In collage: Printed satin-jacquard midi dress by Marni, velvet platform ankle boots by Prada and swimsuit by Eres.

«The Pantone Color of the Year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design; it’s truly a reflection of what’s needed in our world today.» – Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.

Each year PANTONE, the global color authority, chooses one Color of the Year, like a snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude. For 2018, it is a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade: PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.

Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.

Purple Rain: Prince performing in 1985

Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.

Ultra violet on the S/S 2018 runways: Gucci – Balenciaga – Moschino

Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection.

To shop ULTRA VIOLET, have a look at those fantastic pieces and get ahead of the fashion trend:

Belted asymmetric silk-mousseline blouse by Balenciaga

Spandex pumps by Balenciaga

Nail Polish in Ultra Violet (Pantone Collection) by Butter London

Embellished-leaf satin pouch by Attico

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, via Pantone

If there’s one night to go all out and turn on the flash, it’s undoubtedly New Year’s Eve. But some of us are challenged throughout the whole festive season with specific dress code for special parties. Personally speaking, I will attend the 8th annual ASW Winter Weekend Mid December at the fabulous Gstaad Palace in Switzerland and for Friday night’s dinner «La Vie en Or» the dress code says asks for «glamorous, with a touch of gold». This is great! I love any reason to wear sparkle, but such an occasion is the perfect time to shine. And gentlemen, you are in this, too!

«Golden Girl» or just a little golden accessory – you decide how much you would like to shine.

From full-on sequin dresses to just the right gold accessory, there isn’t one right way to fulfill the dress code. The golden rule is you have to feel comfortable, in every tailored sense of men’s style, is purchase clothing that fits you properly. Nothing destroys an outfit – whatever the dress code and no matter how expensive the clothes are – like an ill-fitting jacket, shirt or trousers.

In general, gold is the perfect color to lift an all-black or an all-white outfit to something glamorous and fun. Perfect for all festive occasions!

To make your life a little easier, I put together a fun guide for all budgets so that you don’t need to worry about anything and can focus entirely on celebrating the start of the winter season in style!

HIGH END BUGDET – Full Looks

Get his look: Metallic jacquard dinner jacket by Dolce & Gabbana, shirt gold detail shirt by Comme des Garçons, turn-up hem wool-blend tailored trousers by Prada, ruler cufflinks by Paul Smith, skull and polka dot tie by Alexander McQueen and leather embroidered loafers by Gucci.

Get her look: Racko open-back sequined cady mini dress by Rachel Zoe or wondering lace-paneled fil coupé georgette blouse by Temperley London and sequined wool mini skirt by Marc Jacobs, Anya d’Orsay metallic patent-leather pumps by Saint Laurent, Celeste sequined canvas clutch by Jimmy Choo and Roma gold-tone earrings by Annie Costello Brown.

HIGH END BUDGET – Great Accessories

Stand out with a statement headpiece with a touch of gold and be the queen of the night: embellished satin headband by Dolce & Gabbana.

Lifting every basic look to new heights: Candy box by Jimmy Choo.

LOW BUDGET – A touch of Gold

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on your outfit, I recommend getting some fabric with golden sequins. Those accessories will have a great effect on your outfit and can be combined with all sorts of colors. Moreover they are less expected than some golden shoes or a handbag. I still love the mixture between gold and black the best.

You don’t need to be an expert in tailoring to do some cuffs or a belt. If you get a stretchy material, you can even glue it together instead of sewing it. In case you are to lazy for some DIY, you can order them directly here:

Cuffs with gold sequins

Sequined belt

The perfect touch of gold for a man: the right colored pocket square.

LOW BUDGET – Taking the Dress Code Literally up a Notch

Zara has some cool pieces in gold. Minimal investment for a maximum effect.

Be the star of the night: golden bomber jacket for men by Zara.

The perfect touch of gold for women and great for dancing: shorts in gold combined with a black top by Zara.

And don’t forget… you want to start the New Year with something new for good luck, it’s a great excuse to add a new piece to your wardrobe.

Happy Shopping! And I am looking forward to seeing some of you in Gstaad…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Gstaad Palace and © Sandra Bauknecht

Last week, I got back from Marrakesh where I spent some amazing days among dear friends. The so-called «Jewel of the South» is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco and absolutely worth the visit with its beautiful colors, the vibrant streets and bazaars that spill over with artistry, whether it be in architecture, cuisine, crafts or fine art.

If you are interested, have a look at those great travel tips for the city that I have gotten from Aerin Lauder and Tory Burch, who designed the dress I am wearing in this post.

My look: Rosemary printed silk crepe de chine and jacquard dress by Tory Burch, leather platform pumps by Gucci, Monogram fringed shoulder bag by Saint Laurent, earrings by Chanel, gold-plated multi-strand necklace and cocktail ring, both by Etro.
My scent: Tangier Vanille by Aerin, that is inspired by Marrakesh.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

After this weekend’s summary about the 15 most important runway trends for S/S 2018, I thought you might enjoy a look also at the must-have accessories for next summer. The forecast: Get ready for your another sumptuous season! Many things are here to stay or will even take it up a notch. Sneakers are trendier than ever and have taken center stage. The ugly shoe phenomenom explores new heights as seen at Balenciaga‘s collaboration with Crocs. And we can deny it no longer: the fanny pack is here to stay. Earrings and straw hats are bigger than ever and bags are most beautiful in an array of patterns.

S/S 2018 TREND 1: FANNY BAG
Givenchy – Balenciaga – Marc Jacobs

S/S 2018 TREND 2: STATEMENT STRAW HAT
Missoni – Giorgio Armani – Jacquemus

S/S 2018 TREND 3: CLEAR VISION
Tibi – Chanel – Valentino

S/S 2018 TREND 4: SURREALISTIC SUNGLASSES
Dolce & Gabbana – Prada – Gucci

S/S 2018 TREND 5: SNEAKERS RELOADED
Loewe – Louis Vuitton – Céline

S/S 2018 TREND 6: THE UGLY SHOE
Balenciaga – Christopher Kane – Miu Miu

S/S 2018 TREND 7: GLOVES
Olivier Theyskens – Calvin Klein 205W39NYC – Erdem

S/S 2018 TREND 8: BIG EARRINGS
Saint Laurent – Stella McCartney – Isabel Marant

S/S 2018 TREND 9: PATTERNED BAGS
Dior – Chloé – Prada

S/S 2018 TREND 10: SUMMER OVERKNEE BOOTS
Fendi – Balenciaga – Versace

Photos: Via Vogue.com

S/S 2018 TREND 1: SILK ROAD
Céline – Hermès – Versace

S/S 2018 TREND 2: ART LOVERS
Akris – Prada – Missoni

S/S 2018 TREND 3: IN FULL BLOOM
Rochas – Erdem – Marni

S/S 2018 TREND 4: FRINGES
Balmain – Calvin Klein 205W39NYC– Dior

S/S 2018 TREND 5: MARABOU
Proenza Schouler – Saint Laurent – Nina Ricci

S/S 2018 TREND 6: LAVENDER
The Row – Michael Kors – Tom Ford

S/S 2018 TREND 7: LIFE IN PLASTIC
Chanel – Burberry – Valentino

S/S 2018 TREND 8: WORKOUT
Gucci – Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacobs

S/S 2018 TREND 9: PLAID PLEASE
Fendi – Prabal Gurung – Balenciaga

S/S 2018 TREND 10: 80’s DENIM
Max Mara – Stella McCartney – Oscar de la Renta

S/S 2018 TREND 11: THE TRENCH
Gabriela Hearst – Maison Margiela – Victoria Beckham

S/S 2018 TREND 12: SHOW YOUR UNDIES
Christopher Kane – Miu Miu – Alessandra Rich

S/S 2018 TREND 13: RAINBOW
Peter Pilotto – Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini – Vionnet

S/S 2018 TREND 14: WHITE AT NIGHT
Jil Sander – Alexander McQueen – Etro

S/S 2018 TREND 15: MISE-EN-SCÈNE
Moschino – Dolce & Gabbana – Comme des Garçons

Photos: via Vogue.com

Zurich is my happy place. I truly enjoy living in the Swiss city that offers so much quality of life. The lake is beautiful and I love those fall days when you can still sit outside and enjoy a moment of silence in the middle of the city.

My look: Manray leather-trimmed shearling jacket by Altuzarra, cream white cashmere sweater with bee embroidery and «Tribale» earrings, both by Dior, printed denim shirt by Saint Laurent, printed low-rise skinny jeans by Givenchy, rose diamond ring by Piaget,
 quilted single flap bag «Stars and Stripes» in blue by Chanel (Paris – Dallas collection), boots with GG print and cream white leather by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last month, when I visited Milan with my daughter, I took her to the Teatro alla Scala, the famous opera house in Milan, which is regarded as one of the leading theatres in the world. Most of Italy’s greatest operatic artists, and many of the finest singers from around the world, have appeared at La Scala. We enjoyed the German opera «Der Freischütz» by Carl Maria von Weber. Being considered the first important German Romantic opera, especially in its national identity and stark emotionality, it was a true pleasure to see it in our mother tongue surrounded by the stunning ambiance of La Scala.

My look: Ruffle-trimmed single-breasted wool coat, ruffle bow dress, embellished leather pumps, and Sylvie mini buckle leather shoulder bag, all by Gucci. Choker with evil eye symbol by Chanel, diamond rose ring and Limelight Gala watch, both by Piaget.

My scent: Gucci Bloom Eau de Parfum, which is the first fragrance developed wholly under Alessandro Michele’s creative vision and blended by master perfumer Alberto Morillas. The beautiful powdery floral scent features tuberose and jasmine combined with rangoon creeper, also called Chinese honeysuckle, which is a unique flower discovered in South India that is being used for the first time in perfumery to create a rich fragrance that transports its wearer to an imaginary garden.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
A big thank you to my daughter for taking them!

Why not making every day a Halloween Party?! I hate spending too much money on costumes but I love having pieces in my closet that combined easily transform in a fun outfit matching the theme.

Get the look: Intarsia wool sweater by Gucci, laser-cut leather mini skirt by Alaïa, Day of the Dead gold-plated earrings by I+I, satin pumps by Vetements + Manolo Blahnik, Cat oriental-jacquard clutch by Loewe, and leather-trimmed printed silk-twill scarf by Alexander McQueen.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Make an iconic style truly unique to you with the GUCCI DIY Ace sneakers. Choosing from a range of colours, personalize yours by adding your initials in GUCCI’s characteristic embroidery. These classic low-tops feature instantly-recognisable elements – the white leather upper, the green and red web at the sides, and metallic snakeskin panels at the heels.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR BESPOKE GUCCI ACE SNEAKERS.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci and © Sandra Bauknecht
(Photos in collage with my beloved Ace Sneakers are from those outfit posts: Florence – Relax)

Hello from beautiful sunny Milan. Here you see me in front of the iconic Duomo (Cathedral of Milan) which is is the largest and most complex Gothic building in Italy. But who would have thought that this embroidered skirt with the cute ice bear would also be the perfect look last night? Surprisingly it was as Moncler had transformed the Via Montenapoleone in a snowy landscape for the opening celebration of their newly renovated store. Most of the street was cordoned off and covered in white, as a multitude of snowflakes fell continuously from the building, landing on the heads and coats of the invited guests (see photo at the end).

My look: Ruffle-trimmed cotton-blend cady jacket, ruffled-hem silk and wool-blend skirt, ruffled-neck chiffon blouse, Queercore embellished leather ankle boots, GG Marmont matelassé shoulder bag and oversized round-frame actate sunglasses, all by Gucci.
Horsebit blue topaz diamond white gold ring by Gucci Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht