Sandra‘s Closet

The House of CHANEL has collaborated on one of the summer’s most-anticipated film, Barbie, produced by and starring Oscar nominee Margot Robbie, a House ambassador, as the global icon. Directed and writen by Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig, the film reveals that to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place… unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

Throughout the history of cinema, CHANEL has been a preferred collaborator. In our latest partnership, the House proudly worked alongside Barbie creatives to realize several costumes for Margot Robbie’s character as well as a ski suit for Ken’s character, embodied by Ryan Gosling.

In a June 2023 interview, the actress/producer says that, in Barbie, «You’ll notice a lot of CHANEL, Barbies like CHANEL! I’ve got some great CHANEL outfits in the film that I got to wear. The mentality with Barbie is that she has all the accessories—there’s always a hat or bow and earrings and jewelry. The jewelry is big in the way it would be on a doll: big necklaces and earrings. Hats are never for protection from the sun, they’re just another accessory, along with bags and shoes and all of it! It was really fun.»

Five silhouetes imagined by Virginie Viard will be seen on screen, along with quilted bags, including a heart-shaped one, and accessories (shield-eyewear from the COCO NEIGE collection, holographic cuffs and costume jewelry, hats from Maison Michel) made available by the House. Oscar-winning costume designer and friend of the House, Jacqueline Durran, was given a selection of outfits in various shades of pink from the Ready-to-Wear, COCO BEACH and COCO NEIGE collections imagined by Virginie Viard. The five featured silhouetes – three suits, a ski suit, and a dress – were chosen to highlight the Barbie character as she moves through her journey in the film.

The feature film is in cinemas now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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Vault, Gucci’s experimental concept store, announces the arrival of its high summer collection. For the latest seasonal chapter in Vault’s tale, the warm sun, clear blue skies, and tranquil waters are subverted to become the canvas to picture eclectic summer stories through the depths of imagination.

Eight brands from around the globe have contributed to the selection that encompasses ready-to-wear, jewelry, shoes, and accessories for women and men curated for everything from carefree seaside getaways and outdoor adventures to the season’s most anticipated formal celebrations and rituals.

Vault Summer presents an array of styles and aesthetics by young brands as well as by fabled houses possessing decades of history.

Agua by Agua Bendita offers women’s beachwear and dresses hand-embroidered by Colombian artisans with native plants of Italy and the brand’s home country.

Emerging New York designer Connor McKnight puts forth a range of ready-to-wear for men inspired by vintage outdoor attire.

Parisian menswear brand Husbands delivers a complete selection of sartorial essentials marked by timeless formal tailoring.

A collection of minaudière clutch bags by Judith Leiber Couture includes playful reproductions of the brand’s highly collectible archival designs, showcased in museums such as London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, among others.

Maison Michel proposes a selection of expertly crafted hats — both timeless and playful — for women and men.

Prounis Jewelry presents precious and semi-precious pieces crafted from 22-karat gold and responsibly sourced South Sea pearls, tourmaline, emeralds, and other gemstones.

Rowing Blazers introduces an array of signature rugby shirts alongside casual and elevated styles for men.

Joining the Vault line-up for the second consecutive season, Vans continues to surprise with its iconic silhouettes imagined in vibrant new colors and prints.

Transposing the hazy spirit of the collection, a campaign by Max Siedentopf blends references and clichés in a playful twist where Hollywood Glamour, slackers and tongue-in-cheek humor find common ground. With an emblematic blend of elegant formality and chic insouciance, an exuberant cast of characters embraces the laidback grandeur of a lakeside getaway in scenarios that ultimately showcase the dreamy reality of Summer.

Created exclusively for Vault, the limited-edition Vault Summer capsule collections will be available only online on gucci.com from May 22, 2023.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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One jacket, two looks. Power shoulders have always made a strong statement in fashion and they work with pants and skirts. The strong shoulder is most associated with the 80s, but it first had a heyday in the 30s and 40s, as a sign of women’s liberation, when the female suit was primarily birthed. I love this versatile Balenciaga jacket that comes with a built-in skirt. One piece, many options and styles … statement fashion for the woman of the new 20s.

My look: Oversized plaid wool jacket with built-in skirt detail (2017) by Balenciaga, cropped high-rise wide-leg jeans by Stella McCartney, cashmere circles appliqué scarf and logo striped oversized silk shirt, both by Prada, New Abby tweed sailor cap by Maison Michel, JW-charm gold-plated choker by JW Anderson, bean embellished leather tote by Simone Rocha, Vita suede platform sandals by Amina Muaddi, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis, and leopard face mask by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

The fall and its breathtaking colors are always the perfect backdrop for a photo shoot.
For this outfit, I loved to experiment with colors and shapes. The result has become one of my fall favorites and I hope you will like it too.

My look: Long sleeve checked blouse, sleeveless knit top with sequins, ruffled skirt with built-in shorts, and floral brooch, all by Louis Vuitton, Billy vinyl-trimmed houndstooth tweed beret by Maison Michel, Rockstud leopard-print calf hair trapeze bag (2014) by Valentino, and green platform suede boots by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

«Embroidery is to Haute Couture what fireworks are to Bastille Day.» – François Lesage

I love CHANEL‘s Métiers d’Art collections, that are always a visual treat for the senses, showcasing the craftsmanship for which the luxury house is revered. Those runway shows take place each year outside the traditional fashion schedule.

The name itself reveals it: Métiers d’Art means «art professions». They are considered demi-couture, right between ready-to-wear and haute couture; although the designs are not bespoke, their ornamentation and craftsmanship rely on couture techniques. The collections and their elaborate themes are brought to life by the small specialist workshops that CHANEL began buying in 1984, in order to preserve the expertise and craftsmanship associated with French luxury, among them the buttons and accessory maker (Desrues), costume jewelers (Goossens), embroiderers (Lesage and Montex), feather and flower makers (Lemarié), milliners (Maison Michel), shoemakers (Massaro) and so on. Today these ateliers have become essential to the everyday running of the fashion house, providing CHANEL with everything from lace to embroidered buttons.

For the Métiers d’Art collection 2020, named Paris – 31 Rue Cambon, Virginie Viard, who was with CHANEL’s haute couture department for more than 30 years before taking the helm as the Maison’s creative director in 2019, brought the show back to the legendary designer’s apartment, creating the magnificent set-up that placed emphasis on Coco Chanel’s famous mirrored staircase.

Her favorite look of the collection was number 34, and it was also mine. It is a piece of art, created using the intricate trompe-l’œil embroidery done specifically at the ateliers of Lesage, and the attention to detail is undeniable.

The story began in 1858, when Charles Frederick Worth opened his haute couture fashion house, and started making use of the prodigious talent of the embroiderer Albert Michonet, whose studio was purchased by Albert and Marie-Louise Lesage in 1924. This was the beginning of a period of fruitful and close collaboration with the best-known names of the time. They introduced tambour embroidery to the studio using the Lunéville technique, which could respond to the voracious demand for beaded and sequinned gowns during Les Années Folles.

In 1949, on the death of his father, François Lesage (1929 – 2011) took over management of the company at the tender age of 20. For 50 years, he has cleverly combined the skills of a traditional craft with meeting the pioneering requirements of the new generation of fashion designers. In 2002, the company became part of the CHANEL family.

Coming back to Look 34, that I am wearing in this outfit post. It features the Lunéville technique that involves using a crochet hook to chain stitch small decorations (black and gold beads) to the underside of the fabric. In this case, over 25,000 gold beads and 35,000 black tube beads are used to form the embroidered braids, before the seamstresses at the tailleur atelier carefully place them along the edges and cuffs of the wool tweed jacket and trousers. The classic handbag was created to complement the look, crafted in the same red-and-black wool tweed and finished with the embroidered braid detailing all around the edges.

Why am I explaining all of this to you? Those pieces are one-off creations that continually push the boundaries to showcase the fine arts that are only alive and well today because of CHANEL’s continued patronage. If you love fashion, you will appreciate the craftsmanship of those eternal items. This look is very dear to my heart.

My look: Tweed jacket with embroidery, matching tweed pants, and classic handbag, layered pearl necklace with bows, and two-tone slingback shoes, all by CHANEL (Look 34 Métiers d’Art 2020 Paris – 31 Rue Cambon),  velvet and Leavers lace-trimmed stretch-tulle halterneck bodysuit, and gold-tone, enamel and faux pearl clip earrings, both by Saint Laurent, and Carretto-print face mask, by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

There’s a long history of chic women sporting the beret. It is one of the accessories that immediately transforms an outfit into something truly outstanding and it will make you look very Parisian! Not only has it graced fashionistas allover the world, but it’s also continued to be a major accessory on the catwalks. Furthermore, there are some seriously amazing berets on the market right now for you to shop as you can see below.

LoL, Sandra

D-Dream leather beret by Dior

RB Girl logo-patch canvas beret by Ruslan Baginskiy

Mosaic-embellished beret by Burberry

Coco wool-felt and mesh beret by Eugenia Kim

Leopard-print shearling beret by Yves Salomon

Wool-felt beret by Dolce & Gabbana

Idaho striped straw beret by Maison Michel

Billy vinyl-trimmed houndstooth tweed beret by Maison Michel

Crinoline and straw fascinator beret by Stephen Jones

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

Fairy-tale whimsy, an ode to couture, spring’s plethora of veils speak all languages.
Below are the best ones to shop at the moment.

LoL, Sandra

Swarovski crystal-embellished mesh and buntal fascinator by Philip Treacy

Embellished veiled mohair-blend beret by Jennifer Behr

Clémentine lace veil headband by Maison Michel

Crystal-embellished mesh and buntal fascinator by Philip Treacy

Embellished satin and mesh-trimmed parasisal straw fedora by Philip Treacy

Veiled straw hat by Ann Demeulemeester

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Today is a very sad day for the world of fashion and also for myself. Karl Lagerfeld died in Paris at the age of 85. When I heard the news a few hours ago, I literally cried my eyes out.

«Trendy is the last stage before tacky.» – Karl Lagerfeld

For me Lagerfeld was a genius, without him the world of fashion would not be the same. He created collections simultaneously for CHANEL and FENDI (since 1965!), in addition to his signature label, at a pace without rival in the luxury industry. When I started looking at fashion magazines in the middle of the ’80s, he had just begun designing for CHANEL. Before that he had worked at BALMAIN, JEAN PATOU and CHLOÉ where he became successful with his feminine flowing party dresses, the latter he returned to once more in the ’90s before handing the reigns to Stella McCartney.

With Karl Lagerfeld in December 2014 in Salzburg.

When I turned 18, I wished for nothing else than a CHANEL costume. Whenever I met him or interviewed him, he impressed me by his intelligence, wittiness (I attached some of my favorite quotes in this post) and his way of working, which actually was very German. Just get the job done!

I asked him once how he seeks inspiration, he looked at me and said: «Forget inspiration, you sit down every day at your desk and work, half of the outcome is for the trash bin but the other half will work.» Another time, I wanted to know when he goes on holidays and he answered: «Holidays are only for employees.»

«If you are cheap. Nothing helps.» – Karl Lagerfeld

A shoot we did during my time at Marie Claire magazine with Barbara and Boris Becker photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, March 1999.

But my favorite story happened almost 20 years ago when I started my first job at Marie Claire magazine in Germany. My fashion director Florentine Pabst at that time was very close to Karl (and by the way also Jim Morrison‘s last girlfriend) It was probably my first week at the office and she explained to me that during her meeting her phone calls would be transferred to my phone. And most importantly if Karl called, I should let him know, that she will get back to him. I said: «Karl, who? The Karl?!» She smiled and replied: «Of course.»

«Sweatpants are a sign of defeat.» – Karl Lagerfeld

I didn’t leave my desk waiting eagerly for him to call. When he did, I gave him the message. The conversation was probably not longer than 30 seconds but I sat down at my desk with the biggest smile. My boss came back and asked me what happened. I grinned and said: «I am the happiest girl in the world. I just spoke to Karl Lagerfeld.» She laughed.

After half an hour, my phone rang again. It was my fashion director telling me somebody wanted to talk to me. It was no other than Karl Lagerfeld telling me: «I heard you enjoyed talking to me so much, so I thought I give you another call.» And this is how my love story started…

Another epic moment with Karl Lagerfeld in St Moritz in February 2013 at the opening of Fire Etchings at Galerie Gmurzynska.

«I think tattoos are horrible – it’s like living in a Pucci dress full-time.» – Karl Lagerfeld

 There is so much you could talk when you think of Karl Lagerfeld. He discovered Claudia Schiffer, was such a talented photographer himself and his ultimate success with CHANEL made the house one of the most important and prolific today. Thanks to Lagerfeld, the company also acquired many specialized French craft ateliers, like Lesage for embroidery, Lemarié for feathers and artificial flowers, Maison Michel for millinery, and Causse for glove making. This craftsmanship  was celebrated with lavish Métiers d’Art fashion shows as Paris – Bombay or Paris – Salzburg for example. The famous cruise collections took place in far destinations such as Dubai or Havana, Cuba, showing Lagerfeld’s way to making CHANEL even more prominent and desirable around the world.

Eric Pfrunder, Virginie Viard and Karl Lagerfeld

This January, Lagerfeld didn’t come to his Haute Couture presentation in Paris which was already a sign that the designer was not feeling well. Instead of him, Virginie Viard, the creative studio director, took the applause. It is more than likely that she will succeed Lagerfeld as CHANEL’s designer, supported by Eric Pfrunder, the house’s director of image.

«I am very much down to earth, just not this earth.» – Karl Lagerfeld

I could go on and on and will surely share with you more about my most magical moments I had with him. Rest in Peace Karl Lagerfeld –  your legend will live on, and not only in my closet!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld and © Sandra Bauknecht

Don’t want to go the whole Halloween costume hog? To be honest, I hate real costumes, it is a waste of money for me. I am not in the mood of applying fake blood and spending five hours getting all costume-ready. I always try to create something out of my closet. Pieces that are fun, honor the ocassion and can be worn all year around. So if you are like me, don’t panic about Halloween, these pieces are all you need… perfect for the lazy girl in all of us!

To shop, just click on the highlighted text. And don’t forget to scroll until the end of this post. The probably most expensive designer look inspired by Halloween is waiting for you…

Halloween-print silk scarf by Vetements

Caterina embellished wool-felt hat by Eugenia Kim

Cashmere skeleton gloves by Saint Laurent

Jacquard knit skeleton sweater by Saint Laurent

GucciGhost G-Timeless watch by Gucci

Montana Pony clutch by Mara & Mine

Lou crystal-embellished velvet mask by Maison Michel

Kitty leather-trimmed velvet slippers by Charlotte Olympia

Night Fairy embroidered wool-blend scarf by Alexander McQueen

Queen and King skeleton earrings by Alexander McQueen

Fringed printed silk-blend jacquard scarf by Alexander McQueen

Reverse opening cardigan jacket in crystal skeleton embroidery by Thom Browne

Trouser length cardigan skirt in crystal skeleton embroidery by Thom Browne

Perspex and crystal clip earrings by Miu Miu

Happy Halloween 2018!

LoL, Sandra

Photos/Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

Easter is in two weeks which is right around the corner. Get ready for the holiday in style with these adorable outfit and gift ideas for any Easter activity you have planned! Whether you are hosting a brunch with friends and family, an egg hunt with the kids, or just chill at home for the holiday with your loved one, I have your wardrobe options covered. Thankfully, this season’s trends complement the Easter spirit perfectly, so no need to feel shy wearing your bunny all year long!

THE FASHIONABLE EASTER BUNNY

1 Embellished intarsia sweater by Gucci
2 Polka dot rabbit T-shirt by Peter Jensen
3 Rabbit intarsia jumper by Prada
4 Rabbit tote by Comme des Garçons Girl
5 Intarsia wool sweater by Gucci
6 Rabbit zip around wallet by MCM
7 Rabbit print wallet by Prada

THE GUCCI EASTER BUNNY

1 Embroidered wool cardigan by Gucci
2 Embroidered denim skirt by Gucci
3 Appliquéd cotton T-shirt by Gucci
4 Appliquéd cotton hoodie by Gucci
5 Embroidered denim jacket by Gucci

THE NAUGHTY EASTER BUNNY

1 Playboy bunny logo sweater by Moschino
2 Bunny gingham leather cross-body bag by Loewe
3 Bunny cap by Bernstock Speirs
4 Embellished swimsuit by Moschino
5 Heidi lace bunny ear headband by Maison Michel
6 Embellished Bugs Bunny sweater by Gucci

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands