Sandra‘s Closet

Many of you have been asking me lately how I stay fit and in shape. First of all, part of it is eating a healthy diet, so I make sure I am consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I eat everything in moderation and listen very carefully to my body. However, I also indulge in my guilty pleasures, which means for me a piece of cake or a glass of bubbly.

The other part of staying fit is exercising on a regular base. As I used to dance ballet professionally many years ago, my body still has memory how to maintain a good posture. My so-called powerhouse is engaged subconsciously, which burns calories. In case that you are not familiar with this term. Created by Joseph Pilates, the powerhouse is the center of the body and comprised of a group of muscles; abdominals (upper an lower), lower back, buttocks and the hip. It is the core of pilates. For him, the extremities, such as arms, legs and shoulders, is a muscular network that extends from this powerhouse.

What distinguishes pilates from most other exercise modalities is strength in movement is achieved through interconnectivity versus isolation, thereby the body is strengthened with more control and stability. Learning how to breathe correctly while exercising, also helps to calm your mind. Breath is a very important part of pilates. My avid readers already know that I love pilates.  I work out at least twice a week at PILATESwiss – premium, ecologically responsible studios for pilates and yoga. After my summer travels, I am so happy to be back to train.

In 2004 the first studio opened right on Lake Zurich, in Seefeld, which was doubled the size in 2011. This May, in the «vineyard of Zurich», sunny Höngg, a new studio opened its doors and I was curious to explore the new space that also offers wall classes with patented and locally produced PILATESwiss Boards.

The owner of PILATESwiss, Canadian-born Karolina Schmid, who is in my opinion definitely the best in business, designed the wall boards to further underscore her personal commitment to providing her clients with innovation and quality. I love to train with her and I can also recommend the whole PILATESwiss team of 25 quality-conscious trainers who are constantly perfecting their teaching skills.

In fact, PILATESwiss is the only company in German speaking Europe to achieve both PILATES Method Alliance accreditation (PSI) for its teacher training program and at same time YOGA alliance (YA) accreditation for its teacher training program. Globally, there is no higher independent, non-fiduciary test of quality available.

Today, personal training in environmentally «clean» spaces is something truly amazing. Besides their line of low carbon footprint machines that are made in Switzerland, PILATESwiss uses toxin-free or vegan cleaning products, and trains on ecologically conscious surfaces and textiles.

My outfit is by CASALL, a brand that is exclusively available at PILATESwiss. The tights consists of 78% recycled Polyamide and 22% Lycra. This sustainable fabric is made of 100% regenerated Polyamide fiber from post-consumer materials like old fishnets and others. It is super stretchy with a high Lycra®XtraLife percentage making it extra durable and flexible.

The crossback tank is made of 100% Tencel® fabric that is very soft and fluid. This fabric comes with natural antibacterial features and has good moisture absorption properties. Made of cellulosa fibres from sustainable tree farms, it is biodegradable. A conscious choice!

Shop my look: Iconic sports bra in black, Ease cross back tank in focus beige, and Better high waist tights in belonging beige, all by CASALL.

PILATESwiss
Studio Seefeld, Seefeldstrasse 225, 8008 Zürich
Studio Höngg, Ackersteinstrasse 207, 8049 Zürich
E-mail:
Phone: +41 78 891 03 17

See you there!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Karolina Schmid
The photos were taken at Studio Höngg.

After the first drop in December 2019, Prada and adidas Originals unveil the second part of their collaboration and propose a timeless, eternal classic, reengineered for the now – the Superstar. Now retailing alone, the iconic Superstar style is offered in a trio of new colorways: monochrome black, white with black, and chrome silver with white. For a new decade, a new point of view.

This step of the ongoing collaboration between Prada and adidas emphasizes qualities shared by and synonymous with each: collaboration, innate respect for heritage, a passion for sport. Craftsmanship is at the heart of the Prada Superstar sneaker – executed by Prada’s footwear specialists, fusing the lexicon of luxury with the language of high-performance sportswear in a style of shoe that has always been, in and of itself, unique and groundbreaking.

The streamlined silhouette of the adidas Originals Superstar sneaker – an inherently modern, entirely unisex design, first created in 1969 – is translated into full-grain leather. Its origins – Made in Italy – are heat-stamped into the side, a marker of superlative quality appreciated around the world, alongside the dual logos of Prada and adidas Originals, which appear together on the tongue of every pair. The fundamental character of the Superstar remains unchanged: it is a style icon, a timeless item which does not call for re-design, but rather provokes reconsideration.

The importance of handiwork and of craft, over everything, is underscored in the campaign, a fantastical, surreal reimagining of the actual process of creation of the Prada Superstar. Toying with scale through a miniature recreation of Prada’s manufacturing spaces in Le Marche region, the viewer can observe the final painstaking touches being made to each new colorway. The Superstar here is super-scale – this interplay of proportions magnifies and emphasizes the instantly-recognizable features of the Superstar – the triple-stripe, trefoil, and rubber shell toe – as well as the addition of the dual Prada and adidas Originals logos.

The new Prada Superstar will launch starting from 8 September 2020, via Prada boutiques and adidas flagship stores worldwide, alongside selected wholesalers. The range is also available via prada.com and adidas.com.

The partnership of Prada and adidas will develop and flourish. The next facet of this collaboration is linked to the America’s Cup – an expression of a mutual love for and enthusiastic participation in the arena of sport by both Prada and adidas.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada #Pradaforadidas

From Louis Vuitton to Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and Versace, here are some to die for sports accessories with a couture twist. They make the perfect gift for those fit-friends who are only obsessed with the best. The luxurious boxing gloves for example will turn your home into a workout studio that even the pros will be astonished by and with those marble dumbbells there are no more excuses not hitting the gym. And if you are still not convinced, imagine how your living room would become so instagrammable decorated with the CHANEL wakesurf board…

LoL, Sandra

Monogram dumbbells by Louis Vuitton
€ 1950

Marble dumbbells by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello
€ 1295

Boxing gloves by Versace
€ 2445

Jump rope «Christopher» by Louis Vuitton
€ 480

Vintage skateboard by Hermès
CHF 6844

Tennis racket cover in Monogram canvas by Louis Vuitton
€ 1370

Beach rackets by Hermès
€ 640

Beach rackets by Louis Vuitton
€ 2390

Ping-pong set «James» by Louis Vuitton
€ 1630

Golf kit «Andrew» by Louis Vuitton
€ 625

Volleyball by Louis Vuitton
€ 1950

American football by Berluti
€ 1500

Skimboard by Louis Vuitton
€ 1410

Black wakesurf board by CHANEL
CHF 7500

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Neiman Marcus
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

Greetings from Sylt! I enjoyed a wonderful long weekend with great friends. Germany’s most famous island can be best explored by bike which you can rent everywhere. Here you see me on my way to the famous beach bar Buhne 16 that is only a short ride away from Kampen. My outfit was the perfect combination for all those different activities during the day. Stay tuned for more!

My look: Jacquard-trimmed printed stretch-jersey sports bra and matching cropped jacquard-trimmed printed stretch leggings, both by Versace, cotton-poplin shirt, all by Thom Browne, leather exaggerated-sole sneakers by Alexander McQueen, Multi Pochette Accessories in monogram canvas by Louis Vuitton and banana leaf print sunglasses by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

For S/S 2020, adidas Originals teams up with one of the hottest rising stars in the global fashion scene, China’s very own Angel Chen.
Comprised of four new footwear styles, each available in two colorways, this capsule collection channels a sophisticated yet eye-catching aesthetic capturing Chen’s unmistakable way through bold and colorful graphics.

Angel Chen

Angel Chen is quickly becoming one of the brightest creative talents to emerge from China’s nascent fashion scene. The name behind the brand, Angel Chen, moved to London at the age of 17 to study at the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s College of Arts and Design.

During her placement year, she interned for Marchesa, Vera Wang and Alexander Wang in New York. Following her graduate collection in 2014, Chen was chosen by i-D as one of five designers-to-watch and launched her eponymous label the following year. She listed within BOF 500 in 2017, secured a finalist position with the renowned Woolmark Prize in 2018 and participated and placed 4th in Netflix’s Next in Fashion in 2019.

Angel Chen’s colorful approach to fashion coupled with a core-concept of fusion of Eastern
and Western aesthetics has made it a noticeable bright young label. This remains the case with each new collection she puts out under the eponymous brand founded in 2014, which she describes as «innovative, colorful, unrestrained and expressive.»

These four words could equally be applied to Angel Chen’s first team up with adidas, which takes the form of four new footwear styles. Each is presented in two colorways and, in their brightly playful execution, channel the mood and look of 80s and 90s fashion.

The capsule collection draws inspiration from Chinese calligraphy while celebrating China’s successes and cultural reasonance in sports such as Ping Pong, Kungfu and Diving. Each bold style features colourful contemporary graphics and exaggerated silhouettes.

Angel‘s newly gained international recognition resulted in highly anticipated commercial
collaborations for Angel Chen with H&M and M.A.C.; and most recently with adidas Originals. Stocked internationally at 70 retailers, including Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges, Lane Crawford, Net-A-Porter and Galeries Lafayette, Angel Chen is part of a new wave of young brands
making an impact globally.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © adidas Originals
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Gentlemen, here are some Dior must-haves for you as well. For the men’s F/W 2020 runway show in Miami, Dior and Kim Jones partnered with Jordan Brand to unveil the limited-edition Air Jordan 1 High OG Dior sneaker. A collection of ready-to-wear and accessories completes the collaboration, and a low version of the Air Jordan 1 OG Dior rounds out the range.

«I love mixing together different worlds, different ideas – Jordan Brand and Dior are both emblematic of absolute excellence in their fields. To bring them together in this special collaboration is to propose something exciting and truly new,» states Kim Jones, Artistic Director of Dior men’s collections.

A palette of gentle shades brings together the House’s exceptional tailoring expertise with a 1980s American sportswear feel, inspired by the legendary Michael Jordan. The collection balances timeless silhouettes from the Jordan and Dior vaults while bringing new life to classic sport styles. Relaxed, minimalistic wool suits reflect the art of detail according to Dior. Punctuated with buttons signed with the Air Dior logo, the blazers sport subtle blue and white striped linings. A bomber jacket reprises the emblem on its back and displays the Jumpman logo – recognized the world over – on its sleeve. It is paired with silk shorts decorated with a graphic motif featuring the «CD» initials.

A gray suede hoodie also sports these new logos in perforated or embossed versions created using precise, meticulous techniques. The Dior Oblique motif – a powerful, timeless code – for the first time adorns the linings of the designs, made in Italy. Cashmere or sleeveless sweaters, shirts and polo shirts as well as pants affirm a new look, inspired by the NBA champion’s style and his sensitivity to twists of audacity coupled with elegance. Four leather goods pieces – including a pouch and a wallet – as well as bob hats, necklaces and jacquard ties complement these must-have looks, while square silk scarves subtly combine the toile de Jouy and Wings prints.

In stores now. You better hurry up…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dior 

I love being active and try to do lots of workouts at home during quarantine to stay fit. I truly miss my weekly pilates class with Karolina Schmid and cannot wait until her studio opens again. Great news for my Zurich based readers: she will be opening another studio in Höngg with PILATESwiss wall boards and classes in June.

Whatever your favorite workout might be, the right activewear makes it even more fun. Hit the gym in Versace’s Greek key-infused pieces that elevate your casual look.

My look: Zip-up tech-jersey hooded sweatshirt, logo-jacquard low-impact sports bra, and logo-jacquard technical jersey leggings, all by Versace, Portugaba tote by Christian Louboutin, Run away sneaker in blue by Louis Vuitton, Love bracelets by Cartier, Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet and FF-print round acetate sunglasses by Fendi.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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This season, when it comes to sneakers, transparent air bubble-infused soles are the latest hype. Transparency as a striking design detail has been trending now for a while but this year various fashion designers have been experimenting with the modern sole, releasing their own footwear renditions featuring trend, along with Nike who kickstarted the movement with its iconic Air Max silhouettes.

Air Max 98 mesh and faux leather sneakers by Nike (50% off)

Personally speaking, I find Alexander McQueen‘s version the most appealing. The brand has released different silhouettes featuring the «bounce» sole in many versatile color combinations – the minimal silhouette with this bold detailing looks fabulous.

Leather exaggerated-sole sneakers by Alexander McQueen

Below are other sneakers models you might like as well, enjoy and happy weekend!

LoL, Sandra

Triple S Clear Sole logo-embroidered leather, nubuck and mesh sneakers by Balenciaga

Diamond metallic leather sneakers by Jimmy Choo (40% off)

Valentino Garavani Bounce logo-print leather and mesh sneaker by Valentino (30% off)

Bump Air faux leather, mesh and neoprene sneakers by Shoes 53045

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

A partnership to begin a partnership. The first release – Prada for adidas Limited Edition – is an homage to adidas, championing an emblematic adidas Originals shoe – the Superstar sneaker, originally launched in 1969 and still a lynchpin of adidas Originals style. It also introduces a new bag silhouette, the Prada Bowling bag for adidas, which echoes the Prada Bowling bag as well as the adidas gym bag, in and of itself referencing the world of sports, a style that serves to illustrate the shared narratives and intersecting heritages of Prada and adidas.

Prada for adidas Limited Edition – an homage to timeless classics that transcend generations – is offered for woman and man in exclusive limited editions of 700 pieces, both footwear and accessories numbered with a unique serial.
The duo retails online through adidas.com and prada.com, and at selected Prada stores worldwide from December 4, 2019.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada / adidas #pradaforadidas

Streamlined, innovative, technical, real – Prada Linea Rossa is engineered to modern living.
Exploring the metropolitan and urban roots of Linea Rossa – the fusion of overground and underground, of different lives and experiences – on 7 October 2019, Prada Linea Rossa collaborated with the musician and artist Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, to stage a performance moment. This unprecedented live, raw and spontaneous set staged at a station along the Central Line on London’s Tube, the ‘Linea Rossa’ running through the capital, brought the F/W 2019 Linea Rossa line to life.

This act was designed to make an everyday commute into an extraordinary experience. Completely unannounced to the audience, impossible to plan for, yet documented real-time and instantly shared, this moment was a celebration of the transient nature of our real life experiences, the spontaneous beauty of chance: the performance of our everyday.

In today’s urban world, a ‘Linea Rossa’ – a red line – is universal, a uniting emblem, simple yet complex, coded and deep. Irrespective of nationality, designed to function beyond language, it can be immediately recognized in the context of our major cities – a line through all of them, each ‘Linea Rossa’ represents travel, speed, dynamic energy. These ‘Linea Rossa’ draw individuals together, build communities – the inspiration behind the Willow Smith Linea Rossa performance.

Prada Linea Rossa has always been inspired by reality, by the demands of modern living – bodies and movement, urban reality, metropolitan clothing. Linea Rossa reflects that in clothes engineered for bodies and lives, technologically advanced, active wear designed for outstanding performance, everyday.

Such a cool marketing idea!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada and via Instagram