Sandra‘s Closet

“Lively. Radiant. Lush… A colour of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, drum roll please, it is official, EMERALD GREEN is the colour of the year according to Pantone, the authority and market leader in colour. One of the season’s hottest fashion trends, the timeless shade was seen on many S/S 2013 runways such as Gucci (my favorite), Kenzo and Burberry Prorsum (combined with another trend: metallics).

ICE Watch has launched a new unisex watch model in collaboration with Pantone dedicated to the trendy emerald tone, in two variants: emerald and white/white and emerald. 
Other trend colours will follow in the future.
ICE Watch Emerald White – CHF 109.00

From fashion to beauty, there are many ways to wear this vibrant colour from day to night and it’s a definite go-to for your next shopping trip!

Belted silk-twill blouse and matching silk-twill flared pants, both by Gucci, suede platform pumps by Giuseppe Zanotti and Lulu leather shoulder bag by Saint Laurent.

Don’t forget to look for some gorgeous makeup products that will complement your new season look, now may be the best time.

A great way to get started with the new style are nail polish shades in sea hues. Draw attention to your manicure and you will be really hitting the trend.

The best ones available are: CHANEL Le Vernis in 657 Azuré and 667 Bel Argus (CHF 35.00 each), DIOR Vernis Bird of Paradise Duo 001 Samba (One Shot, CHF 47.00) and YVES SAINT LAURENT La Laque Couture 36 Vert D’Orient (CHF 38.00).

The nail polish shades are part of my two favourite summer beauty looks by DIOR and CHANEL. Have a look yourself how beautiful those collections inspired by enchanting animals are:

DIOR – Bird of Paradise

Inspired by Christian Dior‘s passion for color, the new collection tells the tale of an exotic faraway. Drawing from nature’s tropical paradises, the Bird of Paradise collection embraces the vibrancy of nature and translates to versatile, wearable shades for summer.
In stores now.

My personal must-haves:

DIOR 5 Coleurs Eye Shadow 374 Blue Lagoon (One Shot, CHF 92.00)
The legendary 5 Couleurs case is coated with shimmering pigments, inspired by the golden reflections of a peacock’s feathers. Stunning!

DIOR Diorshow Liner Waterproof Aqua Green (One Shot, CHF 34.00)
Add a fun pop of color to your eye makeup with this limited edition liner.

 

L’Eté de Papillon de CHANEL

Another amazing collection comes from the house of Chanel. Creative Director of Makeup Peter Philips was inspired by the dazzling colours of butterfly wings and created electric shades for the eyes. A stunning effect is achieved is through the application of colorful mascaras.
Available in Switzerland starting end of May 2013.

My personal must-haves:

CHANEL Stylo Eyeshadow 47 Blue Bay (CHF 47.00)
This exclusive creation is easily applied to highlight eyes with gleaming colour. The smooth-gliding pen has a cooling, water-infused formula for a shimmering veil on lids or precise definition.

CHANEL Mascara Inimitable Waterproof 37 Lime Light (CHF 47.00)
The iconic mascara in a long-wearing, waterproof formula that won’t flake or smudge comes this season vibrant limited edition shades of blue, green and yellow.

To complement such a vibrant beautiful eye makeup, choose lips in orange, apricot hues, following in the footsteps of Tangerine Tango, which was the shade of 2012…
Stay tuned for an upcoming post in which I am wearing this beauty look.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, Dior, Ice Watch, Style.com and © Sandra Bauknecht

This was my look that I wore to the Omega press conference with Nicole Kidman in Vienna for the launch of their new Ladymatic models:

Stretch-jersey crepe top by Alexander McQueen, pleated brocade mini skirt and tiger-embroidered leather shoulder bag, both by Kenzo, suede ankle boots by Saint Laurent and black velvet deluxe tights by Wolford.

I am very much in love with this Kenzo bag as I still adore the tiger embroidery but had seen too many of the iconic sweaters on the streets recently…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

There is no end in sight, for the ones who like the bright and vibrant trend, the summer 2013 offers lots of bold pop colours, with Burberry Prorsum, Gucci and Jil Sander leading the way.

For those who cannot wait for the runway pieces to arrive, what about this cool outfit:
Striped stretch-ponte dress by Issa, cutout suede sandals by Guiseppe Zanotti and grained-leather clutch by Miu Miu.

The best make-up collection to complement the look comes this spring from Giorgio Armani: The Pop Collection will hit the stores this month. Enjoy the “top of the pops”:

FACE & EYES BLISS PALETTE – CHF 109.-

Fabulous neutrals mixed with bright popping shades for eyes and face.
Coral Bliss Palette 01 (One Shot), Rose Bliss Palette 02 (One Shot)

ROUGE D’ARMANI SHEERS – CHF 54.-

From left to right:
Beige 100 (One Shot), Ecstasy 500 (already part of the line), Beige Rosé 101 (One Shot)

FACE FABRIC – CHF 71.-

The “stretch”-technology of this products helps to “fit” the contours of your face for a seamless, semi-matte finish. Organic colorants, blended with translucent pigments create subtle, nude tones. Available in three shades: 0.5 (One Shot), 3.5 and 4.5

BLUSHING FABRIC – CHF 60.-

The “second skin” blush comes in two vibrant, limited-edition shades this spring.
High Density Orange 8 (One Shot), Fuchsia 9 (One Shot)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Style.com and Courtesy of Giorgio Armani

 

Now that unavoidable street style It-label is Kenzo. The brand has been around forever, but had disappeared off the fashion radar for quite some time. A subsidiary of LVMH, Kenzo has come back on the map this season with unconventional designs and prints, loved by the younger, hip fashion crowd. Launched in 1970 by Kenzo Takada and now under the creative direction of Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, the Paris-based brand is your ticket to globe-trotting style.

Inspired by the label’s eclectic archives, the designer duo has charged the look with a covetably youthful vibrancy. Congrats to Kenzo’s very loud roar! Those popular lion-faced, Eiffel Tower, and logo sweatshirts are truly divine.

Kenzo is available at Net-à-porter, Farfetch,Mytheresa and Luisaviaroma.

Another way to experience the Kenzo spirit is the house’s newest fragrance Madly Kenzo Eau de Toilette, a lighter, more carefree version of the spirited Madly Eau de Parfum scent that was launched last year.

Floral Woody Musk

Top notes: Pear and litchi.
Middle notes: Jasmine and heliotrope.
Base notes: Musk and cedar.

Available in 30ml, 50ml and 80ml.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Frontrowview, Phil Oh. Courtesy of Kenzo and © Sandra Bauknecht.

Don’t forget, on Sunday we are having a (MOM)ent. Here are some more ideas for a lovely gift for Mother’s Day.

Your mother is your first (and best) friend. Make her day all over again with something she adores like one of those recently launched fragrances.

LoL, Sandra

JOHN RICHMOND – VIVA ROCK
Eau de Toilette, CHF 46.- (30ml), CHF 84.- (50ml) and CHF 112.-(100ml)

Floral Aldehydic
Sophisticated and young, the perfect scent for a woman who loves life.

Top notes: Sicilian mandarin, carambola and cactus
Heart notes: Damascena rose, jasmine and cherry blossom
Base notes: Musk, iris and amber

KENZO FLOWERTAG
Eau de Parfum, CHF 81.- (30ml) and CHF 110.70 (50ml)

Floral Fruity Gourmand
Inspired by the urban art of graffiti, this intense version is all about sensuality.

Top notes: Grapefruit, black currant and rhubarb
Heart notes: Gardenia, jasmine and peony
Base notes: Praline, vanilla, patchouli and musk

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ – FOR HER EAU DE PARFUM DELICATE
Eau de Parfum, CHF 147.- (125ml)

Oriental Woody
A limited edition fragrance – an expression of femininity and gracefulness.

Top notes: Rose and peach
Heart notes: Musk and amber
Base notes: Oud, patchouli and sandalwood

HERMES – VOYAGE D’HERMES PARFUM
Perfume, CHF 105.- (35ml), CHF 151.- (100ml) and CHF 146.- (125ml Refill Bottle)

Woody Floral Musk
Classy, stylish and  rich – for the independent woman.

Top notes: Cardamom, lemon and spices
Heart notes: Hedione, floral notes with accentuated rose, green and tea notes
Base notes: Amber and musk

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

So long, miniskirts! Say hello to longer hemlines as they swing their way back into our closets this fall.

Interesting to know is the hemline theory which says that when hemlines go up, it is a sign that stock prices rise. When the knees are seen, it is a bull market. When the skirts get longer, it is a bear market, and prices will fall. Is the longer hemline an indicator for a global recession? Can fashion explain today’s erratic swings in the stock market? Will see…
Probably the reason is that during bad economy, ladies do not want to spend their money on cellulite cream and hair removal. The longer hemline works then to their advantage and so the theory would be correct.

During F/W 2010 fashion weeks last spring, editors were almost tripping on their skirts, taking boho to the max and they were absolutey right.

Inside on the runways, the long skirts made their comeback to daily life, from floor-sweeping to still showing a bit of leg, but most importantly keeping it well below the knee.

Above, you will see my pre-selection of gorgeous long skirts that are all available at the moment.

If you go for the trend, I will recommend pairing it with a cropped jacket, tucked in blouse or a belted-top for a nice silhouette. Especially if you are small-framed, you have to make sure that you are not swallowed by the floor grazing skirt. If you like you can also opt for the “Olsen Twins look” with a long knitted cardigan on top, but still try to get the proportions right.

 

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing the economy through the eyes of a fashionista!

LoL, Sandra

It is August and the majority of fall campaigns can be seen now in the new fashion magazines, ads just keep coming out of the woodwork and so I wanted to give you a brief summary of the most important ones and by whom they were shot.
It is funny to see that this world in particular is pretty small and some photographers are ahead of the game.

My personal favourite is Bottega Veneta`s strong expressive F/W 2010 campaign. Shot by the godfather of energetic graphic photography himself: Robert Longo. The artist has became famous in the late 1970s and early 1980s with his series „Men in the Cities“ that depicts men and women in business attire contorted in extreme positions.

The winner this season seems to be renowned Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. The dream team that has defined the look of the past decade, shot the most campaigns. Enjoy my preview:

The American photographer and long-time protégé of both Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour, editors-in-chief of Italian and American Vogue is also a big shot in the world of fashion photography. No wonder, Steven Meisel shot all those gorgeous campaigns.

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinood Matadin, a fashion photographer duo that is well known for their independent art work. Most of their photographs are both critical and slightly disturbing as you can see in the campaigns they shot for F/W 2010.

Italian-born Mario Sorrenti is a photographer and director best known for his spreads of nude models in the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino has shot many fashion stories and celebrities. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums.

Hermès has come up with another really beautiful advertising campaign shot by Paolo Roversi. I love his romantic, vintage looking photos that always seem to tell a story. To me, a perfect choice for the French house!

Bruce Weber is a well-known face in the world of advertising photography. His career really took of in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his famous advertising images for Calvin Klein.

Juergen Teller‘s work is extraordinary and with a distinctive design. His raw style makes him one of the most influential fashion photographers working today.

Multi-talent Karl Lagerfeld likes to keep everything in his own hands. So no wonder that he shoots the advertising campaigns for his own collections for Chanel and Fendi.

Steven Klein is an American photographer that shot many high-profile advertising campaigns for various clients. This season he was hired by Dolce & Gabbana to capture a close knit Italian family with Madonna as the matriarchal figure through his lens.
Great job!

LoL, Sandra

Let`s travel further in time. A breeze from the `70s floated over the F/W 2010 runways when the designers brought the more sophisticated aspects of this decade`s fashion into the now. Indulging in reminiscences of young Jane Birkin, Bianca Jagger and Veruschka, nonchalance, luxe and subtlety are the catchwords fall embraces.

Camel is the colour of the season followed by a palette of browns, nudes, and greys.

 

The ever-stylish shade makes a great fashion statement in combination with the must-have outerwear this season, the cape.

I love the cape by H&M to the right.

 

Cut more generously than a coat, the dashing alternative allows more freedom of movement and works much better over shoulder embellishments and mutton sleeves.
It was a veritable explosion of fur on the runways so there is no need to shy away from those ueberluxe pieces. The soft cocoon embrace of a voluminous real or faux fur jacket (or vest) will be irresistible this winter.

As the mood is casual luxe for daywear, redefine power-dressing in buttery silk blouses with tie collars.

When it comes to trousers, opt for sleek or wide leg ones with a minimalist edge. Razor-sharp slimline Gucci pants or immaculately tailored like the ones by YSL are among my favourites. Naturally worn with a cashmere turtleneck, they are the most figure flattering throwback to `70s style.

To complement the look, you will have to tie the knot with a pair of lace up booties. They are must-haves for every shoeaholic.

Synonymous with luxe seventies style are the long-handled drawstring bucket bags. So no wonder they have made a much-welcome appearance.

Another bestseller will be the remake of Gucci`s 1973 line. Available in nappa, suede and exotic leathers like crocodile and ostrich, those bags are classic and beautiful enough to be safe investment pieces.

If you really want to get a head start on the boho wardrobe, look for a floppy hat or a knitted beanie.

You do not need to go overboard. Enjoy your fashion moments in traditional, timeless essentials and the overall effect will be more post seventies luxe than vintage hippie.

LoL, Sandra