I was still in Shanghai for Omega’s amazing event with George Clooney (post coming up soon) when in Monaco around 300 fashionable people moved their way up the steep, winding streets of the city to enter the transparent tent with custom-made Pierre Paulin seats in the Place du Palais to attend Nicolas Ghesquière‘s second show for Louis Vuitton: his Cruise 2015 presentation.

CEO of Louis Vuitton Michael Burke, Delphine Arnault, fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière, Princess Charlène of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco

On the runway appeared beautifully embellished but still very wearable pieces, mismatched prints, embroidered lace with tiny seed beads, and a very well played game of colors that established Ghesquière’s very own key LV codes that he had started back in March during his F/W 2014 show.

The French powerhouse is always about accessories and those spiky silver belts, gladiator boots and the new, wide-opened bucket bag will surely find their fans all over the world.

I attached you my favorite looks herewith!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, © Jürgen Teller and © Rindoff/Le Segretain/Getty Images for Louis Vuitton

The front row at Marc Cain‘s S/S 2015 show during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin was packed with illustrious guests from Hollywood: Hilary Swank and Marcia Cross were both impressed by the German brand’s designs for the coming season.

Marc Cain’s designer Karin Veit took the theme of her collection “Magic Circus” literally with an impressive ballet-acrobatic performance very “Cirque du Soleil” beforehand.

Later on the catwalk, flowers blossomed on coats, tiger heads reminiscent of the “Kenzo” ones showed on sweaters, tiny pockets à la “Dior S/S 2014” embellished cute little tops while pleats of orange and fuchsia translated the circus drama collection into easy, everyday pieces.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

While we are indulging in the newest spring trends, the designers are already showing pre-fall 2014. And one has absolutely caught my eye: MOSCHINO. With Jeremy Scott being now being at the helmet of the brand (he was an intern once), there is a creative director, who knows how to live up to the humorous take the brand is famous for.

I am convinced that founder Franco Moschino, who died in 1994, would have loved those “jacket bags” and “biker backpacks“. OMG! To die for!

Everything that Scott showed has been “molto italiano“. I just love it! And you see, I told you, you shouldn’t have thrown out your Moschino logo belt and bag. I kept mine and here I go!

TO SHOP MOSCHINO’S LOGO MUST-HAVES, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via style.com, © Sandra Bauknecht

Here is your ultimate S/S 2014 runway trend guide. This season, there is fashion for every personality. It’s about tribal details, the power of pleats and the beauty of flowers, whether they’re luxurious embroideries or bold statement prints. Take cues from your favorite gallery and wear something artful. Don’t forget to add something shiny and to work on your waistline to sport the new must-have cropped tops. Sportswear has made its way into our daily wardrobe and bermudas should be worn layered with a skirt or dress.

I hope that this little summary will inspire you to look for the right new season pieces that will instantly update a look. Enjoy your new task!

LoL, Sandra

S/S 2014 TREND 1: TRIBAL
Akris –  Givenchy – Donna Karan

S/S 2014 TREND 2: WEARABLE ART
Prada –  Chanel – Céline

S/S 2014 TREND 3: BERMUDAS
Chloé –  Alexander McQueen – DKNY

S/S 2014 TREND 4: CROPPED TOPS
Balenciaga –  Louis Vuitton – Salvatore Ferragamo

S/S 2014 TREND 5: SPORTSWEAR
DKNY –  Gucci – Marc by Marc Jacobs

S/S 2014 TREND 6: LACE
Valentino –  Stella McCartney – Nina Ricci

S/S 2014 TREND 7: SHIMMER & SHINE
Lanvin –  Versace – Etro

S/S 2014 TREND 8: PLEATS PLEASE
Dries Van Noten –  Proenza Schouler – Victoria Beckham

S/S 2014 TREND 9: PASTEL
Miu Miu –  Burberry Prorsum – Christian Dior

S/S 2014 TREND 10: SUMMER BLACK
Bottega Veneta –  Saint Laurent – Dolce & Gabbana

S/S 2014 TREND 11: FLOWER POWER
Giambattista Valli –  Mary Katrantzou – Christopher Kane

S/S 2014 TREND 12: BOLD NIGHT
Emilio Pucci –  Alberta Ferretti – Ralph Lauren Collection

Photos: Via style.com

The title might sound a little pathetic looking at all the fur clothes that Miuccia Prada presented for her S/S 2014 collection. But even if you don’t like fur, you will have to admit that those designs are pieces of art. Colourful and vibrant, the craftsmanship that is needed to create those intarsia details is outstanding. Miuccia Prada uses the fur like a canvas and as most clothes cost as much as a masterpiece, why not combine the two? “Art” has been a major inspiration for many designers for the S/S 2014 season.

Personally speaking, I love the facial prints seen on the handbags the most. Cannot wait to get my hands on those…

Somebody else who couldn’t wait for those pieces to hit the shelves was no other than Marc Jacobs. He walked his dog on Christmas Day in Saint Barts wearing already one of the Prada S/S 2014 fur coats. He is a great admirer and friend of Miuccia Prada and I spotted him frequently at her Miu Miu shows in the afternoon after he had shown Louis Vuitton in the morning. 
Let’s see which one of the must-have pieces Anna Wintour and Anna Dello Russo will pick. Nevertheless, Marc was first!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: PacificCoastNews, Courtesy of Prada

The invitation sketched by Karl Lagerfeld read, “Coco Chanel back in Dallas” and he took it literally. His fashion show for the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art collection titled “Paris-Dallas” took place last Tuesday at Dallas Fair Park, a historical venue with art-deco architecture that is located in the heart of the Texan city.

Chanel Paris – Dallas show decor

This event was the occasion to celebrate the strong bond that linked the French designer to the US. “I admire and love America. It’s where I made my fortune. For many Americans (…), I am France” stated Gabrielle Chanel, cited by Paul Morand in his book, The Allure of Chanel.

Stanley Marcus pictured on September 6th 1957 greeting Coco Chanel as she arrived in Dallas

The climax of this mutual passion dates back to 1957, when Coco Chanel – accompanied by a delegation of 125 people from France – landed on October 14th at the Dallas airport. Stanley Marcus, co-founder of the Neiman Marcus store, awarded her with the Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, the “Oscar of Fashion”. That year, the designer of rue Cambon is the only winner among the 300 fashion designers invited, an indication of the importance she holds in the hearts of Americans.

Gabrielle Chanel and Stanley Marcus during her visit in Texas

During her twelve-day Texan journey, Gabrielle Chanel dazzles the crowd to the point that Time Magazine reports the event by titling it “Dallas in Wonderland”. Fifty-six years later, Karl Lagerfeld returned to Dallas and retraced this journey that sealed the French-American love story of the designer with the people seduced by the modernity of her creations.

To celebrate the occasion, Karl Lagerfeld directed a short movie titled ‘The Return’ in which he shows Coco Chanel’s incredible return to center stage in December 1953 when the designer reopened her Haute Couture house after fifteen years of absence. The collection was welcomed by the French press with an icy silence as Dior’s 1947 New Look, cinched at the waist, had taken over the fashion hype. Only the American media supported the looks that defined the rebirth of Chanel’s style. ‘The Return’ retraces this determining period, that shaped the legend of the designer of rue Cambon forever.

The film features Geraldine Chaplin in the role of Gabrielle Chanel, Rupert Everett, Anna Mouglalis, Lady Amanda Harlech, Arielle Dombasle, the model Kati Nescher, as well as Vincent Darré and Sam McKnight.

The drive-in for ‘The Return’ screening before the show

Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collections are designed to showcase the amazing and outstanding craftsmanship of the ateliers that the House of Chanel has acquired to preserve over all those years. Personally speaking, I admire Karl Lagerfeld for his creativity that never uses an element the way it is meant to be. He transforms cowboy boots into wider versions, plays with texture so that laminated jersey looks like shiny leather and brings Native American details into the modern world.

Enjoy the photos of this absolutely fabulous collection! My favorite is this dark star-spangled gown, an ode to the ’30s with the right edge of a Texan cowboy girl! So, ladies, that’s what y’all are wearin’ next fall!

Karl Lagerfeld has chosen Kristen Stewart, who attended the show last Tuesday, to be the face of the upcoming campaign of the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art “Paris-Dallas” collection. I have to say that the American actress is not my favorite choice… but I am sure that Karl Lagerfeld will surprise us with something different once more.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, © Oliver Saillant, © AP

Elie Saab called his S/S 2014 collection “A LACE GARDEN” and sent the extremely feminine material in all shades over the runway. The Libanese designer is a red carpet favourite and of course he offered a lot of choices for the big moment. His strongest designs are the long gowns, this season definitely a lacy affair to remember… My favorite is a black see-through dress with layers of lace in between as photographed below.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Elie Saab

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli are a dream team and their S/S 2014 collection for Valentino is a divine piece of art (You can still watch the video here).

Like last season, when I had been already overwhelmed by their designs, they showed craftsmanship, sophistication, elegance and beauty in their 72 (!) looks on the runway. After an impromptu visit to the Rome Opera workshops, the duo was compelled to create a glamourous and opulent repertoire. The collection is a journey admits elements borrowed from imaginary ethnic groups. Embroideries, lace, capes, ponchos, fringes, leather, veil-like dresses, take all part in this outstanding collection.

Combining ancestral austerity and sensual opulence, the designer duo has created an amazing and ever-changing look based on today’s modern woman that we will surely spot everywhere on the streets next summer!

Light Cuir Vachetta Medium Stamped

Great news is that you can PRE-ORDER THE AMAZING VALENTINO ACCESSORIES STRAIGHT OFF THE RUNWAY for the next 5 days. I included the best ones in this post.
Happy pre-shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Gold Gryphon Miniaudiere

Black Vitello Fringe Ankle Boot

Light Emerald Patent Croc Scarab Finger Clutch

Black Rete Embroidered Bootie

Light Cuir Vitello Scarab And Gryphon Wrap Bracelet

Chocolate Vitello Gryphon Sandal

Rubin Studs Crown Hair Band

Photos: Courtesy of Valentino and © Sandra Bauknecht

Personally speaking, there hasn’t been one collection, Mary Katrantzou hasn’t amazed me with. This season has been no different. For the motif mistress, footwear prints walk a fine line between fashion and art. For S/S 2014, she was inspired by every woman’s love for shoes for her signature digital prints.

The collection’s evening looks were absolutely divine, and heavenly embroidered by the House of Lesage in Paris with which Mary had been working before already. Think ruffles, empire and baby doll cuts. Nothing for the shy! I am loving it!

Great news: YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO PRE-ORDER THE MARY KATRANTZOU S/S 2014 COLLECTION STRAIGHT OF THE RUNWAY FOR THE NEXT 6 DAYS BY CLICKING HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mary Katrantzou, Style.com, © Getty Images

Today was a big day! The last day of Paris Fashion Week started with the Louis Vuitton S/S 2014 show. Rumors had been out quite a long time about Marc Jacobs leaving the French brand after 16 years, but the minute I arrived at the venue, I knew, it was true. It felt like a journey through time. From the governess girls at the entrance to the station clock, the carrousel, the elevators and the escalators, the fountain, last season’s hotel corridors, every little detail was reminiscent of something amazing Marc had created for a Louis Vuitton show.

In the press kit on my seat, Marc Jacobs wrote something so beautiful that I truly would like to invite you to read it:

“This collection is dedicated to the women who inspire me and to the showgirl in every one of them, Emmanuelle Alt, Jane Birkin, Betty Catroux, Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele, Coco Chanel, Cher, Grace Coddington, Sofia Coppola, Victoire de Castellane, Catherine Deneuve, Claude Lalanne, Julie de Libran, Lady Gaga, Judy Garland, Katie Grand, Juliette Gréco, Françoise Hardy, Zizi Jeanmarie, Rei Kawakubo, Madonna, Liza Minnelli, Kate Moss, Louise Nevelson, Edith Piaf, Miuccia Prada, Lee Radziwill, Millicent Rogers, Sonia Rykiel, Carla Sozzani, Elsa Schiaparelli, Barbra Streisand, Diana Vreeland, Vivienne Westwood, Anna Wintour.

Whether extrovert or esoteric, they are figures that keep visual language vital. Their style, imagination, creativity, talent, vision and voice have changed our landscape.”

He continued: “When I look around Paris, it isn’t the depth of the city that takes my breath away. It’s the decoration and the applied ornamentation that dazzles. It is not about thinking, it is about feeling. There may be no deeper sensation than this when it hits. While designing this collection the same instinct gathered momentum. I take pleasure from things for exactly what they are, revealing in the pure adornment of beauty for beauty’s sake. Connecting with something on a superficial level is as honest as connecting with it on an intellectual level.

TO THE SHOWGIRL IN ALL OF US.“

Speaking of which, many of the forty-one extremely dark looks resembled showgirl clothes, all exquisitely embellished with jet beads, crystals, and glossy feathers. Each and every one of the models wore an amazing headpiece of ostrich plumes designed by Stephen Jones for the show. The first look was pretty evocative, nothing but a G-string and the Stephen Sprouse-designed LV logo showing all over the model’s body, along with handcuffs and chains.

The biker jackets and denim pants were amazing, something you are dying to have in your closet. I love the collection and Marc’s creativity, it might not be commercial, but it is definitely for the showgirl in us!

Never forget, it was Jacobs who brought Louis Vuitton’s foray into prêt-à-porter to a huge success, and whatever the behind-the-scenes speculations of the past few months, he appears to be leaving on good terms. I was backstage and started crying like everybody else after all those heartfelt hugs.

Marc said that he wants to focus on his own Marc Jacobs brand. And I think, the announcement will be coming out soon that Nicolas Ghesquière will replace him at Louis Vuitton. So watch out!

LoL, Sandra

Marc’s last finale…

… and heartbreaking moments backstage.

Having fun behind the scenes: Sofia Coppola and Dakota Fanning

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht