Sandra‘s Closet

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!

The North Face and Gucci collaborate on the second chapter of designs that celebrates the spirit of exploration and pushes the limits of tradition. The latest selection of ready-to-wear and accessories embraces self-discovery through a mix of bold logo prints, geometric patterns and forest-themed motifs.

From jackets and T-shirts to cats, from backpacks to tracking boots, a massive selection of 126 co-branded pieces with an outdoor-inspired feel is available now.

My absolute favorite piece from the second chapter is the hooded cotton-blend canvas-jacquard down jacket. The sizing runs pretty big. I am wearing an XXS.

The collection is colorful and vibrant. TO SHOP THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE NORTH FACE x GUCCI, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Gucci
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Louis Vuitton launches a capsule collection of nine belts in the select colours of nine global cities.

This season Virgil Abloh reinvents the LV Pyramide belt first seen on the F/W 2021 runway. The belt with its bevel-edged buckle returns in a capsule collection of nine exclusive versions, spotlighting nine cities that hold a special place in the heart of Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Artistic Director.

Featuring Monogram canvas on one face and soft calfskin on the other, the belt still displays the iconic LV buckle. Virgil Abloh put it through a special treatment recalling his urban inspirations and influences drawn from crushing cars. The metal has been artfully eroded to reveal a new colour pairing that coordinates with the leather of the belt. Each is crafted by the deft hands of Louis Vuitton artisans, making every item unique.

The new design is available in nine colourways, each associated with one world city – green and purple for Bangkok, red and black for Hong Kong, yellow and blue for London, and pink and blue for Paris. The city name is displayed in a popping colour combination of its own on each face of the belt, both the Monogram canvas and the leather side. All belts are reversible, so you can mix it up depending on your mood or your outfit, and each can be found exclusively in a limited edition at the flagship store of its namesake city, starting November 25th, 2021.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton

Alessandro Michele kickstarted «The Hacker Project» of Balenciaga’s design codes for its Gucci Aria Collection earlier in April. In June, Demna Gvasalia hit back when he presented his Resort 2022 collection for the French fashion house where 14 looks were inspired by Gucci details. Both lines hit the stores on November 15, 2021.

Besides launching crossbranded merchandise with Gucci, selected Balenciaga stores will have their windows «Gucci-fied».

The must-have collector pieces come with a mashup of the GG monogram with double-B logos to create a one-of-a-kind crossbranded motif that appears on ready-to-wear, accessories and bags. To shop the collection, click here.

My favorite bag comes with a graffiti slogan «This is not a Gucci bag».

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Balenciaga

It is a HACK! The Hacker Project, first presented within Gucci Aria in April 2021, merges the iconic silhouettes and codes of Balenciaga and Gucci in unique creations as an exploration on ideas of authenticity and appropriation within the fashion industry. Among the hybrid universe of ready-to-wear and accessories, combining the aesthetics of Creative Directors Alessandro Michele and Demna Gvasalia, emblematic styles come together to create something new — from the Jackie 1961 enriched with a diagonal Balenciaga print to the City bag in GG canvas and the Triple S sneaker reimagined with Gucci’s Flora print.

The range includes styles featuring the new jumbo GG motif, a maximalist version of the historic monogram.

The non-collaboration even includes a co-branded Triple S.

Available for two weeks only, the Balenciaga and Gucci’s Hacker Project will drop worldwide on November 15.

LoL, Sandra

Creative Director: Alessandro Michele – Art Director: Christopher Simmonds – Photographer and Director: Harley Weir – Make up: Thomas De Kluyver – Hair: Paul Hanlon

This is definitely the year of designer collaborations. I can barely keep track, haha! Versace partnered with Fendi for FENDACI, Gucci tapped both The North Face and Balenciaga, while Chloé teamed up with Fusalp for a collection of skiwear. Now comes another collaboration that might sell out immediately: Kim Jones and Kim Kardashian West have joined forces for FENDI x SKIMS.

A creative clash of two seemingly opposing visions, united by a shared appreciation for empowered femininity and modern luxury. The signature FENDI style codes and the revolutionary aesthetic of SKIMS come together in an exclusive limited-edition edit of ready to wear and accessories.

«The innovation in fabrics and fit typical to Skims paired with the luxury and quality of Fendi may feel unexpected to some people, but the similarities between our creative vision and goals are so closely aligned,» Kardashian West said in the original press release. «It’s that tension that excites me.»

This partnership makes complete sense and forgive me, father, for liking FENDI & SKIMS. Kim’s obsession for body-conscious silhouettes and Fendi’s iconic logo and elevated sportswear, this is a match made in marketing heaven.

Shop the collection at fendiskims.com from Monday, November 9 at 3pm CET and in FENDI boutiques worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

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

This holiday season, Nespresso is collaborating with Colombian fashion designer Johanna Ortiz, to enchant coffee lovers with the launch of its annual Festive collection, inspired this year by the forest.

