Sandra‘s Closet

Coco Chanel once said: “Luxury must ne comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury…”. Wishful thinking and not always true – unfortunately.

Fashion weeks are approaching and I start slowly getting myself organized for some stylish but comfortable outfits in which I can run around the whole day and look good at the same time.

Here you see today’s shopping obsession: Tiger-intarsia knitted sweater by Kenzo, stretch-leather skinny pants by The Row, Emile textured-leather tote by Alexander Wang (love its rose gold-finished design) and black leather ankle boot with metal chain by Givenchy (one of the hottest shoes of the season).

My notes and my iPhone should look stylish as well with the runway textured-leather notebook by Smythson and the chain-embellished cover by Moschino.

I will finish off the look with some statement nails and vibrant lips: Giddy Kipper nail polish by Butter London and Persistence matte lip color by Kevin Aucoin.

LoL, Sandra

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

I came back from my amazing road trip through the US this week and left immediately to Munich for a day with Bobbi Brown. Stay tuned, I will tell you all about it very soon.

During the last 5 weeks, I went through 9 states – Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Nevada, California, Hawaii and Texas – and besides the horrible hail storm in South Dakota, I was blessed the whole time with beautiful sunny weather. So I was quite shocked when I got back to Switzerland where there was no sign of summer at all. Surprisingly, I found severe hail damage in my garden, my pool cover looked like shot with a pump gun. What a subtle irony! And when I experienced a mini tornado yesterday at Lake Zurich, I was inspired to this outfit.

Mini Tornado in Zurich on July 21, 2012 (Photo via Tagesanzeiger)

Invest in some great fall key pieces. Bottle green is one of the hottest colours for the season. Peplum hems appeared on many runways and are one of the most flattering trends. A trench coat is a true classic piece that works for so many occasions and definitely belongs in your closet – with Burberry you cannot go wrong. Finally, add a piece of colourful statement jewelry.

Mid-length cotton-gabardine trench coat by Burberry London, fine-knit wool peplum top, bottle-green De Manta leather tote, skull-print modal and cashmere-blend scarf, skull-embellished umbrella, all by Alexander McQueen, stretch-leather skinny pants by Yves Saint Laurent, multi-stone cuff by Emilio Pucci and ‘Original Tall’ Wellington boots by Hunter.

Nars Fall 2012 collection offers for your eyes and nails some icy shades with stormy names:

Vent Glacé (Glacial Wind) Duo Eyeshadow, CHF 59.-

Storm Bird Nail Polish (Limited Edition), CHF 32.-
Both available from August 2012.

Good news: The weather forecast says that the arrival of summer is close in Zurich. Let’s hope that the weather gods will be merciful.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Nars

Yesterday, I flew for one day to Paris for the launch of a beautiful new fragrance which will be launched officially in September. Stay tuned as, of course, I will tell you all about it in the next days to keep you ahead of the game.

Unfortunately, the weather was not so good with some scattered showers during the day. The event took place at the Louvre and before that I had some coffee with other journalists at the charming Hotel Regina across.

My look: Pink rain coat by Chloé, Mathilda wool-twill blazer by Stella McCartney, rosette-embellished silk top by Lanvin, stretch-leather leggings by Gucci, Crossword tote bag by Fendi, Daisy necklace by Dior Haute Joaillerie, cowboy ankle boots and thin red patent leather bow belt by Prada.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Yolanda Di Mambro – © Sandra Bauknecht

Here is your rockstar look:

Satin-trimmed wool-crepe jacket and stretch-leather skinny pants, both by Balmain, printed cotton-jersey tank and skull leather box clutch, both by Alexander McQueen and Masako silk-satin pumps by Charlotte Olympia.

Here is your rockstar scent:

Paco Rabanne Black XS L’Excès and Black XS L’Excès For Her embody the excess of the rock world.

Black XS L’Excès combines top notes of Calabrian lemon and lavender with an ozonic, cypriol and citrus accord and a deep, sensual amber woody base.

Eau de Toilette Intense
100ml CHF 99.00 
50ml CHF 77.00

Black XS L’Excès For Her opens with top notes of neroli and black pepper, leading to heart notes of jasmine queen of the night and rose absolute and a base of cashmere wood.

Eau de Parfum Intense
80ml CHF 106.00 
50ml CHF 87.00
30ml CHF 62.00

Available now!
With a skull on the packaging and the bottle!

Punk rock icon Iggy Pop is the face for Black XS L’Excès and the beautiful Sasha Pivovarova stars in the video campaign alongside Nick Rea, see below.

Now it is time for you to put your rocker face on!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Paco Rabanne Fragrances

For all my male readers who have been asking for this frequently, here is my Menswear Trend Report for F/W 2010.
And Ladies, please stay tuned as you never know when this will come in handy. Your hubbies, daddies and boyfriends will love you even a little more for your fashion knowledge. Moreover the menswear trends are very similiar to the female ones. Have fun and get inspired! Even the classic pieces are definitely not boring this season…but see for yourself:

The end `50s and early `60s inspired many designers for their F/W 2010 collections. The well-tailored suit makes its return into the gentleman’s closet. Imagine Don Draper, the main character of Mad Men, shopping on Savile Row and there you go! Back to the basics, black, all shades of grey and camel welcome elegance as the new dress code.

Also back is the 3-piece suit. I like Costume National’s modern interpretation in grey worn with a turtleneck.

Anyway, turtlenecks were seen everywhere on the runways and seemed to have replaced the shirts. Those cozy pieces worn with a suit have this wonderful `70s vibe that is so up-to-date.

Camel is the new black! The camel coat has been a wardrobe staple of almost every fashionable era. This season, there are many different updated models in well-designed silhouettes, dynamic volumes and distinct cuts. A great investment for many years to come!

A vest or a jacket in velvet is a must this season. Beautiful shades make those It-pieces even more desirable.

Added to these revisited classics making them part of the modern times, were narrow tight leather or cropped pants.

The new hemline goes hand in hand with another rising trend for men. Pants were tucked into boots and it looked so hot! So guys, be brave and try it out!

If you like it more bright, you could add just a hint of colour, preferably in royal blue or a berry tone.  A little sweater like the Prada one will be a perfect eyecatcher.

Or you could opt for the total look. Tone on tone, from head to toe, dressed in the same colour family or matching fabrics give this creative concept a new take on the masculine dress code.

If it gets really cold, men will have a lot of stylish options this season. Fur was seen along with must-have shearling jackets. I adore the Burberry Prorsum ones very much.
Rustic sweaters evoking a winter sports atmosphere let us dream of after ski and evenings in the chalet.

So Gentlemen, I never want to hear again that you are indifferent to fashion! Enjoy your new look and the world will be your oyster!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Me in the Haight area wearing black leggings by BLUMARINE, military shirt by BALMAIN, top and pink-khaki scarf by LOUIS VUITTON and suede clogs by MIU MIU

Last week, I spent a few days in San Francisco. Haight Ashbury is the famous intersection in the area that gets its notoriety from the “psychedelic” culture and the 1968 “Summer of Love”. Today, you can still feel the hippie vibe with its fragments of flower-power.

When I was walking around the district, I got so inspired by the gorgeous bright coloured houses, so-called Painted Ladies. The term refers to Victorian and Edwardian buildings painted in three or more colours that embellish their architectural features.

Adopting that idea and transferring it to fashion, I styled some beautiful outfits in different colour combinations. You will see how stunning some shades can look together. Most people tend to wear a more neutral palette along with black. There is nothing against this. But today, I want to challenge you a bit and demonstrate how wonderful a little mix with some bolder tones can appear without looking like a clown.

It is again all about that special twist. Carrie in Sex and the City might be the perfect example: Patricia Field, the show`s stylist, opts very often for something that looks kind of strange in the beginning, but then so surprising and interesting that you cannot take your eyes of it.

Experiment with your own style! That is the thing that is so hard to copy and will earn you lots of admiring glances.

Spare for a little hug?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht