Sandra‘s Closet

It’s not an April’s fool. I just got back from NYC to visit the Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva (so many incredible things to show you… if you have been following my Instastories, you know what I am talking about) and now I am packing again and will be off to Boston this weekend. I couldn’t be more excited as I am visiting my daughter for her birthday.

What to pack for Boston is always a challenge as the weather can be so unpredictable. You can have a beautiful sunny day followed by a snow storm 24 hours later. So layers are always a great way to be prepared for all possibilities. My teddy coat is one of my favorites to travel with. It is so light, yet so warm.

The photos were taken in several places, on the new pedestrian bridge that connects two ends of Northeastern university campus, on one of the most photographed streets in the city, Acorn Street, that is reminiscent of a colonial Boston, as well as in front of the famous bronze ducks located in the Public Garden.

My look: Teddy Bear Icon camel hair and silk-blend coat by Max Mara, Dioraura cashmere sweater by Dior, FF-jacquard shearling-lined ski headband by Fendi, fringed checked cashmere scarf by Burberry, Kurt high lace-Up boot by Celine, low-cut skinny jeans by Polo Ralph Lauren, Twilly Doll «La Folle Parade» by Hermès, and Multi Pochette Accessories in monogram canvas by Louis Vuitton.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Over the past fortnight, the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag has become a familiar sight of solidarity. By wearing this color combination to the Bold Woman Dinner with Veuve Clicquot, I wanted to send one straight and bold message: spread love not war. The world could be so beautiful if we learnt to live with each other in a peaceful way no matter our skin color or nationality.

I wish we had more female leaders – I am convinced, the world would be a better place.

My look: Blue puff-sleeve flared faille midi dress by Alexander McQueen, royal blue silk satin bow tie pumps by Aquazzura, necklace by Alessandra Rich, Constance 24 in Evercolor Lime with palladium hardware by Hermès, Maillon de Cartier 16mm 18-karat white gold diamond watch, and Clash de Cartier bracelet MM in white gold, both by Cartier, and vintage blue sapphire earrings by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

In times of quarantine and lockdowns, during holiday season or just for fun, board games  are always a welcome distraction of the day. If you have a fellow fashionista friend, this could be a great gift idea. Board games have been rendered in a variety of shapes and materials by several fashion houses, from luxe crystal-embellishments to sturdy wood. I have gathered some of the most beautifully designed chess sets and game boards that are sure to delight everyone from game novices to Kasparov-level players.

LoL, Sandra

Lambskin, resin and silver metal, black and ecru checkers set by CHANEL (Métiers d’Art 2021 Le Château des Dames) (FYI, the Zurich store has one set left)

Chess set by Prada

Acrylic chess set by Jonathan Adler

Horsecut chest game by Hermès

Crystal-embellished Dominoes game by Rosantica

K/Ikonik monogram card game by Karl Lagerfeld

Barocco Medusa puzzle game by Versace

Decorative backgammon set by L’Objet

Nudes tournament size backgammon set by Alexandra Llewellyn

Helios mahjong set by Hermès

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht
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Centuries after Marie Antoinette met her fate at the guillotine, her influence remains unshakeable. The French Queen serves as a constant source of inspiration for many fashion designers. When Jeremy Scott needed a gimmick for his Moschino F/W 2020 show, Marie Antoinette was there at the ready. Here you see me wearing one of the looks with a beautiful toile de jouy print on denim. I think this is something that Marie Antoinette would wear today.

My look: Graphic-print denim coat, jabot-collar blouse, cropped pants in printed denim, all by Moschino, Mage metallic embroidered velvet ankle boots by Manolo Blahnik, Constance 18 Mini noir black alligator mat with lizard buckle by Hermès, and  gold-plated glass pearl cameo clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography – The photos were taken at the beautiful Baur’s Zurich.
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This was my outfit that I wore to the wonderful evening at the Dolder Grand with Glenmorangie. I am such a big Zimmermann fan. The creations are so feminine and easy to wear. Combined with muted colors or black, the dresses also work their magic during winter time.

My look: Concert embroidered floral linen-blend lawn dress by Zimmermann, Kronobotte 85 leather knee boots by Christian Louboutin, Kelly So Black in box leather by Hermès, and clip earrings by CHANEL (Métiers d’Art 2012 Paris – Bombay).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Andrea Monica Hug (Instagram @andreamonicahug)
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Part of my series of self-shot outfit posts with a timer, please find today the uninhibited good girl gone bad who finds herself in a luscious floral whirlwind in the garden of good and evil. Joking aside, this is what I love about fashion, you can dress up or down and invent yourself every day new. You might wear a floral gown but in the right combination you are half-innocent and half-seductive. The choice is all yours…

My look: Winnifred belted tiered floral-print cotton-blend dress by Ulla Johnson, ruffled embroidered wool cardigan by Miu Miu, Mini Dauphine bag by Louis Vuitton, Birkin 30 in gold Epsom leather by Hermès, lace-up booties with logo buckle by CHANEL (F/W 2021), and Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Once the preserve of hippies and ravers, tie-dye has moved into the mainstream. Psychedelic and colorful, the trend prominent in the ‘60s and ’70s has returned to the runways, giving 21st-century fashion a playful twist. With its uplifting mood, the trend gathered steam during the pandemic and has remained popular ever since. I love my Gabriela Hearst tie-dye pieces that transport a little bit of summer into fall.

My look: Massey tie-dyed cashmere maxi shirt dress, Severino frayed tie-dyed cashmere scarf, and Vettel striped cashmere cardigan, all by Gabriela Hearst, Marble Silk Constance bag by Hermès, neutral Amber Ghost suede and PVC sandals by Alexandre Vauthier, Windsor round acetate sunglasses by Isabel Marant, Maillon de Cartier 16mm 18-karat white gold diamond watch, and Clash de Cartier bracelet MM in white gold, both by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Rian Davidson 
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Following on from Rouge Hermès, the founding gestures of Hermès Beauty, comes Rose Hermès. Composed of eight shades of Rose Hermès Silky Blush, two brushes, a Pommette blush case and three rosy lip enhancers, the new Rose Hermès collection of refillable and durable objects opens a new chapter for Hermès Beauty.

While Rouge Hermès is colour contained within a distinct line, Rose Hermès is the hue of a sensitive and radiant presence, the subtly nuanced continuation of a narrative composed of all the candid, tender, sensual, fresh, muted, intense and electric pinks the house has created since its origins.

I love the new products. With its round case and wide, off-centre mirror, Rose Hermès Silky Blush defies conventions. It is a disc of white and gold light in satin-finish permabrass, marked with the concave ex-libris created by Émile Hermès in 1923 and designed by Pierre Hardy to become an exceptional object for everyday use. It is distinctive for its lightness conceived for use from morning to night, anywhere.

Slipped inside its orange box then into its outer sleeve in recycled paper, this is a pure Hermès object: its use determines a gesture, a beauty ritual. As a sustainable object, it is refilled ny simply removing and replacing the powder pan.

Rose Hermès Silky Blush is a long-lasting powder that clings to the skin with the first touch. An ally in pink, its presence can be asserted or softened with a single gesture.
It is composed of key notes in a chromatic harmony of colours and scents. A new fragrance created by Christine Nagel in the same vein as Rouge Hermès reveals notes of arnica and sandalwood given a twist by hints of green tea.

The Blush Brush comes with a lacquered wooden handle and brushed metal ferrule. The goat bristle fibers, hand-assembled by a French brush-maker, exalt an everyday gesture. It enhances a daily ritual, inviting gentle application to the skin.

The Rosy Lip Enhancer is a rosy lipstick, gentle, subtle and gradual, sheer and translucent. It enhances the lips while hydrating them. It melts over the lips leaving a matt luminosity, a weightless and translucent halo that exposes emotions. It is inspired by the feel of Butler calfskin, developed by Hermès in 2012, whose butter-like name evokes smoothness in harmony with its soft, voluptuous finish and rich, full hand. This leather is often used in bags in natural shades starting with the Constance, an emblem of timeless elegance.

Rose Lip Enhancer borrows this candle wax texture, while also echoing another living legacy from the Hermès leather workshops: that of the warm, kneaded beeswax used by leather artisans to coat and protect their linen threads prior to saddle stitching. It is available in three pinks, all for a radiant smile.

Rose Hermès Silky Blush is available in eight shades for CHF 77.00 each.
Blush Brush (2 sizes) CHF 69.00 and CHF 104.00.
Rosy Lip Perfector is available in three shades for CHF 51.00 each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hermès and © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored. However, I received the products to test them.

Fashion can make us dream. Some looks invite us to indulge in a fairytale, among them tulle gowns that are absolutely trending this season. This was the outfit that I wore to the Acqua di Parma event lately.

My look: Embroidered cardigan (Look 46 Pre-collection S/S 2021) and Première Electro watch, both by CHANEL, raspberry ruffled tulle dress by Dior, Marble Silk Constance bag by Hermès, Jenlove 100 suede pumps by Christian Louboutin, Diorette ring and earrings, both by Dior Haute Joaillerie.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

The Constance bag, a great Hermès classic, undergoes a complete transformation for this exceptional limited edition version in silk and leather. The fruit of meticulous and complex assembly work, this refined marriage gives pride of place to the material. This silk is printed with the Orbis design using a unique technique that lends the colors and extraordinary vibrancy.

Marble Silk is the culmination of a veritable treasure hunt. It all started with the discovery, in an archival album of printed fabrics acquired by the House long ago, of fascinating motif whose production technique remained a mystery.

It took several years of research to locate the origins of this technique, invented in the first half of the 20th century in Switzerland, Germany, and France… In the end, however, it was in Japan that Hermès discovered the passionate craftsmen, heirs to know-how their ancestors had acquired in Europe, whom we may thank for the creation of the Marble Silk scarf.

Matching the bag is this exceptional Hermès Carré 90 Marble Silk Robe du Soir.

The process used to make the scarf is unique and entirely artisanal. First, a paste imbibed with different color pigments is prepared. Skilfully worked, cut out, and arranged in patterns, it is used to form the design, like marquetry, on a cylinder. The cylinder is then rolled over the silk to print it. Gradually becoming more refined over the course of the production process, the motif is never exactly the same, making each piece one-of-a-kind.

From this intricate process a rare silk is born, with wonderful whimsical motifs and a wealth of incredibly diverse effects and intense colors, all of which feature on this exceptional bag.

This bag is delicate. Although the silk of the Marble Silk Constance bag (size 24) has been treated to make it more resistant to stains, water (its is showerproof and not waterproof) and marks, it deserves special and attention. To preserve its original beauty, it needs time to rest. It needs to be provided with the best possible preservation conditions; a temperate, dry environment away from light, preferably in its original boy and dust cover.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Rian Davidson © David Biedert Photography / Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise