Sandra‘s Closet

For years I mocked myself that I didn’t like rose perfumes: too dusty, too old-fashioned, too grandma-like. What perfume planet was I on? One day I looked around my boudoir table and realised that a lot of my fragrances were based around the rose, just in a more subtle way.

Here are the best new launches to introduce the flower of love to your olfactory wardrobe now. The five fragrances you’ll be probably sniffing to prolong summer a little longer.

PRADA Les Infusion Rose
Eau de Parfum CHF 136.76 (100ml)

A new edition to the collection Les Infusions de Prada. The fragrance interprets the note of rose in a new and different way, luminous and feminine. Created by perfumer Daniela Andrier and Miuccia Prada.

Notes: Turkish Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Galbanum, Neroli, Mandarine

BURBERRY My Blush
Eau de Parfum CHF 79.20 (30ml), CHF 120.00 (50ml) and CHF 165.60 (90ml)

A fruity floral Eau de Parfum with a sparkling twist.  Stepping back into a London garden awakening in the first light of day, My Burberry Blush captures the senses as blossoming flowers pop with spirited energy. Created by perfumer Francis Kurkdjian and Christopher Bailey.

Top notes: Pomegranate, Lemon
Middle notes: Rose Petals, Apple
Base notes: Jasmine, Wisteria

VIKTOR&ROLF Flowerbomb Bloom
Eau de Toilette CHF 68.00 (30ml)

The addictiveness of Flowerbomb is rewritten with an airy twist. A new interpretation of the iconic fragrance, Flowerbomb Bloom is an explosion of fresh flowers caressed with a breath of cool mountain air. The floriental fragrance was created by perfumer Domitille Bertier.

Top notes: Pomegranate, Mandarin
Middle notes: Freesia, Rose, Jasmine, Liquid Air
Base notes: Woods

BULGARI Splendida Rose Rose
Eau de Parfum CHF 126.00 (50ml), CHF 177 (100ml)

The floral chypre Splendida Rose Rose is worn like a necklace of 45 fresh roses, those contained in its bottle. It evokes the Italian romance that Bulgari enjoys with women, the absolute embodiment of the superlative femininity. The scent was created by perfumer Sofie Labbé.

Top notes: White Mulberry, Mandarin
Middle notes: Rose Essential Oil, Rose Absolute, Damask Rose
Base notes: Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Guaiac Wood, Musk

GIORGIO ARMANI Sì Rose Signature
Eau de Parfum CHF 123.00 (50ml), CHF 156.00 (100ml)

Each spring, Giorgio Armani creates a limited edition bottle of the beautiful Sì Rose Signature scent. This year, it is reminiscent of an Haute Couture gown with its cute pink ribbon. Discover a floral fragrance that radiates beauty and passion. The fragrance was created by perfumer Julie Massé.

Top notes: May Rose, Damask Rose, Bergamot, Mandarin, White Freesia
Middle notes: Blackcurrant, Vanilla, Osmanthus, Iris, Ambrette Seed
Base notes: Amber, Patchouli

In case you are still not convinced about the rose fragrances, treat yourself to this beautiful clutch:

Printed metallic leather box clutch «I Love You» by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht

Long expected! This fall, MIU MIU begins the sales of their first perfume Miu Miu. Miuccia Prada is a master of the counterintuitive, she mixes the common and the ultra-refined to create something surprising and knowing yet never contrived. Drawing on Prada’s inspiration, perfumer Daniela Andrier creates a study in contrasts. The focus is on lily of the valley flowers supported with floral notes of jasmine, rose absolute and synthetic green notes, as well as a special ingredient created by Givaudan, akigalawood, which develops the scent of patchouli, notes of pepper and woody aromas of oud. Unique, youthful and sophisticated, the new scent will surely be a bestseller.

Trapeze mini matelassé leather shoulder bag by Miu Miu

The flacon of the first Miu Miu fragrance is inspired by the special material characteristic of the brand’s iconic matelassé leather bags.

The face of the advertising campaign, shot by Steven Meisel, is actress Stacy Martin.

Miu Miu Fragrance Collection
Eau de Parfum 30 ml CHF 84,00
Eau de Parfum 50 ml CHF 110,00
Eau de Parfum 100 ml CHF 150,00
Available in Switzerland at Marionnaud from September 14, 2015.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu

Call it a “Prada” day! Here are more news from Italy as PRADA comes to HARRODS with #Pradasphere, a month-long exhibition tracing the diverse obsessions of Miuccia Prada from fashion and accessories to art, architecture, cinema, sports and beyond on the fourth floor of the famous department store.

Prada aficionados can feast their eyes on items from the house’s archives; enjoy short films, a history wall dedicated to Prada’s non-fashion-related pursuits like the America’s Cup. Moreover, 40 of the London store’s windows will be dedicated to the brand. But this is not enough, the best is yet to come! Prada is launching a capsule collection designed especially for Harrods for this occasion and you’ll be able to order specially reissued pieces from past collections.

The exhibit and a ground floor pop-up store featuring the capsule collection will run from May 2nd through the 31st. London, here I come!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada

The title might sound a little pathetic looking at all the fur clothes that Miuccia Prada presented for her S/S 2014 collection. But even if you don’t like fur, you will have to admit that those designs are pieces of art. Colourful and vibrant, the craftsmanship that is needed to create those intarsia details is outstanding. Miuccia Prada uses the fur like a canvas and as most clothes cost as much as a masterpiece, why not combine the two? “Art” has been a major inspiration for many designers for the S/S 2014 season.

Personally speaking, I love the facial prints seen on the handbags the most. Cannot wait to get my hands on those…

Somebody else who couldn’t wait for those pieces to hit the shelves was no other than Marc Jacobs. He walked his dog on Christmas Day in Saint Barts wearing already one of the Prada S/S 2014 fur coats. He is a great admirer and friend of Miuccia Prada and I spotted him frequently at her Miu Miu shows in the afternoon after he had shown Louis Vuitton in the morning. 
Let’s see which one of the must-have pieces Anna Wintour and Anna Dello Russo will pick. Nevertheless, Marc was first!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: PacificCoastNews, Courtesy of Prada

This morning, the JIL SANDER Group has announced the departure of Jil Sander (69), who has been the company’s overall Creative Director. The German designer returned to the house in February 2012 after eight years away, replacing Raf Simons as he departed for Christian Dior.

The German designer founded her eponymous brand in 1973, having opened her first boutique in Hamburg in 1968. In 2000, the designer sold the majority of her label to Prada, and was planning to work alongside the new management. One year later, she resigned already from her position as chairwoman, and shortly after as chief designer. Her decision was taken after a reported ongoing conflict with Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli, who is Miuccia Prada‘s husband.

Jil Sander’s decision is motivated by personal reasons. The partnership will end with the S/S 2014 collection (see photos in collage). The development of the next season will be assured by internal design teams, formed and trained during Sander’s tenure.

Probably she is up for a job interview at Vuitton…:-).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Style.com

Once more, Miuccia Prada and her team has come up with something unexpected and tasteful for the latest Miu Miu F/W 2013 ad campaign. The models have been photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin against a flat cardboard-like background. Those surreal shots show the amazing runway collection in perfection.

MODELS: Katlin Aas, Emily DiDonato, Daphne Groeneveld, Georgia May Jagger, Adriana Lima, Marina Nery, Hind Sahli, Anne Verhallen, Lindsey Wixson
LOCATION: New York, May 1st – 4th 2013

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu

Last night, the premiere of THE GREAT GATSBY marked the official opening of the 66th Cannes Film Festival with such fanfare Jay Gatsby would be proud. Unfortunately, I couldn’t accept the exclusive invite to attend this amazing event (Remember last year?) because of another ongoing project but great news is that I will be flying to Cannes next week to live once more this gorgeous red carpet feeling with Chopard.

It’s definitely one of the biggest movies of 2013, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s famous The Great Gatsby stars Leonardo DiCaprio as 1920s millionaire Jay Gatsby in the part that Robert Redford portrayed in the 1974 version of the film. The 2013 edition is narrated by Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and Carey Mulligan plays Gatsby’s obsession Daisy Buchanan, along with Joel Edgerton as her husband.

THE STORY

„The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

The new blockbuster is the perfect example that there is ongoing dialogue within the worlds of fashion, art, film and architecture. The lavish throwback to the “Roaring Twenties” has already been a huge trend for S/S 2012 (for the previous post please click here).

Harrods in London has taken inspiration from the new adaptation with a 1920s jazz-themed cocktail bar to celebrate the release of movie. At the famous department store, you can also shop ‘The Twenties’ return with a roar, as fringing and Art-Deco detailing add edge to architectural shapes. As Gatsby fever hits our screens with its champagne towers and shimmering wardrobe, has there ever been a better time to celebrate the beginning of the summer season?

CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE BEST 1920’S INSPIRED S/S 2013 FASHION AND BEAUTY.

Keeping this in mind, it is time to take a closer look at the magnificent costumes and jewels in Luhrmann’s film adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic.

Total pairs of stockings/pantyhose/garterbelts from Fogal: 1,080
Total number of Prada party dresses: 40
Total number of crystals provided by Swarovski: 288,000
Most number of hair and make-up applications on any one day, for party scenes: 76
Total items of men’s formalwear and daywear produced for background talent by Brooks Bros.: 2,291

TIFFANY & CO.

Tiffany & Co., who counted F. Scott Fitzgerald himself amongst its clientele, was responsible for the spectacular jewels in the film. The cinematic collection is inspired by pieces from the brand’s archive, genuine products of the creative prosperity of the 1920s which have also inspired a new Gatsby-esque line for Tiffany & Co., the recently launched Ziegfeld range.

The Great Gatsby Savoy Headpiece
Tiffany designers crafted a magnificent headpiece in platinum for The Great Gatsby, bringing Daisy Buchanan to life. It features a detachable brooch, freshwater cultured pearls, 3.6-6.9 mm and round brilliant diamonds, carat total weight 25.04.
$200,000

PRADA

Miuccia Prada was behind the flappers dresses and ballgowns for the cast. The Italian designer teamed up with costume designer Catherine Martin to create a bespoke collection of 40 Roaring Twenties-style pieces, inspired by selected runway looks from the last 20 years. The glittering re-imagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s jazz-age classic stars. In the film the costumes take a leading role: shimmering silk gowns embroidered with crystal and sequins; velvets, furs and dancing fringing; flickering shades of emerald, jade, topaz and gold.

“Our collaboration with Prada recalls the European flair that was emerging amongst the aristocratic East Coast crowds in the 1920s” says Martin. “The fashions of the time saw the development of a dichotomy between those who aspired to the privileged, Ivy League look of wealthy Long Island and those who were aspiring to European glamour, sophistication and decadence. Our collaborations with Prada reflect the collision of these two aesthetics.”

The beautiful costumes will be on display in New York, Tokyo and Shanghai:
May 1 – 12, 2013 at the Prada New York Epicenter at 575 Broadway in New York City.
June 14 – 30, 2013 at the Prada Tokyo Epicenter store and following until mid-July at the IFC Mall in Shanghai.

FOGAL

I am in love with Fogal‘s limited edition hosiery collection made exclusively for The Great Gatsby movie. This pure 20’s glamour is now available in all Fogal stores.

Excited to see Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire in The Great Gatsby? I am inviting you to join today’s contest where you can win four amazing movie-inspired giveaways. A tee, a perfume bottle, a book mark and the movie tie-in book.

This contest is open to everyone. To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “The Great Gatsby” to . All entries must be received until May 25, 2013. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules.

The Great Gatsby hits theatres today in Switzerland. Check out the trailer below!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Courtesy of Fogal, Harrods, Prada, Tiffany & Co., © Reuters and © 2013 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Miuccia Prada used Japanese elements, draped Duchesse satin and came up with a contemporary kimono style, while paying homage to Courrèges with ’60 silhouettes and red daisies. All mixed together, the Prada S/S 2013 collection has a very nostalgic feel while of course looking absolutely new and modern. That is something only Mrs Prada can come up with.

Photos taken in my favourite coat in my favourite Prada store in the world, ZURICH!

My beloved Prada accessories for S/S 2013.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada, © Sandra Bauknecht

“It’s about elegance, not elegance. Couture, not couture. Tailoring, not tailoring,” Miuccia Prada told WWD.

Her S/S 2013 Miu Miu collection was all about contrasts, the Italian designer let herself be inspired by the silhouettes of the ’50s and ’60s, to which she offered her own iconic twist.

Flats worn to glamourous embellished outfits, rich luxurious fabrics downgraded through tie-dye and crushing and fur all over for summer walked down the runway to the sounds of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” which almost seemed macabre in a good way. Think Mad Men meets Hitchcock in a contemporary way.

Splendid yet effortless, and with ease, she changes her style without never loosing her signature. The ideas and inspirations may be complicated, but this is her intelligent approach to fashion. And amazingly as it seems, she always makes it look easy.

Miuccia Prada had converted the Palais d’Iéna into a wooden maze designed by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA, with thick velvet curtains changing the ambiance  of the venue, that is usually bathed in natural light, into something mysterious right before the show .

Miucca Prada always packs the best front row. This season it was Emma Stone, Amanda Seyfried, Chloë Sevigny, Dianna Agron and Bérénice Bejo among others, all dressed head to toe in Miu Miu.

Amanda Seyfried with me after the show

Emma Stone giving an interview

Stay tuned for a detailed post about my outfit and of course, my runway reviews of Chanel, Louis Vuitton and so on.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu and © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, the ‘Schiaparelli & Prada: Impossible Conversations’ exhibition has been unveiled during a dedicated press conference at the Costume Institute’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The exhibition will be open to the public from May 10 to August 19, 2012.

The Met’s Spring 2012 Costume Institute exhibition explores the striking affinities between Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, two Italian designers from different eras. Inspired by Miguel Covarrubias’s “Impossible Interviews” for Vanity Fair in the 1930s, the exhibition features orchestrated conversations between these iconic women to suggest new readings of their most innovative work.

Iconic ensembles are presented with videos of simulated conversations between Schiaparelli and Prada directed by Baz Luhrmann, focusing on how both women explore similar themes in their work through very different approaches.

The exhibition showcases approximately ninety designs and thirty accessories by Schiaparelli (1890–1973) from the late 1920s to the early 1950s and by Prada from the late 1980s to the present. Drawn from The Costume Institute’s collection and the Prada Archive, as well as other institutions and private collections, signature objects by both designers are arranged in seven themed galleries: “Waist Up/Waist Down,” “Ugly Chic,” “Hard Chic,” “Naïf Chic,” “The Classical Body,” “The Exotic Body,” and “The Surreal Body.”

Schiaparelli, who worked in Paris from the 1920s until her house closed in 1954, was closely associated with the Surrealist movement and created such iconic pieces as the “Tear” dress, the “Shoe” hat, and the “Bug” necklace. Prada, who holds a degree in political science, took over her family’s Milan-based business in 1978, and focuses on fashion that reflects the eclectic nature of Postmodernism.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Prada