Inspired by the beauty and depth of Nature’s forests, Nespresso’s ‘Gifts of the Forest’ collection encapsulates the brand’s devotion to the precious environment coffee is grown in. The collection features a range of limited-edition coffees for both the Original and Vertuo systems, along with festive infused accessories, making for delightful and inspiring gifts for family and friends. Coffee lovers can also gift this festive season knowing Nespresso is giving back to the forest, as the brand goes beyond its agroforestry commitments, by helping to protect 10 million trees in the Amazon.

To bring the design of their limited-edition collection to life, Nespresso has partnered with Colombian luxury fashion designer Johanna Ortiz, whose innovative designs and interplay between nature and sustainability truly transports coffee aficionados into Nespresso’s festive universe.

Johanna Ortiz says «For me, design and nature go hand in hand which is why this collaboration resonated personally. Colombian coffee also has a truly special place in my heart and as an active supporter in the fight against climate change, knowing that Nespresso is going beyond its agroforestry commitments by supporting the protection of 10 million trees in the Amazon, it was another huge reason why this collaboration made perfect sense. When designing the collection, I took the idea of capturing the beauty of the forest throughout every piece, by incorporating rich forest canopies and dark earthy tones within my designs. It’s been an amazing process and partnership which I have deeply enjoyed.»

Explore and wander through Nespresso’s Forest Variations coffees. From forest fruits to luscious canopies of trees, this year’s Festive coffee range includes two flavored coffees and one black coffee.

Uncover the hidden flavors of Forest Black
A canopy of trees shelters Forest Black’s coffees to protect the flavor hidden in each bean. Discover this blend of shade-grown coffees from Colombia and beyond. A spicy espresso, its exotic woody notes will transport tastebuds to the depths of the forest.

Taste the berries of the Forest with Forest Fruit Flavour
Like gems that light up the forest floor, forest fruits are the gifts trees give us. Juicy berry aromas run through this season’s flavoured espresso as the South American Arabicas’ lingering cereal character takes on a festive sweet pastry note.

Delight in the treasures of the trees with Forest Almond Flavour
Forest Almond Flavour is the forager’s delight of the season. With the sweet, nutty flavour tucked into this espresso’s South American Arabicas, get ready to uncover almond notes marked by vanilla and a light fruitiness in this coffees’ smooth cereal character.

Nespresso lovers can also surprise and delight guests with delicious Gifts of the Forest coffee cocktail recipes, specially crafted to enhance the sensory experience. Each coffee-infused recipe has been curated by Nespresso with the Gifts of the Forest collection in mind, bringing a taste of nature and sophistication to each glass.

Moreover, there is a beautiful range of limited-edition accessories and gifts this festive season to surprise loved ones. You can countdown in style with the Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz advent calendar. For this edition, its stunning packaging has been designed by Johanna Ortiz as part of her festive collaboration. Available for both Vertuo and Original coffee lovers, this year’s advent calendar will take Nespresso lovers through a different coffee each day from December 1 to 23, with a special gift on the 24.

You can also add a burst of color with the Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz NOMAD travel mug, which blends well into nature as it comes in a ‘Deep Cherry’ shade, emulating the rich ripe berries of the forest.

In addition to its coffee offer, there are two exclusively designed items for the festive season. Shoppers can get their hands on an alluring reversible organic-cotton tote bag as well as a useful notebook made from sustainable materials. Both are decorated with the signature Nespresso x Johanna Ortiz pattern showcasing sweeping forest canopies and capturing the true essence of the forest.

For coffee lovers who like a touch of sparkle on the go, Nespresso is also revamping its iconic Touch travel mug, that will be available in a golden colorful a limited time only.

Nespresso is also proud to be partnering with Conservation International to gift back to the forest this Festive season. For almost 20 years Nespresso has been focused on protecting nature through agroforestry projects to protect the ecosystems its coffee farms rely on. To take this further beyond coffee farming and support the local communities that call the forest home, Nespresso is also announcing its contribution to protecting 10 million trees in the Amazon Forest in La Pedrera, Colombia. The effort is in collaboration with Conservation International and La Pedrera’s Madroño community. Forest conservation plays a huge role in Nespresso’s sustainability vision, which is to create a cup of coffee that has a positive impact on the world – from the coffee cherry to the cup.

The limited edition Gifts of the Forest collection is now available on www.nespresso.com and in selected boutiques.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Nespresso

Prada presents the eleventh drop of the new Prada Timecaspule, an exclusive product for men and women: exclusively at prada.com the first Thursday of every month, for 24 hours only.

Reminiscent of vintage silhouettes, the new Timecapsule wool sweater is animated by an original graphic blending a ’70s-tinged aesthetic with modern takes on classic knitwear motifs. Traditional argyle geometries transform into an unexpected, pixel-inspired jacquard pattern, while a triangular macro inlay evoking retro skiwear designs adds striking contrast.

An exclusive product for men and women: a limited number of articles, exclusively online, for 24 hours only November 4, 2021, the new drop of Prada Timecapsule is signed with a serial number that makes it unique.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Jacquard knit – Chevron intarsia – Unisex fit with a vintage-inspired silhouette – Crewneck – Regular shoulder – Ribbed knit trims – Jacquard logo – Price: € 1500.

The sweater is available here. Next drop will be on December 2, 2021.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada