Sandra‘s Closet

This was my outfit that I wore to the Tiffany T collection launch party and the Louis’ restaurant opening last Thursday in Zurich. Brocade fabric mixed with animal print – when it comes to making a statement this season, nature is answering the call. If you are a risk taker, you will definitely take a walk into the wild in those glitter boots.

My look: Leopard print marmot fur coat, brocade dress and gold glitter leather boots, all by Saint Laurent, envelope leather bag with pink calf hair detail by Céline, diamond ring by Vainard Fine Jewellery and earrings by Louis Vuitton.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

During my recent visit to the 27th Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris, I spotted a wonderful jewelry trend: the Opal is a stone on the rise. Gleaming with all the shades of the rainbow, the colour spectrum that these spectacular gemstones cover is breathtaking. The world’s finest opals originate from the Australian outback. Their constantly changing play of colour is known as “opalising“, and the versatile combination of colors is key to the stones’ enduring appeal.

Dark or light, pale or bright, here are the most opulent new opal jewelry pieces to fall in love with this season:

BOUCHERON Indian Palace Ring
Inspired by the colored pools found on the grounds of ancient Indian palaces, this opal ring from the house’s new Fleur des Indes collection sparkles like the surface of water.

PIAGET Extremely Piaget Cuff Watch
Set with 1,699 brilliant-cut white diamonds that are surrounding an opal dial, this outstanding cuff watch houses a Piaget 56P quartz movement, with no doubt one of the highlights of the 70s-inspired Extremely Piaget collection.

CHAUMET Lumieres d’Eau High Jewelry Ring
The opal as the center stone glistens with a pale, almost iridescent, wash of color and is offset by the intense violet of the sapphires. The white gold cocktail ring is part of the Lumières d’Eau collection and set with a 18.58ct cabochon-cut white opal from Ethiopia, an oval-cut violet sapphire, round violet sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds.

LOUIS VUITTON Acte V Genesis Earrings
Featuring Australian black opals, star-cut diamonds and sapphires, those earrings belong to the house’s fifth high jewelry collection, so-called Acte V.

CARTIER High Jewelry Royal Bracelet
Cartier is a passionate observer of beauty throughout the world, always hunting for rare, unique stones. Now the house has created a new collection of High Jewelry: the Cartier Royal Collection. Part of it is this breathtaking bracelet in platinum with a 57.95 carat opal from Australia, colored sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds.

So much beauty in one post… I hope that you have enjoyed looking at it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht

LOUIS VUITTON’s “Celebrating Monogram” project takes place in honor of the house’s 160th anniversary. As announced this week in a previous post, six creative visionaries Christian Louboutin, Karl Lagerfeld, Rei Kawakubo, Cindy Sherman, Frank Gehry and Marc Newson reinterpreted the iconic Vuitton Monogram with a series of accessories. Finally the designs that will hit the stores Mid-October 2014 have been revealed.

Enjoy and better get yourself on the wait list now!

The Shopping Bag ($5150.00) and Shopping Trolley ($23,300.00) by Christian Louboutin

For his contributions to ‘Celebrating Monogram,’ Christian Louboutin achieved a rather amazing mind-meld of his own signature codes – red (of course), metal studs, feminine bows – with those of Monogram.

Camera Messenger ($4450.00) and Studio in a Trunk (Price on request) by Cindy Sherman

Perfect for globetrotters, visual artist Cindy Sherman drew on memories of the colorful hotel labels affixed to vintage Vuitton trunks. Her designs evoke Sherman’s own journey as a photographer.

Twisted Box ($4400.00) by Frank Gehry

Renowned for his designs on a grand scale – the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Vitra Design Museum near Basel, among many others – architect Frank Gehry applies his avant-garde mastery to the construction of this sculptural bijou of a bag in Monogram canvas.

The Punching Bag ($3400.00), Suitcase ($5900.00) and Punching Trunk (Price on request) by Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld’s extravagant Boxing suite is surely the most flirtatious of this collaboration celebrating the French Maison’s grand tradition of special-order luggage.

The Fleece Pack ($5900.00) by Marc Newson

Acclaimed as the most influential industrial designer of his generation, Marc Newson’s work ranges from concept jets to jewellery. When he accepted the invitation to join ‘Celebrating Monogram’ project, he set out to create a truly functional object; the result is this pure, sculptural backpack. My favorite!

The Bag with Holes ($2790.00) by Rei Kawakubo

Upon seeing Japan’s first Louis Vuitton store in 1978, Rei Kawakubo discovered the allure of French craftsmanship and art de vivre. Today, the creator of Comme des Garçons applies her radical, refined aesthetic to a House icon, revisiting the Sac Plat with boldly conceived asymmetrical cutouts and raw-edged details to produce this provocative ‘Bag with Holes.’

For more information, please visit the dedicated website.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, © Steven Meisel and © Karl Lagerfeld

LV gets a new meaning… Lagerfeld Vuitton, Louboutin Vuitton… sounds too good to be true?! It is reality, on September 10, 2014, Louis Vuitton will reveal the amazing collaboration with the group of six famous creatives as part of THE ICON AND THE ICONOCLASTS project.

Among those visionaries from the worlds of fashion, art and design are Karl Lagerfeld, Rei Kawabuko, Christian Louboutin, Cindy Sherman, Marc Newson and Frank Gehry, who has also designed the window displays for September.

Each of them has been given ‘carte blanche‘ to to reinterpret the brand’s iconic monogram bag or luggage. The limited edition pieces will go on sale from mid-October in a very select number of Louis Vuitton stores and range between €2000 – 4000.

Classic Monogram Keepall 45 by Louis Vuitton

The monogram was launched with worldwide patents on it in 1896 by Georges Vuitton as a tribute to his late father Louis, who had died in 1892, and was considered revolutionary in its time. Its graphic symbols, including quatrefoils and flowers (as well as the LV monogram), were based on the trend of using Japanese and Oriental designs in the late Victorian era.

Today, Louis Vuitton revealed some exclusive behind the scene photos of the creative process!
Cannot wait to see the results on September 10, 2014! Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Karl Lagerfeld

Christian Louboutin

Frank Gehry

Cindy Sherman
Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

World-renowned architect, Frank Gehry, winner of the 1989 Pritzker Prize, is turning his talents to the design of window displays for the first time. In September, Louis Vuitton store windows will feature Gehry’s sculptures alongside its F/W 2014 collection.

Passers-by and visitors will be able to view exclusive content when they scan the window displays with their mobile phones using the Louis Vuitton Pass app.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

I was still in Shanghai for Omega’s amazing event with George Clooney (post coming up soon) when in Monaco around 300 fashionable people moved their way up the steep, winding streets of the city to enter the transparent tent with custom-made Pierre Paulin seats in the Place du Palais to attend Nicolas Ghesquière‘s second show for Louis Vuitton: his Cruise 2015 presentation.

CEO of Louis Vuitton Michael Burke, Delphine Arnault, fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière, Princess Charlène of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco

On the runway appeared beautifully embellished but still very wearable pieces, mismatched prints, embroidered lace with tiny seed beads, and a very well played game of colors that established Ghesquière’s very own key LV codes that he had started back in March during his F/W 2014 show.

The French powerhouse is always about accessories and those spiky silver belts, gladiator boots and the new, wide-opened bucket bag will surely find their fans all over the world.

I attached you my favorite looks herewith!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, © Jürgen Teller and © Rindoff/Le Segretain/Getty Images for Louis Vuitton

Gosh, this Zurich weather is driving me up the wall. I just got back with a nice tan from Ibiza but cannot show it as it is cold and rainy outside. What a pity!

A few days ago, I wrote a post about those lovely Burberry Prorsum capes and I tell you that this has been one of the best investments recently. You can easily throw it over your shoulder and it gives you just the perfect touch of warmth in the month of August. Later in the season you can add it as another layer to your winter coat. Get one now, you won’t regret it!

My look: Checked wool and cashmere-blend cape by Burberry Prorsum, leather shift dress by Saint Laurent, cut-out ankle boots by Balenciaga, Noé BB Bag in citron by Louis Vuitton, Cool gold-tone ring by Lanvin, ring Mitza by Dior Haute Joaillerie, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis and small check-print twill umbrella by Burberry.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

During Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris last week, I was invited by Louis Vuitton to explore the new Haute Joaillerie collection: ACTE V at their newly opened showroom at Place Vendôme. Old sketch books from the house were also on show as well as the high-finished jewels in diamonds and brilliant stones.

V as in the Roman numeral 5 is the leitmotif in the house’s fifth high jewelry collection. V is also the modern ideogram,the Maison’s signature stylised by Gaston-Louis Vuitton during the Art Deco period, in which he was a major player, chairing the Exhibition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in 1925.

Here are some of the most stunning pieces of the new ACTE V collection, of which each jewel is constructed on the basis of a V:

The Genesis Necklace
The cornerstone of the collection is presenting the V as in the shape of this pixelated gem, a 87.92-carat triangular Australian black opal.
White Gold – 1 Australian Opal: 87,92 cts – 1 Tourmaline: 8,60 cts – 1 Sapphire: 5,07 cts – 2 LV Star Cut Diamonds: 1,04 ct / 1,07 ct – Diamonds

The Genesis Ring
This is another amazing piece of Vuitton’s new High Jewelry collection. The exceptional 20.94-carat blue grey Burmese sapphire was extracted from the Pien Pyit mine in Mogok valley.
White Gold – 1 Burmese sapphire: 20,94 cts – Sapphires: 1,44 ct – Diamonds

Cuff bracelets were the star items of jewelry in the ’20s and for ACTE V, they are crafted with an avante-garde aesthetic transporting the idea of women travelling and breaking free:

The Apotheosis Cuff
White Gold – 1 Tsavorite Grenat: 16,51 cts – Onyx – Diamonds

The Apotheosis Bracelet
White Gold – Diamonds

The Apotheosis Necklace
White Gold – 1 Paraïba Type Tourmaline : 7,93 cts – 1 Emerald: 0,41 ct – Diamonds

The Metamorphosis Necklace
Platinum – 2 Panjshir Emeralds: 5,29 cts / 4,23 cts – Diamonds

Below you can enjoy some exclusive behind the scene photos of the artwork behind such a jewel.

In this collection, Louis Vuitton brings together extraordinary gems discovered after diligent searches the world over. This know-how is crystallised in a ring with a red Tanzanian spinel weighing over 20 carats, boasting a brilliance similar to that of diamonds:

The Metamorphosis Ring
Platinum – 1 Red Spinel: 20,03 cts – Diamonds

With ACTE V, Louis Vuitton pays tribute to outstanding and hard to find stones, their quality criteria and the emotions they arouse. They are the soul of the jewel: at the heart of the piece, they make us dream and indulge in the beauty of their colors.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton and © Sandra Bauknecht

One week ago in Marrakesh, my friend Mel’s big birthday celebration took place on Saturday evening accompanied by the renewal of her wedding vows with her husband Dan. It was a very romantic evening and she look stunning in her Zuhair Murad dress. It truly felt like One Thousand and One Nights and I am so grateful for all these different highlights that we experienced, among them a live performance by Paul Potts, the British tenor, who had won the first series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2007. With all my heart, thank you, Mel and Dan, for your friendship and this magical trip!

My look: Leather-trimmed jersey gown with cutouts by Givenchy, set of 5 gold-tone cuffs by Alexander McQueen, earrings by Chanel, ring by Etro, animal print clutch, tribal sandals and necklace, both by Louis Vuitton, small Amulette necklace by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

Paul Potts with me

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Celebrating the FIFA World Cup in Brazil this summer, many luxury brands are launching special edition pieces. Here are the best ones…

Louis Vuitton is taking part for the second time. After a first appearance on the football field in 2010 in South Africa, the Louis Vuitton case, specially designed to carry the famous trophy, will be on July 13th, the final day of the Cup, in the stadium of Maracana in Rio of Janeiro.

Paying tribute to this year’s host nation for the Fifa World Cup, Bvlgari launches the new Octo Bi-Retro Brazil in a 50-piece limited edition.

Donatella Versace has turned to the FIFA World Cup for inspiration in style and created a special t-shirt that combines the passions of football with the vivid iconography of the Versace DNA. A brand new Versace baroque print is created using the colors of a Brazilian carnival, decorated with repeated images of footballs and flowers. The T-shirt, in silk satin for her and cotton jersey for him, is available in selected boutiques now.

MCM has launched the limited edition ‘München Cute Monsters’ collection. Drawing on the vibrancy of Brazilian culture and the festivity of the ultimate football tournament on the planet, the collection features the two pop art characters Viktor & Viktoria as MCM’s monster mascots for the games.

TO SHOP THE MCM ‘München Cute Monsters’ COLLECTION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands