Sandra‘s Closet

After Salzburg, Rome and Ritz Paris, CHANEL will present its next Métiers d’art collection for Pre-fall 2018 in Hamburg, Germany, on the 6th of December 2017. The show will take place at the spectacular Elbphilharmonie, a true work of architectural prowess conceived by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, and situated in the heart of the Port of Hamburg that just opened in the beginning of the year.

No word yet on why Karl Lagerfeld has decided to take his collection to his hometown, of course, rumors are whispering something about his final show which I absolutely doubt.

The beautiful interior of the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg will surely be a stunning backdrop for the show.

Each year, through the virtuosity of the German designer, the CHANEL Métiers d’art collection is taken around the world, and honours the exceptionnal savoir-faire of CHANEL‘s artisan partners, among which the embroiderers Maison Lesage and Atelier Montex, feather-maker Lemarié, shoemaker Massaro and hat-maker and milliner Maison Michel.

Chasing waterfalls for S/S 2018.

Lagerfeld just presented his S/S 2018 show for the French house on Tuesday at Paris Fashion Week, debuting some chic rainwear alongside artificial (but nonetheless astonishing) waterfalls in the Grand Palais. He is a true genius and I am so much looking forward what he will be showing in our mutual home country! Only two months exactly to ago…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Getty Images and Courtesy of Chanel

Great news, it is this time of the year: the sale has officially started and you can find amazing pieces that are marked down up to 50%. Below you can find my selection of my favorite 10 with a little explanation why I have chosen them.

Ruched knitted sweater by J.W.Anderson (40% off)
A great sweater for every day in a stunning colour combination.

Embroidered denim clutch by Marc Jacobs (30% off)
You will be the star at every 4th of July party.

Bandage mini dress by Hervé Léger (50% off)
A true classic in dark blue.

Embroidered wool-blend cardigan by Saint Laurent (30% off)
A fun cover-up for those rainy days and later for fall.

Suede knee boots by Gianvito Rossi (50% off)
Already an investment for the upcoming winter season.

Icon medium leather tote by Tom Ford (40% off)
If you get a Tom Ford bag on sale, you better do not hesitate.

Henrietta rabbit-fur felt hat by Maison Michel (30% off)
Couture millinery Maison Michel was founded in 1936 and is now owned by Chanel, do I need to explain more?

Embellished printed brocade pumps by Dolce & Gabbana (40% off)
With this discount, it feels good to add some color to your wardrobe.

Embellished bomber jacket by Saint Laurent (40% off)
A treasure from the runway.

Crystal embellished ring by Gucci (30% off)
Fashion jewelry by Gucci will stay a huge trend next season. This is an amazing opportunity to get it on sale.

I hope that I could inspire you a little… have fun shopping the sale!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Last night, I arrived in Cuba and was greeted by CHANEL in my hotel room with a lovely surprise: a very cute straw hat created in collaboration with Maison Michel, the famous hat-maker and milliner that was acquired by the House of CHANEL as one of its specialty ateliers.

The first thing popping up in my mind was, how is this shape called? Is it a Panama or a Havana hat, a feodora or a trilby…? Here is a little guide for you so that you will become a real insider.

The easiest thing to remember is that the rim of a fedora curls up while the rim of a panama hat is straight. A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat which in shape resembles the Tyrolean hat.

Straight rim: straw Panama hat by Rag & Bone.

The rim curls up: grosgrain-trimmed woven paper fedora by Melissa Odabash.

Narrow-brimmed: gradient trilby hat by Diesel.

Trendy, the floppy brim: sunny sequined straw sunhat by Eugenia Kim.

Straw hats in all shapes have already become a must-have accessory for fashionistas everywhere as they are the perfect addition to a summery look. So ladies, hold on to your hats, many exciting things are waiting for you during the next days!

Ernest Hemingway wears the look of the successful novelist in Paris, in 1927, just after his book, “The Sun Also Rises,” hit the bestseller list. (AP Photo/Charles Scribner Sons)

I am leaving now an a Hemingway tour which will take me on a journey, following the footsteps of one of the worlds greatest writers here in Cuba. In 1940 Hemingway, with his new wife Martha, purchased a home outside Havana where he would live for the next twenty years. Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht

We believe in the Easter Bunny all year around as those amazingly cute pieces would be a shame not to be worn more than one weekend. Kate Moss knows how to do it!

Get the bunny look in style here:

1 Printed cotton-jersey sweatshirt by McQ Alexander McQueen
2 Bunny leather clutch by Hillier Bartley
3 Flocked glittered cotton-jersey T-shirt by McQ Alexander McQueen
4 Swarovski crystal-embellished tulle bunny ear headband by Fleur Du Mal + Playboy
5 Satin and patent-leather sandals by Gianvito Rossi
6 Bunny ponte bodysuit by Fleur Du Mal + Playboy
7 Heidi patchwork cotton bunny ears headband by Maison Michel

Enjoy your Easter weekend!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, via Playboy January/February 2014

When you think “festival fashion,” Coachella, which starts today, is pretty much the gold standard. With the stylish crowd gathered in one dusty desert destination, decked out in their boho best, it’s a feast for the eyes. With the emergence of ’70s styles on the S/S 2015 runways, adapting to the boho vibe seems to be an easy task. Take, for example, fringe. From fringe hemlines to cropped tops, gorgeous flats and even bags, the look is everywhere you turn at a music festival. Here is some style inspiration.

Get the look: Fringed leather biker jacket by Balmain, cropped cutout stretch-knit top by Jonathan Simkhai, cut-off denim shorts and Monogramme fringed suede shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, Virginie rabbit-felt fedora by Maison Michel, gold-plated chain bib necklace by Ben Amun, aviator-style gold-tone mirrored sunglasses and leopard-print calf hair point-toe flats, both by Victoria Beckham.

A hat looks always stylish or opt for a flower crown. Colour some cute daisies under your eyes for the ultimate hippie feeling or stitch some floral lace around one hemline of your denim shorts. Wether you are in Palm Springs or not, this style looks great everywhere.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Etsy and © Sandra Bauknecht

Last Tuesday, Karl Lagerfeld presented his latest Metiers d’Art collection for CHANEL, Paris-Edimbourg, at Linlithgow Palace – the ancient family seat of the Stuart family, where Mary Queen of Scots, was born.

An incredible presentation of know-how and craftsmanship, this collection honours and showcases the exceptional talent of the jeweler Desrues, the feather maker Lemarie, the milliner Maison Michel, the boot maker Massaro, the lace embroiderer Maison Lesage, the embroiderer Montex, the glove maker Causse and the Scottish cashmere company Barrie knitwear – a recent acquisition of the House of CHANEL.

Scotland, a country that Gabrielle Chanel discovered with the Duke of Westminster, became the source of her inspiration for tweed creations and knitted cardigans. In choosing Scotland as the scene of this Metiers d’Art collection, Karl Lagerfeld once again reinvented the history and codes of the House with renewed creativity.

The collection included many classic Scottish design elements, such as tartan, tweed, fur and layers of wool. Fashion’s greatest storyteller Karl Lagerfeld modernized the idea and came up with some very cool oversized and boyish highland looks, which were juxtaposed by very feminine details, like bows and embroideries adding a very Shakespearean appeal.

After the show, guests walked through the torch-lit grounds of the Palace, to the dramatic sound of Scottish bagpipes, arriving at a dinner and party held in Karl Lagerfeld’s honour which was followed by a performance by the British singer and songwriter Jake Bugg.

Just beautiful…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

For the first time, there was a credit that no one has seen at a runway show before: One of Chanel’s famous Parisian ateliers, the legendary couture embroidery house Lesage, lend their skills to Peter Philips, Creative Director for Chanel Makeup, by creating the most stunning embroidered eyebrow pads for the models.

Lesage (embroidery) is along with 7 other ateliers part of Chanel’s subsidary dedicated to “Métiers d’ art”, Paraffection. These include Montex (embroidery), Desrues (costume jewelry), Lemarié (feather-maker), Maison Michel (hat-maker), Massaro (boot-maker), Goossens (goldsmith) and Guillet (fabric flowers-maker).

The emphasis of the runway makeup look is on the eyebrows by using those amazing Lesage pads which won’t be for sale unfortunately. The rest of the face is kept nude and simple.

But there are two new products that will be available in the fall that will make our hearts leap with joy. “Ombre Contraste” is a compact powder in a lavender-taupe shade, called “Notorious” specially created for this show that Peter Philips used for all the shading and sculpting of the face.

For the nails, the new It- shade will be “Frenzy”, a light taupe, which is totally colour coordinated with “Notorious”.

Here is your shopping list:
(the highlighted ones will be available this fall, the rest is in stores already):

Chanel F/W 2012 Ready-to-Wear Show
Makeup by Peter Philips

Skin prepared with HYDRA BEAUTY SERUM

The Complexion
MAT LUMIERE
POUDRE UNIVERSELLE LIBRE
ECLAT LUMIERE
CORRECTEUR PERFECTION

The Eyes
LE CRAYON KHOL « Clair » (N°69)
RECOURBE CILS DE CHANEL
Embroideries made by Maison Lesage specially for the show

The Eyes and the Cheeks
OMBRE CONTRASTE “Notorious” – Exclusive Creation available in specific point of sales in September 2012

The Lips
ROUGE COCO BAUME – Spring 2012 Collection

The Nails
LE VERNIS « Frenzy » (N°559)  – Fall 2012 Collection

Cannot wait to have “Frenzy” on my nails!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel 2012, Vincent Lappartient

Happy New Year to my Chinese readers!

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2011 is the Year of the Golden Rabbit, which begins today on February 3,2011 and ends on January 22, 2012. The Rabbit is the fourth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs.

According to Chinese tradition, the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves.

What a wonderful New Year’s Resolution! Here is my cozy rabbit-inspired outfit suggestion including pieces by some Asian-American designers!

LoL, Sandra