animated cartoon film Kung Fu Panda by DreamWorks Animation. Created in collaboration with Universal Brand Development and DreamWorks Animation, the unisex fashion and accessories collection reinterprets the symbolism of the tiger in a funny and unexpected way, portraying the heroic kung fu moves of the characters Ping Xiao Po, Tigress, Shifu, Mantis, Crane and Monkey on T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, scarves and a selection of bags, accessories and small leather goods made with the iconic Paisley print.

FENDI celebrates the Spring Festival and the Year of the Tiger with an exclusive capsule collection that updates the brand’s signature style codes with intense colours and a daring animal print.

In celebration of the holiday, different versions of the animal define a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories—highlighting the multifaceted nature of the GUCCI universe. Rich with significance for the House, the animal expresses the Creative Director’s fascination with the beauty of nature. For a detailed post, click here please.

For Chinese New Year 2022, LANVIN ‘s sculptural cat designed by Armand Albert Rateau that embellishes the Pencil Cat bag disguises itself as a tiger.

LOUIS VUITTON mounts a tiger tail at the new flagship store in Chengdu. The shop features original artworks and furniture crafted by Chinese artists and designers to showcase the house’s commitment to local art and culture. Meanwhile, to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, the house presented a special art installation that features a giant, textured tiger tail at the storefront, as well as a capsule collection.

In occasion of Chinese New Year, MARNI celebrates the Year of the Tiger through a capsule collection in collaboration with Venezuelan artist Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, a long-time friend of Marni. A limited series of accessories and ready-to-wear designs, across both female and male collections, turn Suarez’s distinctive illustrations into prints, embroideries and jacquards, bringing the artist’s imaginative work into the free-spirited world of Marni.

To celebrate the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, MIU MIU presents a collection of T-shirts printed with big cats in animation. They range in spirit from bouncy and cute to heroic, and from ubiquitous to unexpected.

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger, MOSCHINO‘s creative director Jeremy Scott has put together a special capsule collection featuring the icon of all frosted cereal flakes, Tony the Tiger. From ready-to-wear pieces such as oversized tees, hoodies and sweatshirts to bold accessories like the cereal box clutch, you’ll be the sharpest-looking tiger this CNY.

PRADA is celebrating the Lunar New Year with «Action in the Year of the Tiger», a combined campaign and project dedicated to safeguarding this legendary animal.
The Prada Group is also contributing to the conservation of endangered Amur tiger by making a donation to «Walking with Tiger and Leopard» Programme of China Green Foundation.

Tiger in Wonderland – to celebrate the Lunar New Year, FERRAGAMO has invited Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu to create a unique print inspired by the 2022 Zodiac Tiger. I am obsessed with the bag.

In celebration of the Year of the Tiger, discover this exclusive capsule by STELLA MCCARTNEY honoring the occasion and the zodiac animal – with organic cotton pieces and cruelty-free accessories featuring prints by airbrush artist Albert Seleznyov, raising awareness for the conservation of these sacred creatures.

VALENTINO‘s first acquaintance with the tiger dates back to its Haute Couture F/W 1967 collection. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Italian Maison brings back the Valentino Tiger 1967 collection as a tribute to the Chinese heritage and a nod to its friendship with the country.

VERSACE beckons the Year of the Tiger with a classy capsule collection of new interpretation of the favourites of the Italian brand. A print showcasing the magnificent tiger resting within golden Baroque flourishes is introduced for the capsule, as well as a vibrant new year red colour that runs through it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Celebrate the arrival of the Spring Festival with this new MAC collection of Lunar New Year beauty must-haves, there’s something to suit everyone. Whether you are looking to treat someone special or simply spoil yourself, these Chinese New Year gifts will truly get you in the mood to celebrate.

The limited edition makeup brings together all the favourite products but with an added touch of sparkle. Available from now for a limited time only on maccosmetics.ch.

POWDER KISS LIPSTICK / LUNAR LUCK
Enveloped In Luck Neutral pink
Push Your Luck Neutral orange
If Wishes Were Roses Vibrant pinky red
Pure Luck Dirty red
CHF 30

POWDER KISS LIQUID LIPCOLOUR / LUNAR LUCK
Fortune Tell Me Light pink-neutral
Peachy Party Pumpkin
Token Of Affection Red
Luck Be A Lotus Dark rose
CHF 34

EXTRA DIMENSION SKINFINISH / LUNAR LUCK
Lunar Lights Beigey gold
CHF 42

EYESHADOW PALETTE X 9: MADE MY FORTUNE
Shell We Celebrate? Warm neutral (Powder Kiss)
Sunkissed Orange Camel (Powder Kiss)
Born To Rule Warm bronze (Dazzleshadow Extreme)
15 Minutes Of Flame Deep orange (Powder Kiss)
Made My Fortune True gold (Dazzleshadow Extreme)
Propitious Poppy Red (Powder Kiss)
Plum What May Plum (Powder Kiss)
Supreme Harmony Pinky lilac (Dazzleshadow Extreme)
Wish Me Luck! Medium deep brown (Dazzleshadow Extreme)
CHF 60

BRUSHES
217S Blending Eye Brush / Lunar Luck
CHF 34
159S Duo Fibre Blush Brush / Lunar Luck
CHF 54

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © MAC Cosmetics

Today has been my Balmain day. The beautiful pieces of the new Barbie® x Balmain capsule collection have finally arrived in Gstaad as well as this beautiful candle from the newest collaboration of the French Maison with Trudon.

Building upon that long-standing relationship, Balmain’s Creative Director Olivier Rousteing, who is a long-time fan of famous candle maker, has created together with Emilie Bouge, Perfumer at Robertet Paris, the new Balmain x Trudon candle. This beautiful result of a unique partnership between the two Parisian houses, reflects the distinctive savoir-faire and style of both Balmain and Trudon.

The scent is absolutely addictive!

Bouge concocted an expert floral and feminine flourish for Ernesto’s masculine Atlas cedarwood, gunpower and cigar notes, relying on the mysterious and distinct touch of a black rose, in order to create the ideal olfactory reflection of Rousteing’s twenty-first century Balmain.

Head Notes
Bergamot, Cedarwood, Grapefruit, Rhum
Heart Notes
Leather, Spices, Moss, Rose, Tobacco
Base Notes
Cistus, Musk, Patchouli

270g Candle: € 120 –  2,8kg Candle: € 600

This very limited candle is available at SPITZENHAUS ZURICH.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Trudon and © Sandra Bauknecht 

Last month, I posted already a spoiler about this amazing collaboration between Barbie® and Balmain. For the previous post, click here please.

However this is not the first time, Barbie has collaborated with a fashion house, as she launched a collection with Jeremy Scott for Moschino in 2015. Olivier Rousteing and Barbie are also obvious admirers of one another, as the designer sat Barbie and Ken front row at Balmain’s digital fashion show last year.

Olivier Rousteing wrote on his Instagram account, showing him as a child next to a Barbie doll: «So this collaboration is more than just a collaboration. There is a message stronger than just a color card. When I was a little boy, I remembered hearing comments saying: a girl plays with Barbie, a boy with a car. This is such a cliché. As much as blue is for boys, pink is for girls. That’s why I love so much this collaboration, because Balmain and Barbie are stopping clichés and bringing a new ear where FREEDOM is the right word. I feel so proud of this collaboration because we are building a world where you are not defined by neither a gender, neither colors, neither codes that are not relevant today anymore. I am proud of this picture because it shows that the beauty of letting dreams about freedom since a young age happen will make you a free adult with passion.»

«Barbie® and Balmain are embarking upon a distinctly multicultural, inclusive and always joy-filled adventure,» said Olivier Rousteing, Balmain’s creative director.

With a lot of pink which is synonymous with the brand and perfectly aligns with the modern Balmain Army’s bold spirit, and the familiar Balmain’s signatures like the House’s iconic marinière and its mesmerizing labyrinth pattern, this limited-edition Balmain x Barbie capsule collection is the perfect match of fashion and toy industry heritages. Launching on January 13, the collection also includes unisex styles as Ken can be seen wearing a rosy robe in a photo.

TO SHOP BARBIE® AND BALMAIN, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

Bridging the physical and digital worlds, there is also a NFT auction, hosted by @mintnftofficial, that features three Barbie avatars created by @forgetmenot_bln wearing an exclusive look from the high-fashion Balmain x Barbie collection. The highest bidder of each auction will win both the avatar and a physical, one-of-a-kind Barbie-scaled version of the outfit their avatar is wearing.

The auction is live on NFT.MattelCreations.com, so get ready to bid!

 If you’ve ever wanted to be a Barbie girl in a Balmain world, this is your collection!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balmain #BALMAINxBARBIE
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Early February will see the Year of the Ox draw to a close and the Year of the Tiger begin. The slow, gentle and hardworking nature of the ox, which manifested the mood of 2021, will be replaced by the speed, strength and power of the tiger in 2022.

Jackie 1961 small Tiger-print leather bag by Gucci

In celebration of the holiday, different versions of the animal define a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories—highlighting the multifaceted nature of the Gucci universe. Rich with significance for the House, the animal expresses the Creative Director’s fascination with the beauty of nature.

Tiger-print canvas bucket hat by Gucci 

Depicted against a backdrop of colorful greenery and flowers, a reimagination of an archival design by Vittorio Accornero, the creator of the Flora motif, the feline pays homage to the brand’s heritage.

Tiger-print cotton-jersey hooded sweatshirt by Gucci 

A contemporary version of the tiger mixes with the collection’s logo print, forming a connection between the House’s past and present.

GUCCI Tiger-logo GG-Supreme canvas tote bag

I was born in the Year of the Tiger – so needless to say I am in love with this collection and am looking forward to the new year ahead.

TO SHOP THE GUCCI – YEAR OF THE TIGER COLLECTION, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © GUCCI – Creative Director: Alessandro Michele – Art Director: Christopher Simmonds – Photographer and Director: Angelo Pennetta – Make up: Thomas De Kluyver – Hair: Paul Hanlon
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

HUBLOT sets out to reconquer the Matterhorn – the world-famous emblem of Switzerland. The manufacture has unveiled a new Big Bang «All Black» model. Swiss downhill and slalom champions Corinne Suter and Tanguy Nef represent its two proud faces.

The Matterhorn is the iconic emblem of Switzerland, and brilliantly captures the contrasting faces of its identity. The mountain’s faceted pyramidal form makes it instantly recognisable among the thousands of other Alpine peaks. It is one of the toughest climbs in the world, yet has become synonymous with Alpine family leisure pursuits. Immaculate white slopes gild the hulking mass of rock, born in the first convulsions of the Big Bang and standing defiant against the ravages of time. To celebrate it, HUBLOT created a limited edition loaded with ceramic, a truly extraordinary mineral material.

Underpinned by HUBLOT‘s «invisible visibility» philosophy, only a Big Bang «All Black» could apply to the unfathomable personality of the Matterhorn. To pay tribute to this complexity, HUBLOT presents two versions of the Big Bang All Black Zermatt. The men’s and women’s models are different yet complementary. They represent the two sides of a single identity, a single horological vision, like two faces of the same mountain.

The 44 mm men’s version is available in 100 individually numbered pieces. The microblasted black ceramic case houses the manually wound HUB4100 chronograph, which is visible through the sapphire case back. The Matterhorn’s identity is captured on the dial side: the small seconds hand at 9 o’clock sits atop a relief rendering in immaculate white. The perfect symbol of passing time and absolute, unchanging eternity, soaring above the Matterhorn without ever altering it. A bold, striking contrast that draws the eye to the centre of the anthracite grey sunray dial.

Faithful to the All Black aesthetic, the timepiece is dressed exclusively in black and grey tones: Anthracite applied indices, two broad hands imprinted with black luminescent material, black resin lugs and a black rubber strap with grey calf inserts and deployant buckle.

The 41 mm women’s version symbolises the opposite face, with the Matterhorn emblazoned at 3 o’clock. Available in just 50 individually numbered pieces, it is distinctive for its bezel set with 36 black diamonds. These also beautifully embody the All Black’s characteristic duality, harnessing the customary snow-white sparkle of the diamond and translating it into the deepest black for this ultra-contrasted version. The model features a manually wound chronograph calibre with a 42-hour power reserve and a date window at 4:30.

Wouldn’t it be such a cute Christmas gift idea to get the watch together for each other?! Or for a proposal in the Swiss Alps… a modern way to say yes to each other.

Personally speaking, I love the watch. It is so versatile, it looks great with sporty looks and adds an edge to any sparkling outfit.

Stay tuned for many outfit posts coming up featuring this new black beauty.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot and © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored.
@hublot #HublotCheerfulGreetings #HublotPerfectGift 

Hublot and Takashi Murakami unveil the second timepiece of their collaboration: the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow. This new watch takes the smiling flower, the iconic theme of the Japanese artist’s work, and transforms it into a whirlwind of transparency and colour. Hublot loves Art!

After launching the first timepiece at the beginning of the year – an All Black watch, which became an instant collector’s item – Hublot and Takashi Murakami are continuing to transpose the Japanese artist’s Kawaii world into horology, by introducing the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow watch. This new piece, still based on the smiling flower, the iconic theme of Murakami’s work, has moved from black to colour with transparent effects.

The technicians in Hublot’s workshops have created a unique setting with this new work of art, a transparent background through which we can contemplate both the artist’s work and the intricate mechanics of the watchmakers in Nyon. Reusing the characteristic features of the Classic Fusion model, this 45mm-diameter case is cut from sapphire crystal, a technological feat pioneered by Hublot.

«This partnership with Hublot has enabled me to express my creativity in what is a totally new medium for me. The mastery of the watchmaker’s technicians has opened up new fields of possibilities for my inspiration. The result is this new watch in the colours of the rainbow.»
Takashi Murakami

The smiling flower presents a mischievous smile on a three-dimensional face that literally emerges from the watch dial, extending out beyond the sapphire crystal. 12 colourful petals rotate around this face, and their polychromatic effect is achieved by setting 487 stones representing the colours of the rainbow: rubies, pink sapphires, amethysts, blue sapphires, tsavorites, yellow and orange sapphires. Thanks to an ingenious ball-bearing system specially developed by Hublot’s engineers, the petals start turning under the watch crystal and bring Takashi Murakami’s smiling flower to life.

In the beating heart of the watch, the Nyon watchmakers have placed the company’s HUB1214 calibre, here without the stopwatch function. This movement has a power reserve of 72 hours.
Targeting Contemporary Art insiders, the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow watch is available in a limited edition of 100 numbered pieces.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot
#Hublot #ClassicFusionTakashiMurakami

Today, the release of the world’s probably most coveted timepiece was announced: Patek Philippe is making 170 special versions of its most popular watch, Nautilus Ref. 5711, for Tiffany’s 170th Anniversary.

This is a huge surprise that comes less than a year after Patek Philippe discontinued the famed watch, originally launched in 2006, causing demand and prices to skyrocket.

Thierry Stern with me

Thierry Stern’s decision to make the final 5711s for Tiffany came obviously from the deep history and mutual values of the two companies. Tiffany’s partnership with Patek Philippe began already in 1851, when Antoine Norbert de Patek, seeking the world’s finest retailers for his exquisite timepieces, met Charles Lewis Tiffany at his store in New York. With a simple handshake, the jeweler and watchmaker established a relationship based on integrity and a commitment to excellence that endures to this day.

In 2008, Patek Philippe opened its first U.S. boutique at Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship store, located on the mezzanine level. The elegant space celebrates the watchmaker’s heritage and world-renowned timepieces that are marked «Tiffany & Co.» the only American retailer’s name to appear on the dial of a Patek Philippe watch.

The special Ref. 5711 stainless steel watches with a Tiffany-blue face are said to be sold at select Tiffany boutiques for € 50.000. I am so in love, I have no words. This is truly the holy grail for watch lovers. And you know how much I love turquoise dials… wish me luck!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. and © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored. I am madly in love!