Sandra‘s Closet

Always on the first Monday in May, the Met Gala takes place and its 150-foot-long red carpet is probably one of the most-watched fashion events of the year with a gazillion of celebrities walking it in the most exquisite gowns. This year, it celebrated the opening of the Costume Institute’s exhibition, “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between,” that will go on until September 4, 2017.

Today I would like to share my personal list of best-dressed (and worst-dressed) celebrities that made their way last night into the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur for the party of the year. The dress code called for avant-garde black tie, either you go big or go home, enjoy!

My favorite look on the red carpet: Lily-Rose Depp‘s pink Chanel look detailed with oversized silver camellias and a creeping vine.

Who did meet the dress code the best? The answer is clearly Rihanna. She showed up once again in a full-on fashion fantasy from the Comme des Garçons F/W 2016 runway that was also an architectural miracle, paired with Rihanna Loves Chopard jewelry.

As 2017 Met Gala cochair of the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between” exhibition, Pharell Williams wore ripped denim by Comme des Garçons Jeans with a black biker jacket, and plaid shirt. His wife, Helen Lasichanh, paired her straight-off-the-F/W-2017-runway red onesie with a blonde topknot. Not showing any arms, it looked like a fashionable straightjacket.

Cara Delevingne appeared as a sci-fi fashion fantasy wearing an embellished pantsuit from Chanel‘s Spring 2017 Couture collection. I love how she always surprises.

One of my favorites! Even that Zendaya rejected the theme of the night, she ensured all eyes were on her wearing a Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda ball gown covered in a tropical parrot print.

Two thumbs up for bringing glamour to the red carpet. Jennifer Lopez looked gorgeous in a Valentino dress and Harry Winston jewelry.

Lily Collins showed up with a graphic dark bob and black lipstick, juxtaposing her sweet Giambattista Valli gown and her fierce Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

Plus-size model Ashley Graham channeled her inner flamenco dancer in a fabulous custom H&M dress. So pretty!

I am in love with Blake Lively’s Atelier Versace gown that featured a draped gold beading at the bodice, giving way to a plumed train in shades of blue. She had the best accessory of the night with her … her husband:-)! Couple goals I would say!

Another one arrived with her handsome husband who might have thought looking at his wife Gisele Bündchen in Stella McCartney, of Ed Sheeran singing «I’m in love with the shape of you» …

If you don’t have a husband to bring, bring the designer of your dress! That was Dakota Johnson‘s motto of the night, as she appeared in a stunning ruffled black Gucci gown with Alessandro Michele at her side.

Radiant like a sun goddess, actress Jessica Chastain in a yellow fluid Prada gown paired with some stunning Piaget jewelry.

Lupita Nyong’o also dazzled in Prada, pulling off the vibrant orange shade with Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

Gigi Hadid looked amazing in a nude, asymmetrical Cinderella-esque Tommy Hilfiger dress. I am just not so sure about the stay-up.

Showstopper! Leave it to Bella Hadid to steal the show in a glittering catsuit by none other than Alexander Wang. She looked so fabulous!

Priyanka Chopra did not disappoint in a bold Ralph Lauren trench coat gown with an unbelievably long train. Very different, something I like. I am just not a big fan of her booties in combination.

Like it or not, the award for most nude goes to none other than Kendall Jenner, whose slinky La Perla Haute Couture dress will absolutely go down in Met Gala history.

When it comes to Gwyneth Paltrow‘s understated Calvin Klein dress, I love the cut and the color, but I am not fond of the ankle length.

Katy Perry was unfortunately not among my favorites last night. The custom red tulle gown by Maison Margiela, designed by John Galliano himself, was topped with a heavy-looking wool coat covered in adornments like tulle flowers and plenty of beads. On the veil, a cryptic message across her eyes spelling “Witness” was embroidered, nevertheless it was truly one of the night’s most creative looks.

My favourite picture of the night! Have a look at Sarah Paulson dressed in a beautiful classy Prada gown. Her facial expression says everything! The American Horror Story actress seemed to have a heart attack after bumping into Madonna with the designer of her camouflage Moschino dress by her side, Jeremy Scott. Declaring war on fashion in camouflage, the famous singer was definitely not going incognito. I am not a fan of her look.

Swiss power at the Met Gala… Roger Federer in Gucci. I adore this snake embellishment on his back!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue.com, © Getty Images, © Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock, © Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Those stylish GUCCI paper fans will make your summer days so much cooler. Comprised of paper and a wooden handle, the designs by Alessandro Michele derive inspiration from Japan. Too cool!

Click on the highlighted text below, to be transferred directly to the store.

Owl printed fan

Flower printed fan

As if Beyoncé didn’t have enough fans :-)… she was spotted at a basketball game in New Orleans in a dramatic floor-length Gucci fur-trimmed kimono and a paper fan.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci

In the world of fashion, Gucci is the hot ticket at the moment! Alessandro Michele’s revolution is still going on strong season after season and may have not yet reached its final peek yet. His newest must-have is the Gucci Queercore shoe collection, which honors the eponymous 1980s gay punk movement. Serpents on the heels, bees and multi-straps, you just have to choose the model and the color!

Have fun!

Queercore embellished leather ankle boots

Queercore embellished leather ankle boots

Queercore brogue knee boot

Queercore brogue monk shoe

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci

In general, we are more confronted in life with things that appear real, but most of the time are usually fake. In terms of fashion this season, we are confronted with «fake» T-shirts that are actually true designer pieces, but are looking like counterfeit products.

Appliquéd distressed printed cotton-jersey T-shirt by Gucci

From Alessandro Michele‘s brilliant idea to create a plain white tee printed with the house’s GG with its signature green and red stripe that looked like a bootleg copy to Dolce & Gabbana‘s logo play.

Shopper «GG Ghost Real» by Gucci

Both tapped into the same ideas as Gucci‘s collaboration with graffiti artist Trouble Andrew, aka GucciGhost, for F/W 2016, when he sprayed bags with the word «Real» above the house’s name, that flew off the shelves and will come back this season.

T-shirts in the collage from left to right: T-shirt «Drunk and Gorgeous» and T-shirt «Daiquiri & Ginfiz», both by Dolce & Gabbana, appliquéd distressed printed cotton-jersey T-shirt and distressed and floral embroidered logo T-shirt, both by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana

The fashion world is moving fast and sometimes labels that have been around for many years become all of a sudden absolutely trendy. It takes the right designer to lead the brand to new heights just like Alessandro Michele did with Gucci. Now, there is another fashion house that you should include in your wish list: LOEWE. Founded in 1846, Loewe started life as a cooperative of leather artisans in Madrid, before German entrepreneur Enrique Loewe Roessberg took over the workshop and consolidated it under his name in 1872. The Spanish label introduced its first ready-to-wear collection in 1965, bringing fashion to the centre of the brand.

In 2013 Jonathan Anderson took over the helm at Loewe and transformed the Spanish house slowly but constantly into one of the most talked-about labels this season.

Raquel Zimmermann starred in Loewe’s S/S 2016 ad campaign.

Under Anderson’s creative direction, the label has had its logo and emblem rebranded by Parisian art duo M/M (Paris), Steven Meisel-lensed ad campaigns have been rolled out and the clothes and bags are quickly garnering must-have status among the style set. When it comes to taking a label steeped in heritage and making it relevant today, Anderson has the Midas touch.

A statement bag that you should get: Loewe‘s Joyce embellished leather shoulder bag.

A modern legacy: LOEWE Boutique Bilbao designed by architect Javier Carvajal, 1960.

An authority in leather goods for over 160 years, Loewe, under the creative vision of Anderson, continues to design classic handbags using cutting-edge techniques. With a keen interest in interiors and architecture, Javier Carvajal (the architect responsible for the modernist Loewe stores in the 1950s and 1960s) is another key inspiration.

The new must-have bag for the S/S 2017 season? Loewe‘s Puzzle leather shoulder bag.
For Anderson’s first bag style, the Puzzle, more than 40 fragments of super-soft leather have been sliced and repositioned.

«I set out to find a new way of building a bag, fundamentally questioning its structure. It was about deconstructing a conventional bag to create a flat object with a tri-dimensional function» – Jonathan Anderson.

I love it! It is definitely on my shopping list…

You can shop a great selection of LOEWE at NET-A-PORTER, LUISAVIAROMA, MATCHESFASHION and MYTHERESA.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Loewe

Absolutely trending this F/W 2016 season is wrapping a silk scarf around the handle as seen on the Louis Vuitton runway or to tie a ribbon around it as Alessandro Michele did at Gucci.

I decorated my So Black Kelly bag recently with a 90 x 90cm silk scarf by Hermès. Stay tuned, the complete look will be coming up tomorrow.

Before starting to wrap it around the handle, it is important to fold the base very precisely:

The easier way is to use a Twilly, another a silk design by Hermès that is specifically used for that purpose (although it’s also used for other things like your wrist). It is thin and an easy way to customize your bag.

The ribbon effect: Sylvie mini buckle leather shoulder bag by Gucci.

Have fun decorating your bag!

LoL, Sandra

Louis Vuitton F/W 2017

Courtesy of the Brands, via Luxury 24/7 and © Sandra Bauknecht

Bohemian luxury inspired by the gypsy free spirit, Gucci‘s romantic dresses embrace all of those feelings and I am truly addicted to Alessandro Michele‘s designs.

I wore this beautiful creation to the Zoofäscht in Zurich three weeks ago which is one of the highlights of the city’s social calendar. The black tie gala took place for the 15th time and raised CHF 780’000 for the zoo’s new Australia complex. It was a fun night with many show acts entertaining the generous guests.

My look: Appliquéd silk-jacquard and printed cotton maxi dress, Sylvie mini buckle leather shoulder bag and green suede sandals (S/S 2006), all by Gucci, Tank Américaine in yellow gold with diamonds by Cartier, Diorette ring and matching earrings, both by Dior Haute Joaillerie.

I hope that you have enjoyed the impressions of the night. Happy Friday!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Zoofäscht 2016, © Sandra Bauknecht and © Zuza Speckert/NZZ

Today, Gucci is launching an online exclusive collection of women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, available solely on gucci.com. Known as Gucci Garden, this capsule is characterised by a new print created by Creative Director Alessandro Michele, which showcases flora and fauna symbols that are part of the House’s new design lexicon. The Gucci Garden special collection is delivered in exclusively designed packaging – black-pink-and-red gift boxes and paper bags.

Here are some of the highly exclusive pieces:

Gucci Garden exclusive silk shirt

Gucci Garden exclusive Dionysus shoulder bag

Gucci Garden exclusive silk skirt

TO SHOP THE COMPLETE GUCCI GARDEN ONLINE EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci

Everybody will be talking about GUCCI’s embroidered denim jacket this season. And not only because Rihanna wore it recently in Los Angeles. The object of desire is from the brand’s pre-fall 2016 collection.

Personally speaking, I am anyway deeply impressed by Creative Director Alessandro Michele. With his appointment, the Italian House has gone to new strengths. Everywhere you look, you see the brand’s must-have pieces, on the streets or on many celebrities.

Embellishments, especially in the form of embroideries, play a very distinctive part in Michele’s collections. This denim jacket comes with a mix of birds, butterflies and flower applications. My favorite is the back where a huge tiger head graces the jacket along with the printed phrase graphics “l’aveugle par amour” which translates to “love is blind“. That, paired with a shearling lining, makes the piece an instant hit and will for sure turn heads this season.

TO SHOP THE EMBROIDERED DENIM JACKET, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci, Xposure

I am so in love with the new Gucci collections created by Alessandro Michele. Playful, feminine and in keeping with the motto «more is more», those pieces are absolute eyecatchers.

My look: Cotton-blend green lace dress, Linea G 2 leather-trimmed canvas shoulder bag, embellished leather mid-heel loafers, gold-tone crystal bracelet, double wrap ring with tiger heads, Tiger head ring with black enamel, wide band in metal and drop flower earrings with green crystals, all by Gucci. Tank Américaine in yellow gold with diamonds by Cartier, and «Dior Split» sunglasses by Dior.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht