Sandra‘s Closet

The CHANEL F/W 2016 handbags and small leather goods collection revisits the great classics of the House of CHANEL.

Karl Lagerfeld reinterprets several fundamental elements of CHANEL’s stylistic vocabulary, starting with the emblematic quilting of the House that we discover here as an ultra-light version on the flap bags, the shopping bags and even a backpack, uniting comfort with elegance.

The designer has also reinvented the iconic CHANEL bag and in particular the 11.12 which, this season appears in a laser treated faded denim.

The 2.55 is attached to a clip hanger with a discreet little mirror. It comes in aged or metallic leather as well as overstitched beige suede split calfskin inspired by the toiles used in the ateliers to make the handbag prototypes. This same material covers the drawstring, flap and bowling bags, plus the clutches and a camera case.

Meanwhile the BOY CHANEL bag appears to be patterned with pins. The Montex Atelier has created a special embroidery composed of silver tube beads and multi-coloured round beads, and which required more than 20 hours of work. Another version is embellished with precious braiding.

A key detail in the collection, the lacing inspired by corsetry that cleaves the dresses and boots, is also present on handbags in leather or combined with tweed.

The Girl bag adopts a clutch format in quilted leather or united with tweed. Functional thanks to its numerous pockets, its leather-interlaced chain is detachable at one end allowing it to be hand held or worn over the shoulder.

For evening, the clutches in leather, lizard or python play the ultimate luxury card with chains made of leather, metal and fantasy pearls.

As a tribute to the ateliers and their treasures, the resin minaudières adopt the shapes of a dual compartment sewing-box or a bobbin of golden thread.

Karl Lagerfeld has also conceived a line of accessories dedicated to Smartphones and tablets: the cases covered with tweed (including two versions woven by the House of Lesage) or with quilted or exotic leathers are designed to accommodate the devices in style. On certain models the iconic chain alternates gold and silver links.

The CHANEL F/W 2016 handbags and small leather goods collection will be available in boutiques from September 2016 onwards.

I cannot wait for those beauties to arrive!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel

A minaudière is a a great substitute for an evening bag, generally considered a jewelry piece. It’s an easy way to look chic and glamorous and to vamp up a cocktail dress.

Here are the most head-turning clutches to spice up your look:

1 Jean Watermelon pearl-effect box clutch by Edie Parker
2 Let It Shine Pandora embellished glittered Perspex clutch by Charlotte Olympia
3 Lily embellished mesh box clutch by Marchesa
4 Love Swarovski crystal-embellished box clutch by Sylvia Toledano
5 Morley patterned raffia box clutch by Kotur
6 Diagonal Minaudière leather clutch by Saint Laurent

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands

Attention, ladies! This new limited edition minaudière filled with amazing beauty essentials by NY Fashion Designer, Derek Lam, and Tom Pecheux, Creative Makeup Director for Estée Lauder, who was in charge for the runway show’s makeup look, will be flying off the shelves.

Previewed during New York Fashion Week, the look inspired by the runway for lips and eyes includes: The Mascara in Black Black, The EyeShadow in Smoked Gold, The Kajal Crayon in Near Night (a navy pencil liner), The LipColor in Smoked Blush and The Gloss in Barely Gold.

All tucked inside this beautiful Derek Lam navy satin clutch that features the designer’s signature dumbbell clasp.

In Switzerland the gift set is available at Jelmoli for CHF 98.00.

LoL, Sandra

Liu Wen at Derek Lam’s S/S 2014 runway show
Photos: Courtesy of Estée Lauder

If I wet your appetite with my article about the new S/S 2011 collections last week or you are leaving for a sunny and warm place after Christmas, you will love the new Resort 2011 collections that hit the stores daily.
This season is all about femininity, sweet details, a retro vibe and French chic. Enjoy my summary that I put together for you with the best looks available at the moment. Isn’t it always the most exciting time when the new pieces are arriving, I am just loving it….
What a bummer that I cannot wear my new gingham bikini in St. Moritz!

To a beautiful spring!

LoL, Sandra

Flaunt the season’s sexy 60s-look and embody the style of legendary Parisian chic in those stunning Louis Vuitton outfits. Preppy, classy and full of elegance, my favourites!

Imagine a bouquet of fresh cut flowers transforming into an appliqué dress. A feminine fusion of romance and seduction, foreunner of this trend: Stella McCartney.

Scallop details are this spring a glamour girl’s must-have. Take off in prim ensembles and jet-set-ready accessories and the French Riviera will be all yours.

Sip cocktails at a garden party in the most beautiful floral prints. Flower-bedecked accessories complement your sweet style perfectly.

Channel a sexy innocence in Chanel’s gingham prints, fit for a dip – or just sitting pretty, this is a must for every fashionista.

Pack for your trip to the Côte d’ Azur with nautical stripes and take a stroll along the beach in those classics. Cannes do!

Pinpoint spring chic with colorful polka dots and sweetly spotted seperates. Miu Miu shows you how to wear this look.

Start a delicious romance with lemons, cherries and apples. This season’s take on fruity prints, just gets started. Tutti Frutti is this summer’s leitmotif, yummy!

Challenge your luck and embrace spring in those Irish-inspiried beauties. It is time to live like a bee in clover.

Today, I would like to give you a sneak preview of the make-up holiday 2010 season. The collections always include limited special editions and hit the stores from the end of October until end of November. Herewith you will find my pre-selection of the soon-to-arrive must-haves. The overall trend is lots of gold and silver sparkles. Glitter against the Christmas Tree is the motto! Deep browns and burgundy reds combined with popping fuchsia let you shine during cold gray winter days.

Chanel’s new limited nail polish is so-called Pulsion, a beautiful bright fuchsia shade. Get yourselves on the wait lists now! The matching lip gloss in Pink Pulsion is also a must. The divine blush duo with tweed effect (Les Tissages de Chanel) in Tweed Fuchsia will give you those young rosy cheeks everybody loves.

Les 4 ombres in Tentation Cuivre is an eyeshadow set including copper brown, light beige, shimmering pink and plum copper that will work for every skin type.

Les Ors de Guerlain is a feast for the eyes! The gold theme that features the famous Guerlain bee, will introduce a silky loose powder creating a light-reflecting veil with a subtle golden iridescent finish, in a gold copper shade (Or Imperial Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body).
The It-lip colour will be a subtle shiny, violet shade: Rouge G Le Brilliant in B64 Bee.

My favourites are the 4 eyeshadows in 410 Velours d’Or, including two shades of violet along with gold and an intense black liner, embossed with a honeycomb Arabesque pattern taken from past imperial Guerlain bottles.

YSL has created a decadent collection for the holiday season, bursting with the beloved cocktail hour shade gold in combination with pink, chocolat and red. Get your hands on the limited Palette Metallic Colorama, a pink-gold face highlighting powder.

If you are more on the wild side and are looking for some crazy colour combinations, Mac will offer you a lot of choices with their Tartan Tale collection. So stunning! I am completely in love with the packaging and how the pattern is for example imprinted into the eyeshadow.
Best Shade: Semi-precious – an aubergine with chocolat Tartan striping.

I am always a big fan of the Dazzleglass Creme colours– lipglosses with a lot of glitter.
Best colour: Lightly Prancing – a light peach with gold pearl.

Nars is this holiday season all about shimmering nail colours, lustrous lipsticks and glistening glosses with gold, rich berry reds and purples leading the way. The limited eyeshadow trio in Okinawa ( silver, deep cobalt blue and black onyx trio) is a must along with the single eyeshadow in Etrusque, an antique gold.
The two nail colours Bad Influence ( a smoky taupe) and Pokerface ( a lilac) are also on top of my list.

Christian Dior Evening Gold

But I saved the best until last: Christian Dior’s Evening Gold collection offers some fabulous products. The perfect gifts for your fashionista girlfriends or the best treats for yourselves:

The Dior Minaudière is the star product for Holiday 2010. The It-accessoire was inspired by the little cosmetic pouches the ladies were carrying at the beginning of the 20th century – the forerunners of the clutches that we know today. It includes 3 eyeshadows and 2 lipglosses that are covered with a gold plated flap to protect them (love that!) and comes in two different colour combinations: 001 Grey Golds and 002 Pink Golds for CHF 120.- each.

992 Noir Lamé

Also divine is the new Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in 992 Noir Lamé – for your sexy winter moments!

LoL, Sandra

Minaudière 001 Grey Golds

Minaudière 002 Pink Golds