Sandra‘s Closet

It is official, Alexander Wang is Balenciaga‘s new Creative Director and will replace Nicolas Ghesquière at the French fashion house, who officially leaves today, after 15 years at the helm.

Alexander Wang with me

Rumors had been out quite awhile that the American designer  would be the perfect choice for the PPR-owned fashion house Balenciaga, because Wang knows how to make edgy and groovy commercial. Congrats, Alexander, well-deserved! (If you are interested to read an interview, I did with Alexander Wang two years ago, please click here!)

Christopher Kane with me

Another one, editors were considering for the job, was Christopher Kane, who has just left his position at Versus to focus on his own line.

Gianni Versace Spa follows a new strategic repositioning of the Versus brand. Digital is the key word and under Donatella Versace’s creative leadership, there will be collaborations with young designers, stylists, and creatives from different walks of life, to develop capsule collections, co-branding projects, limited editions. Yesterday, the first designer to create a capsule collection for Versus has been announced: Jonathan Anderson, the designer behind the J.W. Anderson fashion label for men and women. The launch event is planned for March/April 2013 in New York.

Bruce Weber, 1996

For the capsule collection, Jonathan Anderson was particularly inspired by an image from a campaign shot by Bruce Weber with Donatella in 1996. “For me,” said Jonathan, “this iconic image says it all, that’s how I see Versus. It’s all about the relationship between a boy and a girl, a girl and a girl, a boy and a boy. Purity.”

The New York Times is reporting rumours that Nicolas Ghesquière‘s next move might be his own label at LVMH. It seems like this time , the designer carrousel is one where everyone turns out to be a winner.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versus, Style, J.W. Anderson, © Wenn, © Sandra Bauknecht

Another blockbuster fashion event took place this week in NYC. One evening after the Maison Martin Margiela with H&M launch party, Donatella Versace hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the opening of her new Versace boutique in Soho on 160, Mercer Street followed by a dinner at the Waldorf Towers.

A huge variety of celebrities chose to attend both events, with everyone from Gerard Butler and Kanye West to supermodel Linda Evangelista and close friend of the House Lady Gaga.

Carrying both menswear and womenswear ready-to-wear collections in addition to accessories, the store will also house special collaborations.

Kicking off the shop’s opening, Donatella Versace tapped Christopher Kane, who also creates the Versus line, to design a capsule collection of tees and other items with iconic Versace images pulled from the archives, which will be sold exclusively at the Soho store. With printed T-shirts being so à la mode, be sure that those tops will activate another fashion hype!

Below, find a complete list of celebrities who chose to wear Versace:

Donatella Versace entered the cocktail party at the boutique in a Fall 2012 black corset top with a Swarovski encrusted jewelled cross emblem on the front with a velvet pencil skirt (see photo below with Princess Charlene of Monaco).  She changed later for the dinner into another look from Fall 2012 (as you can see above with Lady Gaga) – she was perfect in a black Versace leather top with crescent-shaped neckline with Swarovski crystal details and Versace leather pants, completely embedded with Swarovski crystal details from the knee down.

Princess Charlene of Monaco wore a chic black Versace cocktail dress paired with thigh-high leather Versace runway boots with a gold capped-toe. She finished her look with a black Versace cashmere waistcoat with leather inserts.

Linda Evangelista wore a black velvet Versace coat from the Fall 2012 runway enriched by Swarovski crystal crosses.

Doutzen Kroes wore a Versace Fall 2012 black coat with flared skirt covered entirely in Swarovski crystals.

Bar Refaeli looked amazing in a fitted black leather cocktail dress with Swarovski crystals detailing with a matching leather jacket and black Versace booties.

Coco Rocha wore a black dress with metallic detailing from Versace Fall 2012 paired with black Versace Fall pointed toe pumps.

Alexa Chung here with Christopher Kane wore a look from the Versus Fall 2012 runway: a burgundy knit turtleneck top paired with a matching leather miniskirt.

Karolina Kurkova wore a black leather bomber jacket with intricate floral detailing with a pencil skirt with a matching pattern, paired with black Versace pumps and a black Versace clutch.

Leigh Lezark sporting a yellow cocktail dress with leather cutouts at the hem and on the side with a modern crescent shaped neckline. She completed her look with black Versace shoes.

Tali Lennox, daughter of Annie Lennox, wore a full look from Versus Fall 2012 – she looked fabulous in a fuchsia top, miniskirt, and huge fur coat. She completed her outfit with blue booties with fuchsia inserts.

Hunger Games star Alexander Ludwig chose a Fall 2012 look – he wore a blue floral printed suit with matching tie. He completed his look with Versace Fall boots with gold buckles and a black Versace belt with a medusa buckle.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

Since last June, I have been working on this exciting collaboration with Closed. And finally today, I can present you the result! After many different sketches, all sorts of drafts, from floral prints to wordplays and slogans, I presented the team of Closed my ideas. Some of them you can see above. The city prints were among their favorites and so I designed the Zurich edition.

I took this panoramic photo this summer and altered it with a computer-generated berry colour to create this print.

And below is the final result that I am so excited about!
TO SHOP PLEASE CLICK HERE

Great news for my readers, one of you has the chance to win this T-shirt in size M.
All you have to do is send me an e-mail to with the header “Zurich Edition”.

All entries must be received until November 1st, 2012. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.

For an interview with me and Silvia Haghjoo, who also created a very cool blogger T-Shirt with Closed, please click here.

One thing is for sure, I will wear my T-shirt to many occasions. It is a very versatile piece that you can dress up or down easily.

Today’s look: Neon biker jacket by Christopher Kane, limited print blogger T-Shirt and Baker stretch pants, both by Closed, flocked suede clutch by Gucci, bangle by Sal y Limon, Melt black powder pumps by Minna Parikka and Pasha watch by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht – Still: Courtesy of Closed

London Fashion Week is always my favourite and the British designers are among the ones I like to wear the most. London is about individuality and the most extraordinary talents are based there. Prints and vibrant colours have been seen once more and the British capital seems to be in a blue mood.

Enjoy my little runway reviews!

LoL, Sandra

Mary Katrantzou makes all the heads turn and my heart leap for joy. I am such a big fan of her designs and her S/S 2013 collection has taken her creativity to a new level. Inspired by stamps and banknotes, Mary paired for example metallic brocades and Swarovski crystal mesh printed with banknote designs to achieve an eye-catching look. Her silhouettes were new and different from previous seasons. There is nobody else that flourishes like her. Thumbs up!

Stay tuned for an upcoming post in which I show you all the beautiful details of the collection that I photographed at Mary’s first own showroom in Paris.

Burberry Prorsum has been the blockbuster show of London Fashion Week since quite some time. The house’s social media forerun gives it a worldwide inimitable presence. For the next summer, Christopher Bailey has made “corsets and capes” his must-haves. Metallics in every shade and superb bags, especially in the translucent version will surely be among the house’s new season bestsellers.

Christopher Kane’s collection for S/S 2013 is certainly something for all fashion monsters, in the true sense of the word. At the first sight, you see simple pieces, all white on white, dresses and skirts in pastel hues – however, with a closer look it is clear that there is something more, some pieces are held together with big transparent plastic screws and there is Frankenstein on a T-shirt which will surely be copied a million times. I love it!

It was 15 years ago that Matthew Williamson launched his brand, and his glamourous cocktail and red carpet designs are still up-to-date. His amazing sense for colour could be seen in his S/S 2013 collection in perfection. Great news: Williamson is launching his own line of shoes for the next season, and he showed off his first platform styles on the runway.

Roksanda Ilincic is the queen of colour-blocking and she reinvents the trend each season new. For summer, Ilincic was inspired by the colour experimentation of the artist Josef Albers, something “rigid, masculine, and precise”.

Personally speaking, Peter Pilotto reminded me a little of Mary Katrantzou‘s previous seasons this time. And I don’t mean it badly, both designers belong to this famous new generation of prints. It was a very rich feast for the eyes, as Pilotto and De Vos created their prints three-dimensionally, while adding all sorts of ruffles and flounces. I like it a lot!

Shop Peter Pilotto S/S 2013 now on Moda Operandi!

After five years of showing in New York, Preen, a.k.a. Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, returned to the London catwalk this season. Very pretty were the textured designs combining heavy fabrics with sheers to give the illusion of stripes.

Meadham Kirchhoff always reminds me of Vivienne Westwood at her best. This season, Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchhoff outdid themselves, staging a show so opulent and rococo that I just would like to have everything.

Vivienne Westwood Red Label seemed posh compared to Meadham Kirchhoff‘s baroque approach. Her models with full faces of green, blue, yellow, and pink makeupwalked on the catwalk in ’50s inspired clothing, from fine wool twinsets to pink silk jacquard skirtsuits and cocktail dresses.

Antonio Berardi came up with beautiful very feminine designs in all hues of blue, embellished with sparkling sequins. Tailoring has been his main focus since he emerged as a designer in the Nineties.

It’s all about the two piece for Jonathan Saunders who came up with this lovely red sequin look for example. Personally speaking, I have loved the first looks for which he used a kind of hologram-style shiny materials.

This was my look that I wore to the Valentino S/S 2013 show:

Silk shirt and cadillac sunglasses, both by Prada, floral-print stretch-crepe skirt by Dolce & Gabbana, PS11 Mini Classic textured-leather shoulder bag by Proenza Schouler, earrings by Chanel and Red on Red Rockstud kitten heels by Valentino.

Outside I ran into Holli Rogers, Net-à-Porter’s Buying Director, who looked absolutely stunning in her leather and brocade dress by Christopher Kane along with the patent-leather pumps by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The new season is fast approaching and some of the best F/W 2012 runway looks are available now. This is your chance to be in fashion’s forefront.

Brocade is set to be one of the season’s hottest trends, and Stella McCartney‘s black and cobalt pattern is a typically chic take on the look.

Wool-blend brocade top and Patty brocade skirt, both by Stella McCartney

No one delivers contemporary femininity quite like Christopher Kane, and this rose-flocked tulle dress is a standout piece from his F/W 2012 runway show.

Leather-trimmed flocked tulle dress by Christopher Kane

With his trendsetting vision, Marc Jacobs predicts precisely what women want to wear every season.

Metallic bouclé wool-blend jacket and metallic bouclé wool-blend skirt, both by Marc Jacobs

Mary Katrantzou brings her beautifully mesmeric prints to knitwear this season. Coziness has never been that beautiful.

Wool-blend dress by Mary Katrantzou

Miu Miu‘s acclaimed F/W12 runway collection was a riot of colour and dandy-esque tailoring. Miuccia Prada‘s message was clear: Pants are a must for the new season!

Belted wool-crepe tunic and wool-crepe straight-leg pants, both by Miu Miu

LoL, Sandra

This was my look I wore to a dinner with friends. I love two-tone dresses as they are easy to combine and so classic. You will enjoy them for many seasons to come. For winter, try this sophisticated piece in a different colour combination.

Sophie two-tone crepe dress (available this season in signal-orange and navy blue), brass palm tree brooch , all by Stella McCartney, green python leather jacket (from a previous season) by Gucci, Clematis leather clutch by Christopher Kane, cherry earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, Twilly by Hermès and coral shape heels by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, I went to Bucherer‘s annual brunch at the lovely Chez Fritz restaurant at Lake Zurich in Switzerland. Highlight of the event was a fashion show in collaboration with Gassmann during which the guests could admire some of Bucherer’s fantastic high jewelry pieces.

My Sunday Look:
Neon wool-blend crepe biker jacket, pleated cotton top, cutout silk-blend jacquard skirt, all by Christopher Kane, patent faux leather belt, peep-toes in faux python with neon pink detail and matching new Grace multizip shoulder bag, all by Stella McCartney, earrings by Christian Dior and my new Culte sunglasses by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Why wear just one or two colours when you can shove seven plus into one outfit?

My look: Rainbow cotton and silk-blend dress by Christopher Kane, paisley-print cotton-poplin jacket by Jil Sander, resin bead necklace by Marni, bag and shoes by Miu Miu, earrings by Bulgari.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Frieze Art Fair is renowned for cutting edge art and a fashion-forward crowd. Established in London in 2003 by the infinitely stylish Matthew Slotover and his co-director Amanda Sharp, it has become one of the art world’s hottest tickets.

This month, London’s coolest art fair hits Manhattan for the first time with the launch of Frieze New York. The four-day event (May 4-7) will see over 1000 of the world’s leading artists gather alongside curators, gallerists and collectors all set against a cool waterside backdrop and with a hip lineup of pop-up restaurants, parties and people to spot. And fashion trendsetters such as Net-à-porter and Mulberry join forces with the art world:

Co-publishers of Frieze Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp at the Mulberry dinner

On Friday, May 4 Mulberry hosted an intimate dinner in celebration of the Frieze Art Fair’s New York debut and in honour of the artists of Frieze Projects, of which Mulberry is the sponsor.

Frieze Projects is a not-for-profit initiative featuring commissioned artworks around the outdoor space of Randall’s Island, which are accessible to all visitors to the area. The dinner was held at The Crown restaurant on New York’s Upper East Side (readers of my fashion column in the SI Style magazine know this place already).

The beautiful decorated entrance to The Crown Restaurant

The ambiance

Among the fashionable guests: Derek Blasberg and Alexa Chung

The Clarins-Courtin sisters

Lana Del Rey

American singer Lana Del Rey performed during the evening, wearing the three quarter blouse in flame heavy lace and the fitted pencil skirt in flame, both from the F/W 2012 Collection. Lana was Emma Hill’s inspiration for Mulberry’s newest bag, the Del Rey, which launches in stores and online in mid-May.
(Stay tuned as I will keep you inform you once it hits the shelves).

Mulberry’s Del Rey Bag

Last night, May 5 influencers from the worlds of fashion and art came together to join NET-A-PORTER for a cocktail party and dinner celebrating Frieze Art Fair’s Chelsea Gallery Night, a night where more than 20 of Chelsea’s finest galleries opened their doors for a neighborhood block party filled with exclusive gallery previews, live music and food.

The NET-A-PORTER-sponsored event at the Hôtel Americano kicked off with roof-top cocktails and music by London DJ, Bip Ling, and continued with a seated dinner.

The Big Frieze hits NYC, I love!

LoL, Sandra

Christopher Kane with Natalie Massanet in a lace dress by Alessandra Rich

Giovanna Battaglia in a black leather coat
(Don’t we love the floral lace A-line dress by Miu Miu to the left and the neon-orange with white lace dress by Christopher Kane to the right in the background?!)

Olympia Scarry in head to toe floral prints by Proenza Schouler.

Designers Jason Wu and Roland Mouret

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry, ©Craig Barritt/WireImage, Courtesy of Net-à-Porter and Frieze New York