Sandra‘s Closet

Monday evening before I left to London, I attended an extremely lovely invitation. Laurence Antiglio hosted an editors’ dinner to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her fabulous store VESTIBULE.

The website says “a favorite address of Zurich’s in-the-know fashionistas for its sharp selection of designer brands.” I would sign this statement. With the likes of Nina Ricci, Sonia Rykiel, Chloé and many more, the French-speaking Swiss carries a wonderful variety of established labels as well as newcomers.

Congrats, Laurence Antiglio!

10 years ago she started in Zurich’s Niederdorf with one store and lots of passion. The first thing she sold? A reindeer that was a decoration from the window display. But that didn’t stop her! Today, she owns two shops, one in the city center at St. Peterstrasse 20 and one in Seefeld.

Laurence has fulfilled her dream and we admire her for that.
Good luck for the many more years to come!

LoL, Sandra

Great idea: Hosting a dinner in the store. I loved eating in the middle of all the clothes and bags.

Laurence Antiglio, Sabina Hanselmann-Diethlem and my humble self in Saint Laurent.

On display: the limited edition tees that will especially launch for the 10th anniversary.
Hurry up, they are going to sell out fast!

Photos: Courtesy of Vestibule and © Sandra Bauknecht

In celebration of their tenth anniversary, Italian fashion brand Forte_Forte presented their luxurious highly limited edition capsule collection “10” at Vestibule in Zurich last week.

Forte_Forte  is designed by Paolo and his sister Giada Forte, who is the soul of the label and had come all the way from Italy for this special event (see photo above with me). It was a true pleasure to meet the lovely designer who is expecting her first child in July.

Giada, who studied knitwear design, is in charge of the creative part and her brother Paolo, who worked in the family knitwear company before, looks after the financial aspects.

Forte_Forte offers delicate, feminine pieces that are rich in special finishings and impress with lovely hand-made details, such as precious embroidered labels and small beautiful perfumed bags in which they are sold.

A very special and beautiful collection!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Forte_Forte, Vestibule and © Sandra Bauknecht

Last night, Zurich’s first Fashion Night Out took place, so-called “Die lange Nacht der Mode”. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound so fashionable in German. But I had a lot of fun at three different events that I am showing you below:

First Stop: Jelmoli
Press conference with Ilaria Venturini Fendi

Founded in 2006 by Ilaria Venturini Fendi, who is part of the Fendi family empire, Carmina Campus is the brand that focuses on handbags, jewels and furniture out of reused materials. Each handcrafted item is a unique one of a kind piece. All of Illaria’s sustainable creations are made with care and consideration for the environment. The designer used her natural aversion to waste and her innate understanding of fashion to start an eco conscious label with a distinctive style. Therefore she is only working with already-existing materials either living their second life or unused but out of production.

Ilaria Venturini Fendi with me

With projects in Kenia addressing poverty, she helps women to start their own business, proclaiming: “It’s not charity, it’s work.” I was truly impressed by her spirit and creativity, she designs bags made out of trash bags, shower curtains, old school uniforms and so on. She even collaborated with Mini for a collection made out of color samples, material offcuts, and other castoffs from the production of the British-built convertible. Under Fendi’s direction, 50 one-of-a-kind bags were manufactured.

Carmina Campus is available at Jelmoli in Zurich. You can also shop the collection online here.

Second stop: H&M Showroom
Presentation of the new fall 2013 collection

The lovely H&M teamed welcomed me to their new showroom. On display was the beautiful runway collection that had been presented during Paris Fashion Week. Dubbed “Modern Drama,” the color palette was mainly about black and white with a few vibrant key pieces, like this bright red dress, very much reminiscent of the ’70s, edgy and feminine in one.

René Zibold, PR and Communication Manager H&M Switzerland, with me outside on the balcony…

…overlooking the fashion parade.

Third stop: Vestibule
Late night shopping

At Vestibule, fashionistas mingled to shop the new season must-haves to the sound of DJ Annina Frey. I fell in love with this amazing faded botanical printed canvas Polly small flap clutch by 3.1 Phillip Lim and the Donna hobo bag in vine green by Alexander Wang.

What a great night!

LoL, Sandra

Laurence Antiglio, owner of Vestibule, with me
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For the third year in a row, the world’s biggest after-hours shopping extravaganza will transform New York City and many other big cities into a shopper’s paradise. Last year, I went to London to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out, this year I will be in NYC. If you are there like me, I recommend getting the Fashion’s Night Out official app for iPhone and Android.

Whether you are headed uptown or down, Brooklyn or Queens, the new app will help you map out exactly where to go to find the hottest fashions, while mingling with your favourite designers, celebrities and industry insiders. You can shop the FNO collection on the go, and share your list of favourite events with your friends. Don’t miss out on being a part of the best fashion party ever and don’t forget to get your hands on the Chanel nail polishes.

Unfortunately, Zurich hasn’t participated in the fun yet, but this year Laurence Antiglio came up with an idea. Her shop Vestibule will celebrate its own Fashion’s Night Out with late shopping until 10.30pm, 10% discount that night and many more exciting things, like drinks and surprises by Aesop. A great way of exploring the new fall collections of designers like Thakoon, Tsumori Chisato, Rochas, Dolfie, Venessa Arizaga and Olympia Le Tan.

Cannot wait…

LoL, Sandra