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

“I create so that each and every woman is the most beautiful“. Christian Dior

Christian Dior was a visionary. Beginning with his first collection in 1947 he rewrote the rules of modern elegance and imposed his style on the entire world. He brought women his vision of beauty and happiness. He showed unprecedented creative originality.

In a dress embroidered with thousands of flowers designed by Raf Simons, Natalie Portman reveals a new facette of Miss Dior – Le Parfum, which I was able to explore in detail before the grand opening of the exhibition at the Grand Palais dedicated to this iconic scent.

Me in my beloved Bambi print neoprene sweatshirt by Givenchy, belt by Bottega Veneta and stretch-leather skinny pants by Gucci.

François Demachy with me

Miss Dior is a green chypre, the world’s first. When it appeared in 1947, its construction was unique, a masterful balancing act of notes: the citric from a citrus fruit, the floral drawn straight from the garden, and then the woody notes of patchouli and oak moss.

“When Miss Dior was created in 1947, it was a perfume unlike any other. The green chypre was known at the time, but no one had succeeded in developing the green note in the chypre in a way that produced an harmonious result,” explains François Demachy, Dior’s perfumer-creator.

Miss Dior is a family and its various accords depend on the compositions, on the different raw materials with which they’re made. Thus, the citrus is expressed by a neroli (in the Eau de Toilette), a Sicilian mandarin (Eau de Parfum and the Parfum) or a Calabrian bergamot (Eau Fraîche); then jasmine, ylang-ylang and rose alternately form the fragrance’s floral bouquet; with oak moss, sandalwood, vetiver or patchouli writing the woody notes.

” Miss Dior is a highly codified succession of materials that in themselves have nothing in common. But it’s when these materials are mixed together that the fabled Miss Dior harmony is formed, the one that every woman recognizes,” François Demachy states.

Regarding the name, there is a sweet anecdote. Catherine, the little sister of Christian Dior, walked down the stairs when the designer’s muse Mitza Bricard exclaimed “Miss Dior” in her unique way that made him think of the ultimate chic.

Very interesting to know is that in the beginning when the perfume was launched, you could only get it if you bought a dress at Dior. Isn’t it funny how the world has changed. Today, you mostly buy into the world of Dior via a fragrance… but as Christian Dior put it: “Perfume is the finishing touch to a dress.” And again, I couldn’t agree more and Miss Dior Le Parfum definitely belongs to my favorites.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

During the last two weeks, the Grand Palais hosted the flagship exhibition dedicated to the spirit of Miss Dior, the house’s famous and first fragrance. To celebrate the opening night, celebrities such as Natalie Portman, the face of Dior, Sophie Marceau, Karl Lagerfeld and many more came to see the exhibition themselves, followed by an amazing after party also hosted at the Grand Palais. I felt very honored to be invited to such an exclusive event.

Arriving with Mary Ma, international model and Chinese fashion designer.

Christian Dior himself, a creative and visionary genius, managed to unite couture and perfumes. During my visit to the exhibition, I enjoyed exploring the designer’s life and work plus his artistic influences.

To illustrate his passion for art, it also presented the works of fifteen contemporary women artists, who were inspired by the iconic scent Miss Dior. Below you can see my favorite artworks.

ALYSON SHOTZ
” I love that idea of there being no surface, no inside or outside. Surface is structure, and vice versa. These shapes are created by assembling a large whole, piece by piece. The observer visually combines all the little parts and when he walks around the sculpture, his eyes and brain assemble these shapes in different ways.”

For New Yorker Alyson Shotz, the rose theme, a flower dear to Christian Dior, also inspired her sculpture Infinite Rose with its reflections of steel and dichroic film, which changes color and shape depending on the movement of light, and that of the observer.

MARIA NEPOMUCENO
“I decided to bring the bottle of Miss Dior perfume, which for me is an object related to elegance and delicacy, to my own universe. I transformed the shape of the bottle into an object made of clay, from which tentacles and roots protrude, but also crevices with emerging organic elements.”

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1976, Maria transcends the Miss Dior bottle to create an organic and sensual installation using different material. Spirals of nylon, rope, straw and woven pearls are rolled up in an endless process, like a living sculpture, moving matter that bonds everyday life, cosmology and genetics.

JOANA VASCONCELOS
“I enjoyed being able to merge with the Miss Dior spirit, and its combination of extremes, that engage the world of couture and playfulness, architectural rigor and cotton candy lightness.”

My avid readers might recognize Joana Vasconcelos from her current solo exhibition at the Gucci Museo in Florence. For Dior, she has imagined a carbon fiber bow some 3 meters wide adorned with almost 1.665 perfume bottles and LED lights. This is probably the most impressive installation of the exhibition.

NIKA ZUPANG
“Starting out with a vision of the idealized and somewhat conservative Dior woman, I wanted to shake up her image. I didn’t want to distort it, I just set out to highlight the strengths of her unique, singular character.”

Recognized the world over for her objects midway between fantasy and narration, the Slovenian designer explores femininity from every angle with a series of pieces and collaborations, highlighting sensuality and seduction. Here, she created a fairy-tale pavilion dedicated to women and their aspirations. This was one of my favorite artworks of the exhibition.

KAREN KILIMNIK
“When seeing this piece, I would like visitors to the exhibition to want to take a look through the archives of Dior.”

Born in Philadelphia, Karen Kilimnik dramatizes today’s consumer society and the world of images through her paintings and lyrical installations, with a profound sense of romanticism. Inspired by the 18th century Drottingholm Theater in Sweden and the design sets for Alexei Ratmansky’s production of Psyche, but also fascinated by the Dior archives and first models, she has taken a new look at the follies and gloryfiers.

CAROLE BENZAKEN
“In Miss Dior, I don’t see a woman, I see colors and landscapes. It is a relationship between skin and veins, heart and heartbeat, music, life.”

With Carole Benzaken, media – drawing, painting, photography, video -, intertwine and overlap each other. She designed a majestic but fragile opalescent glass sculpture spanning one meter, surrounded by seven back-lit vats decorated with wooded landscaped drawings, like the idea of a liquid and immaterial fragrance that takes up and appropriates space.

POLLY APFELBAUM
” I decided to create a work that reflected Dior’s audacity and the brand’s tradition of allying the new with the classical.”

It was the houndstooth pattern that inspired the American artist’s large-scale installation, hand-woven in Mexico using the traditional weaving techniques of Oaxaca.

LEE BUL
“Smell is the most closely related sense to memory. A sense that appeals to emotions more than a reason.”

An unmissable figure from the Asian artistic scene, she created a dozen monumental sculptures in crystal and aluminum. For this exhibition, she has taken a new look at the olfactive memory of Miss Dior, its light and modernity at the center of an installation designed as a manifesto, standing 5 meters high and weighing almost 500 kg.

I stepped inside this suspended cocoon for a private journey on self-reflection.

CARLA MATTI
“I chose to interpret the theme of Dior’s beloved rose in my own poetical way.”

Under a venomous hybrid appearance, the works of Carla Matti are about nature and reality, the world and its virtual dimension. This young Italian artist scanned then recomposed and computer printed in 3-D the legendary Miss Dior rose which is transformed into a sculpted rose garden full of original flowers taken from a bend of five different floral varieties.

At the after party: Having fun with the fabulous Montasar Dumas.

It was such a fabulous event and I truly had a blast. If you like my look, here are all the details: Black strapless dress by Prada, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps by Saint Laurent, skirt belt, feather stole, handbag and pearl necklace, all by Dior.

Thank you Vanity Fair for featuring me among the most amazing celebrities!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior, Vanity Fair and © Sandra Bauknecht

Last month, during those last days of summer, I had the chance to shoot this fun project with Tiffany & Co. for their new Atlas collection. The beautiful Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich was the perfect backdrop to showcase this infinity jewelry.

My look: Dotted silk shirt and dress, both by Prada, pumps in pale pink cracked leather by Miu Miu, Lady Dior bag by Christian Dior, cat eye embellished mirrored acetate sunglasses by Dolce & Gabbana, all jewelry pieces in white gold and watch by Tiffany & Co..

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

As promised, here is the detailed post about my outfit that I wore to the amazing event in Munich with Karl Lagerfeld this week. I got really spoilt. In my lovely room at the Louis Hotel, some gorgeous gifts waited for me and I am all excited to have a limited edition couture dress by Mr Lagerfeld in my closet now.

My look: Beaded organza dress by Karl Lagerfeld Couture, quilted leather bag (also available in black) by Karl Lagerfeld, coral shape heels by Chanel, earrings by Christian Dior, Limelight Gala watch and diamond rose ring, both by Piaget.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Christian Dior was a man who believed in fate. One April night in 1946, the couturier stepped on a metal star and saw it as a sign. The next day, he set out to create his Couture House. Since then, this star has continued to sparkle in the Dior constellation, and particularly on the Fall 2013 make-up collection, with trendy shimmering shades and metallic reflections.

5-COULEURS MYSTIC METALLICS

Christian Dior’s lucky charm shines over the new must-have collection and decorates the mythical 5 Couleurs palette. Sculpted with stars, the eye shadows shimmer with metallic shades and reflections. Shrouded in mystery, eyes have never been so magnetic.

Two colour harmonies exist in shades of violet and silver (864 Constellation) or blue-greens and browns (384 Bonne Etoile).

CHF 92.00

DIORSHOW FUSION MONO
Long-Wear Professional Mirror-Shine Eyeshadow

In a single step, Diorshow Fusion Mono creates multidimensional contrasts for a professional makeup effect. Its unique cushiony gel-foam texture brightens the eyes with faceted, long-lasting colour and a weightless finish.

Apply two ways for two different effects:
Soft fusion: applied with the fingertips, the texture blends into the skin for a weightless finish and subtly shimmering result. Bold fusion: using the smudging applicator, the finish is intensified to reveal pure and extreme colour.

Pro tips: dampen the applicator slightly for a spectacular lamé effect.

Available in 8 shades:
Lune sublime, immaculate and iridescent, for poetic eyes. – Étoile the glittering sparkle of stardust. – Aventure a dense, gleaming black, the bearer of infinity. – Cosmos the magical blue of a night beneath the heavenly skies. – Millenium khaki with bronze facets for an avalanche of light. – Météore a flamboyant and passionately sensual amber. – Chimère the charm of opaline pink, flowing on your skin. – Hypnotique a deep purple made sublime with silver.

CHF 49.00

DIOR VERNIS MYSTIC MAGICS

Mystic. Edgy. The new Dior manicure creates surprise and makes your look pulsate with a shadowy blue lacquer which, owing to its integrated magnet, reveals an enigmatic motif. Luxury in its raw state.

CHF 42.00

DIOR VERNIS

Shimmering lights of silvery pink (382 Destin) and brocade prune (992 Galaxie): these two shades propel nail lacquer into a new dimension, for a half-shadow, half-light aesthetic that is always stylish.

CHF 37.00

DIORBLUSH

The Diorblush has been reinvented. A new formula gives maximum expression to pigments. This micronized powder goes on as a veil of pure, evanescent, weightless colour. In red, pink, coral and nude, with the new motif, colours explode with uncompromising energy. Face make-up is stylish and blush is the new dress code, determining dress colour and lipstick. Addictive and a fashion whim, Diorblush promises to be the new «must-wear.»

Fusion: apply with the flat of the brush, to fuse colour with the skin. Perfect for a healthy look. Sculpting: apply with the bevelled edge of the brush for professional «contouring » to shade temples, redefine face shape and define cheekbones etc.

Diorblush is available in 13 colours divided into 4 colour spectrums (pink, red, coral and
nude) and 3 finishes (iridescent, matte and satin).

CHF 68.00

This amazing Dior makeup collection is in stores now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior, Bettman CORBIS

Without doubt, one of my absolute favourite collections for F/W 2013 is DIOR. Raf Simons takes the French Maison to new heights with this literally speaking very artistic collection. It is the story of affinities between the founder, Monsieur Christian Dior, and the designer himself.

I have fallen in love with the new looks already on the runway and during my re-see in the showroom during Paris Fashion Week, I have been completely taken by all the beautiful details that I will share with you today.

This season, Raf Simons focuses on this notion of memory and how it shapes the nature of design at the house; how this works for himself and how it once worked for Christian Dior.

“This collection is more connected to passions we share,” says Raf Simons. “Like a real interest in art – Christian Dior started his career as a gallerist and represented both Dali and Giacometti early on. The connection to certain periods of time is also significant, his obsession with the Belle Époque in his case, the Mid-Century modern in mine. Here the connections made are important, the very idea of them rather than what they are made to; the attraction and obsession is the significant part.”

The collection functions in the form of a visual scrapbook, a collage of clothing containing significant moments in time both for Raf Simons and the house of Christian Dior. A Dior coat can function easily alongside a further exploration of the Bar jacket in wool denim, itself teamed with a new take on Oxford bags.

Dior’s iconic houndstooth motif is explored and transposed, emerging frequently as a wool bustier. A notion of asymmetry, begun in the haute couture collection, can be seen throughout, resulting in a abundance of permutations in the silhouettes that can go from short to long in one look. The collection is full of unexpected juxtapositions and visual non sequitur; a free association, like a personal scrapbook, both playful and profound, it embraces idiosyncrasy, culminating in what Simons refers to as “memory dresses.”

Here, a typical twenties shift shape (Think of the The Great Gatsby‘s influence!) is embroidered and appliqued with motifs that point to parts of the personal history of Dior; a Surrealist style free association culminates in these clothes and is up for open interpretation. They also display the new graphic sensibility that is introduced in this collection and permeates throughout. This is most significantly displayed in the unique collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in the collection.

The early hand drawn work from the 1950s of the artist Andy Warhol is found as a recurring motif of the mid-century style printed or embroidered on the clothing and accessories.

“For me Warhol made so much sense,” says Simons of this collaboration. “I was interested in the delicacy and sensitivity in the early work he did, I was drawn to that graphic style naturally in this collection. It was that notion of hand work and personal signature that fitted throughout.”

These notions of Surrealism and Pop are brought together in the dreamscape of the show set. As a Magritte-style cloud path meanders around the gigantic mirrored spheres of the space, the mix of memory and desire in the collection is brought to dream-like culmination.

Below, you can enjoy some of the accessories that are to die for. The embroidered boots are definitely on my must-have shopping list.

Dior’s amazing F/W 2013 collection will hit the stores aproximately end of August, beginning of September 2013. If I have whetted your appetite for some serious shopping, you should have a look at the house’s extremely beautiful Pre-fall 2013 collection which has started to arrive.

A collection which shows the new juxtapositions in perfection: a billowing very couture-like skirt that is tied at the waist and reaching to the floor in back is paired with a cashmere-silk knit tee (see collage below to the right) or a sort of wool fabric belt that elevates the look to a new level of style. I imagine Raf’s casual glamour will become his signature. One thing is for sure, we will see more and more Dior on the streets and the house jacket will be identifiable everywhere. Personally speaking, I am madly in love! My collection for the upcoming season!

LoL, Sandra

Runway photos: Courtesy of Dior, Showroom pictures: © Sandra Bauknecht

Whether you like floral, fruity, or the scent of the ocean itself, one spritz of these new fragrances will conjure up the sweet or refreshing smell of summer that is desperately needed during those cold and rainy days.

Here are my personal favorites:

CLASSIQUE Summer Fragrance by Jean Paul Gaultier

The design of this year’s summer limited edition of Classique is inspired by tattoos featuring carp motifs or koi tattoos.

ORIENTAL FLORAL

Top notes: Clementine, rose and orange blossom
Middle notes: Jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley and white iris
Base notes: Vanilla, musk and amber

Available now for CHF 85.00 (100ml)

ROBERTO CAVALLI ACQUA by Roberto Cavalli

The very elegant turquoise successor to the Roberto Cavalli Eau de Parfum from 2012 is inspired by exciting nights in the Mediterranean. The perfect scent for a party on a yacht.

FLORAL AQUATIC

Top notes: Lemon, watery notes and jasmine
Middle notes: Lily-of-the-valley
Base note: Musk

Available now for CHF 63.00 (30ml), CHF 94.50 (50ml) and CHF 123.00 (75ml)

CK ONE Summer 2013 Eau de Toilette by Calvin Klein

This limited edition for 2013 offers an interesting combination of citruses, fruits, aquatic and aromatic notes. A wonderful refreshing scent for a hot summer day, like a splash from a waterfall.

AROMATIC ACQUATIC

Top notes: Citruses and watery notes
Middle notes: Water lily, caraway seeds, watermelon and cucumber
Base notes: Moss, woody notes and musk

Available now for CHF 55.00 (100ml)

J’ADORE Voile de Parfum by Christian Dior

My absolute favourite for summer. Like a gentle veil it leaves a sensual trail on the skin, very elegant and light.

FLORAL

Top note: Damask rose
Middle note: Tuscan iris
Base note: White musk

Available now for CHF 115.00 (50ml) and CHF 165.00 (100ml)

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

When I presented you the first photos of the Dior Iconic event in February, I wasn’t allowed to show you all. But it is time to reveal the missing pictures. The new DIORSHOW ICONIC OVERCURL mascara is gorgeous and this month, DIOR is adding some fabulous lip glosses and nail polishes to their line. I felt so honoured to be photographed for this new launch as well.

The official photos by Dior are in the collage above. Moreover, you can enjoy some behind the scenes photos below.

As Christian Dior said: “Colour is indispensable for beauty. Lipstick is a fashion accessory”.

Let me introduce you to the indispensable beauty manifesto. DIOR ADDICT GLOSS is the new magic touch for shine and fashion. A creative, addictive accessory for experimenting with this season’s trends.

Ultimate shine, playing with effects, turning heads: all eyes are on DIOR ADDICT GLOSS. And needless to say, the spot is on nails as well with the matching DIOR VERNIS. Have fun experimenting and mix and match your new sparkling must-haves!
Here are all the details:

DIOR ADDICT GLOSS
With the help of its magic formula, it provides lips with incredible shine and complete comfort. Its secret: the Mirror Shine Complex, an unrivalled procedure perfected by the Dior Research team. Each color has its own fashion effect, making it beautiful and unique, addictive, and as sexy as a pair of stilettos. Available in 24 different shades for CHF 45.00 each.

The stars of the shoot: “SHIMMER” SHADES
A fun, sensual collection for lips that do as they please, both night and day. Meticulously dosed glitter is carefully chosen to match the gloss, for a spectacular shimmering effect. Stylish, tailored shine for your lips and inspired by that, the magic goes right down to your fingertips.
DIOR VERNIS gets also some “shimmer” with 4, new, star shades:

Diablotine, Spring Ball, Princess and Délice.
DIOR ADDICT GLOSS – CHF 45.00 each
DIOR VERNIS – CHF 37.00 each

To finish off your manicure, try the new DIOR GEL COAT.
This visionary topcoat produces the perfect, ultra-shine finish of a professional style, gel-effect manicure. Smooth and elegantly curved, nails are lacquered with exceptional, long wear shine that dramatizes their glittering sparkle.
DIOR GEL COAT – One Shot – CHF 37.00

What a gorgeous idea, for the shoot, I got a special Dior Cannage manicure.

Thank you to the whole Dior team for letting me be part of this amazing event!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior and © Sandra Bauknecht

For S/S 2013, the designers have come up with some outstanding accessories. The ones I put together for you are like pieces of art, highly collectibles that probably belong more in a vitrine than to be worn. At least, it is fun to look at them.

THE SEASON OF EYE-CATCHING CLUTCHES

Lego clutch by Chanel

Butterfly clutch by Bottega Veneta

Clutch bag with Madonna print by Givenchy

Enameled resin perfume clutch by Lanvin

Jewel plexiglass butterfly clutch by Valentino

THE SEASON OF THE STATEMENT SHOE

Mink pumps by Céline

Magic square slingback pump by Louis Vuitton

Cherie poodle patent sandals by Charlotte Olympia

Strappy sandals by Alexander Wang

Patent-leather ankle-cuff sandals by Gucci

THE SEASON TO INVEST IN FASHION JEWELRY

Necklace by Christian Dior

Ruthenium-plated Swarovski crystal flamingo necklace by Roberto Cavalli

Metal circle earrings by Balmain

Large pom pom and raffia earrings by Dolce & Gabbana

Cuff by Erickson Beamon

I hope that you have enjoyed my little accessory report for S/S 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands