Sandra‘s Closet

This winter, there is only one way to wear your crisp white shirt: buttoned-up to the very top. The wheel of fashion is always turning. On the runways, there were lots of masculine references, the season is all about the suits. Designers are paying tribute to the working girls and to keep things demure, no more cleavage is shown. But no worries, combined with a cool pair of shorts, the look is more about sophisticated minimalism instead of looking all prude.
My favourites are the shirts with embellished collars (Miu Miu and Christopher Kane) that are now in stores.

Enjoy experimenting!

LoL, Sandra

During the last days, I did a lot of sightseeing in this phenomenal city. Today was my favourite: Istanbul’s most famous monument, the former cathedral and later mosque of Haghia Sophia (meaning „Divine Wisdom“) that was originally built in 537 A.D., in the rule of Emperor Justinian, and later converted to a mosque after the conquest of the city by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1453.

View of the Haghia Sophia from the beautiful Four Seasons at Istanbul Sultanahmet terrasse.

The interior is truly awe-inspiring, particularly the main chamber, roofed by its fabulous dome, 30m (98ft) in diameter, just breathtaking.

While sightseeing, I like to be comfortable but don’t want to look too sloppy. Today I went for my T-shirt dress with colourful applications and ballet flats by Lanvin and had an extra pair of  leggings plus my ikat print scarf by Louis Vuitton with me to respect the local dress codes if necessary. Backpack (very practical) by Prada.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Merhaba! Yesterday, I flew to Istanbul, Turkey. A place I had been wanting to go for a very long time. After having arrived in my hotel in the late afternoon, I didn’t even change and went straight to the nearby harbourside  district of Ortaköy, a fascinating place full of restaurants, nightclubs, specialty antique, jewelry and ceramic shops.

On the weekends, there is a colourful street market with Turkish handcrafts and local food street vendors in an oriental setting beside the famous Ortaköy Mosque.
Enjoy my first impressions of last night. I am loving it here!

LoL, Sandra

Me at the Bosphorus

Zebra-print Top by Stella McCartney, Leggings by Blumarine, Long Cardigan by Gucci, Stingray Sunglasses by Louis Vuitton and Daisy Necklace by Christian Dior

A fun dinner outside at the House Café Ortaköy.

Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Brigde that is connecting Europe and Asia.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Dress, Pumps, Bag, Bracelet Scarf, Straw Hat and Sunglasses by Louis Vuitton
Watch by Roger Dubuis

On Sunday, at Bucherer’s summer event, I had my first official appearance as the ambassadrice for Roger Dubuis.

You have seen already my beautiful new watch on many occasions during the last weeks. I am completely in love with it. The grey strap works so well with the rose gold and diamond embellished case. You can wear it in an elegant way with a cocktail dress or sporty with some jeans and a tank top.

Moreover, this watch is truly special, outstanding and unique. Something that you don’t see so much. I have received so many compliments that I would like to give you more information:

Roger Dubuis was founded in 1995 and the manufacture is based in Geneva. Today, it belongs to the Richemont Group.

My watch is the ROGER DUBUIS EXCALIBUR LADY AUTOMATIC.
EX36-821-50-10-0RR01-F

Case: Round, 36mm, pink gold, 48 diamonds on the bezel

Carats: 0.99 on the bezel

Dial: Rhodium-plated satin sunburst
-Black transferred Roman numerals
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
-Rhodium-plated satin sunburst
-Pink gold ring, black transfer

Strap: Grey satin-finish fabric

Clasp: White gold adjustable folding buckle

Water resistance: 3BAR (30m)

Mouvement: Self-winding movement, RD821

Production: No Limitation

Price: CHF 27.500

My watch model was also gracing the welcome banner. The invited guests were able to browse through a large selection of Roger Dubuis watches (see more below). As Exaclibur is one of their main lines, the room was beautifully decorated with original knight’s amours.

Alberto Cibrario, Brand Manager Roger Dubuis, with me

Bucherer is carrying Roger Dubuis exclusively in their Zurich store on Bahnhofstr. 50. In case that you are not living in that area, have a look at the Roger Dubuis website for store locations and more information.

Enjoy the beauty of originality and pure luxury!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Roger Dubuis

The closing dinner party of Firenze4Ever 3rd Edition took place in the beautiful gardens of La Specola museum. The theme of the party was „Animalier“.

I dressed up as a mixture between a mouse and a cheetah, a „cheetouse“.

Leggings and Top by Givenchy – Blouse and Cage Sandals by Alexander McQueen, Belt – Yves Saint Laurent, Headband with Mouse Ears by Louis Vuitton and Mini Boston Bag by Céline – Watch by Roger Dubuis.

Me with Dan Hasby-Oliver from Laststylelofdefense.com

Sebastiano and La Carmina were showing us the Japanese animalier trend: Pokemons, rabbit bags and plush dogs on the head.

It wouldn’t be LuisaViaRoma if they didn’t have some surprises for us that night. A beautiful ballet performance waited for us in the gardens. The dancers were dressed up as animal creatures. Kind of spooky but really beautiful.

The DJs of the night were pretty famous: Daniele Cavalli (Roberto’s son), whom I had met already at the last Firenze4Ever event in January, and Henry Holland, the designer of House of Holland were rocking the crowd.

Daniele

Henry

The last days were just so amazing, filled with many exciting moments. I have so much more to show you!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I was wearing to the Mulberry Book Launch Tea Party at LuisaViaRoma (photos to be posted soon) the following outfit:

Knit Dress with Sequin Belt by Louis Vuitton (S/S 2011 runway collection) – Strappy Sandals by Gucci – Sequined  Clutch with Peacock Feathers by Matthew Williamson – Peacock Feather Necklace by Matthew Williamson, Cocktail Ring and Bangles by Chanel, Watch by Roger Dubuis.

Hope that you like it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last week, I was invited by Louis Vuitton to explore their F/W 2011 collection very closely. The event took place in Milan and because of  the beautiful sunshine the day started already wonderfully with a pittoresque flight over the Alps.

With his F/W 2011 collection for Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs explored the mysterious allure of fashion and fetish. „Fetish,“ said the designer, „has a positive side. It’s an inexplicable sort of concentration on or obsessing with something. I think that also means commitment and discipline.“

The result was a powerful collection that walked the fine line between modesty and provocation, reason and irrationality – an ambiguity evidenced by the juxtaposition of tightness of focus with richness of detail. For my show report, please click here.

First some looks from the runway. Strict silhouettes suggestive of corsets, mannish, military-style jackets and coats softened by ample drop shoulders and the main focus on tthe waist, reminiscent of Belle de Jour. Marc Jacobs toyed with the idea of French maids and their bourgeois mistresses.

Very importantly, the detail – evidence of an artisanal devotion to craft which, in the words of the show notes, is „the apotheosis of fetish“.

Those mask, shoe and glove motifs, for instance, were not printed, but painstakingly sewn in intricately cut sequins.

The collection’s ultimate and not-so-obscure object of desire was the iconic Lockit bag, created in 1958 and reinterpreted in a myriad guises: in shiny Monogram canvas or total-look shearling, in rubberized leather accented with glossy tape, in jewel shades of patent Monogram bouclette, and in nylon with resin handels.

The Lockit clutch comes with a handcuff which can make it literally inseparable from its weare and symbolizes a women’s attachment to her bag. Might be a good idea to secure your object of desire….

The show’s accessories had fun with the fetish theme. Standouts included officer’s caps in fluffy shearling and masks worn in the hair as neo-tiaras.

Shoes played with the girly charm of round-toe pumps accentuated by delicate bow straps and the fetish appeal of daring bondage straps on the collection’s leg-hugging boots. The shiny rubber boots will definitely be among my must-haves.

Louis Vuitton’s fashion jewelry offers beautiful pieces to finish off your winter looks perfectly. I am in love with the stingray embellished earrings.

Personalised items are bestsellers for Louis Vuitton so that it seems all natural to expand the possibilties.

For Louis Vuitton’s F/W 2011 men’s collection, the studio director Paul Helbers, under the artistic direction of Marc Jacobs, has explored the ultra simplified elegance of Amish style and instilled it with a hint of strangeness, inspired by David Lynch.

The predominantly black tone of this collection is lit with flashes of Motel red. The Amish mix and match tradition shows in details like detachable vests or jackets patched in stripes.

In case that you are wondering what to do with your older Louis Vuitton bags, why not put them together as an art and craft. The artist Billie Achilleos came up with some pretty amazing ideas.

If I have whetted your appetite, please take a look at those beautiful pieces that belong to the Pre-fall 2011 collection and will be in stores starting next month.
The new colours for the leo scarfs are so beautiful and those biker boots are my must-haves.

What an amazing collection, W.O.W.!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

KUNSTHALLE ZÜRICH IM MUSEUM BÄRENGASSE
BRUCE CONNER
2. APRIL – 29. MAI 2011

Bruce Conner (1933 – 2008) was an American artist renowned for his work in assemblage, film, drawing, sculpture, painting, collage, and photography, among other disciplines.

Conner first attracted widespread attention with his moody, nylon-shrouded assemblages, complex amalgams of found objects such as women’s stockings, bicycle wheels, broken dolls, fur, fringe, costume jewelry, and candles, often combined with collaged or painted surfaces.

Bruce Conner and Dennis Hopper at the exhibition “The Dennis Hopper one man Show”

James Willis Gallery, San Francisco, 1973
© The Conner Family Trust, San Francisco, VBK, Wien, 2010

He also began making short movies in the late 1950s. Conner’s first and possibly most famous film was entitled A MOVIE (1958). He is said to be the pioneer for today’s MTV’s music clips.

Museum Bärengasse, Bärengasse 20-22,
 CH 8001 Zürich

Bruce Conner for Supervisior campaign poster, 1967. © The Conner Family Trust, San Francisco

One lady blended in perfectly.
I’ m wondering if Dolce & Gabbana seeked inspiration from Conner’s works Untitled (1976) and Untitled (1973) for their leo cardigan…

Two chameleons: Dorothea Mühlemann with me in front of an oeuvre by Bruce Conner.

Yesterday, I went to a ladies art luncheon to the the exhibition above. It was truly remarkable to see all those beautiful handbags the guests were carrying. You might have figured this out already, but I am a handbag addict and obviously I am not alone.

Hermès and Chanel models were spotted most, followed by Fendi’s Peekaboos. Enjoy the photos I took and stay tuned for tomorrow’s post that has a lot do with a woman’s obsession for handbags.

LoL, Sandra

Hermès

Hermès

Hermès

Chanel

Chanel

Chanel

Chanel

Fendi

Gucci

Chloé

Balenciaga

Miu Miu

Louis Vuitton

A sparkling gift from a good friend…

…and a vibrant catch from St. Tropez.
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Spring is here and it feels so good. This week, I wore this colourful outfit to a business meeting.

My look: Fringed skirt by Matthew Williamson, silk top by Alexander McQueen, stingray sunglasses by Louis Vuitton, floral coat by Stella McCartney and Birkin bag bei Hermès.

Enjoy your weekend!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

This weekend, I went to see the exhibition of Jani Leinonen, one of my favourite artists, at Galerie Gmurzynska. The Finnish 33 year-old rising star presented nothing less than the kidnapping and execution of Ronald McDonald at Paradeplatz in Zurich.
„The Hamburger company’s advertising figure is a symbol of capitalism and also a clown. That’s what makes it interesting to me as an artist“, says Leinonen.

Jani was good for groundbreaking headlines in the beginning of this year when he and his friends calling themselves the „Food Liberation Army – FLA“ stole a Ronald McDonald statue from a McDonald’s restaurant in Helsinki.

In an Al Quaeda-style video, they staged the beheading of the famous symbol and tried to force the American chain to answer some questions about how it produces its products.  The fast food company refused any dialogue. The videos of the kidnapping were viewed more than 700,000 times on You Tube.

Leinonen, who definitely knows how to play the game, is nevertheless a true professional when it comes to markting himself. He even has bigger plans to set up a park full of Ronalds but McDonald’s refused to sell him the statues.

The charming guy from Helsinki took the idea of a funeral even further. Tombstones with iconic Louis Vuitton logo prints or the packaging of YSL Paris were placed in the beginning of the exhibition. I have to admit that I had never thought about how my tombstone should look like, assuming it will hopefully take a long time until it is needed, but I am absolutely tempted to have some logo print going on there.

Jani Leinonen with hotelier Andrea Kracht and his wife Gigi, who exhibited his enormous cereal box installations last year at her famous Art in the Park event in the beautiful garden of the Baur au Lac.

Leinonen has three main objectives for his future: First, he wants to create a piece of art that will be stolen one day from a museum. Second, an artwork of his should be so good that it will get copied in Shanghai. And last but not least, he wants to become so famous that Damien Hirst’s mother knows him.

Pretty cool! And probably not so unlikely… I am better keeping the inscription he wrote for me. It might be worth a fortune one day.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht