Sandra‘s Closet

Mulberry takes us to the seaside for its S/S 2012 campaign

Mulberry’s S/S 2012 season visits the Great British Seaside by way of the UK’s Brighton Beach, inspired by Creative Director Emma Hill’s memories of the English seasides of her childhood. 
This seaside scene was captured by one of my favourite photographers Tim Walker, starring models Frida Gustavsson and Lindsey Wixon. It is Walker’s third campaign he has shot for the English brand. I love the gigantic ice-cream scones and cupcake colours which are a huge trend for S/S 2012. Nostalgic and eclectic, capturing the Mulberry charm in perfection!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry

Welcome the newest addition to the Mulberry family! Already spotted on the likes of Lily Donaldson, Kate Bosworth and Kirsten Dunst, the new Carter is a bag that you can take from the city directly to the weekend in the countryside.

The range is offered in three different sizes: The two smaller versions which are based on vintage camera cases and the roomier, tote-like Double handle bag. Available now online at mulberry.com in a beautiful fall colour palette, there are three finishes to choose from: suede, croc or snake-embossed leather.

This understated new member of the Mulberry family  might become as cult as the Alexa has. I’m loving it already!

LoL, Sandra

Lily Donaldson with the Mini Carter in Fox Brown Suede, €810

Kate Bosworth with the Carter Double Handle Bag in Birds Nest Croc Nappa Leather, €1240

Kirsten Dunst with the Carter Double Handle Bag in Black Snake Embossed Leather, €1240

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry

Et voilà, here is my last look from LuisaViaRoma’s Firenze4Ever Total Styling Lab. “Beautiful Colours” is my favourite one. The hues are so amazing together and the lace insert dress by Antonio Berardi is definitely hot!

I love hats and this special edition by Borsalino & Delfina Delettrez is among my must-haves for F/W 2011 (it comes in many different colours).

Dress: ANTONIO BERARDI – Jacket: MULBERRY – Shoes: CASADEI – Hat: BORSALINO & DELFINA DELETTREZ – Bag: MULBERRY – Scarf: SIMONETTA RAVIZZA – Watch: ROGER DUBUIS

Happy Shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Ilaria Gambri

My dear readers, I still owe you all those photos from the LuisaViaRoma Firenze4Ever 3rd Edition Total Styling Lab with all the fab pieces from the upcoming F/W 2011 season.

Here is my first look I called „Feather Girl“ because of those amazing shoes, aren’t they divine? It is always a great investment to get a pair of statement shoes as they will make every outfit something special. The Bayswater Mulberry bag has also a beautiful feather print on the leather.

If you don’t have a vest yet, I truly recommend getting one, preferably with some fur embellishments. It is a must this winter! 
And last but not least the jumpsuit is definitely back! I know that it can be quite unpractical, you know what I mean… but nevertheless it is such a stylish piece of clothes that you should absolutely consider.

For shopping, just click on the highlighted description below:

Jumpsuit: DSQUARED2 – Shoes: DIEGO DOLCINI – Bag: MULBERRY – Necklace: ISAJON – Vest: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN – Watch: ROGER DUBUIS

By the way, isn’t the location on the terrasse overlooking Florence and the Duomo just wonderful? Makes me dream of those wonderful days…

LoL, Sandra

 

Photos: Ilaria Gambi

Why have one celebration when you can have two? We had double the fun on 11 June when Mulberry marked their 40th birthday with the launch of a beautiful anniversary book, ‘Mulberry’, at Firenze4Ever.

And I might have been in beautiful Tuscany, but nothing gets in the way of Mulberry’s love for English tea. We were treated to a cup of tea or a glass of elderflower bubbly and cucumber or salmon and cream cheese sandwiches – crusts off, of course. Afternoon tea wouldn’t be complete without cake, so I practised my cake-decorating skills with Victoria sponge.

Among the guests was not only a giant inflatable gold Bayswater, but also Mulberry’s Creative Director Emma Hill who had especially flown in from London for the event.

Emma Hill, Mulberry’s Creative Director

Me in front of the giant Mulberry Bayswater

I was given a copy of the lavish book so that I could take time to browse through the pages of behind-the-scenes peeks at Mulberry through the years, largely photographed by Venetia Dearden.

This beautiful coffee table book took nearly 3 years to create and is a collection of 480 pages of exquisite, never-before-seen images. It will be available in Mulberry stores and from mulberry.com from 1st July 2011 for £55/ $90/ €65.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Mulberry

Today, I have arrived in Florence for the 3rd edition of Firenze4Ever. LuisaViaRoma voted me among the most influential international fashion bloggers and invited me to three days of fashion fun. So stay tuned for many exciting photos of very special events.

Mulberry, the English brand that will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, will be launching an exclusive behind the scenes book by Venetia Dearden and celebrate this with a classic English tea party. This is just one of the many fascinating things to happen. Tomorrow I will kick off the F/W 2011 season with the Total Styling Lab.

Please enjoy the first pics of today’s opening night. I am sure that you will recognize parts of my outfit from my previous post.

Blazer and cropped metallic leather motocross pants by Balmain, top by Tom Ford, shoes by YSL, bag by Céline, jewelry by Chanel and my new watch by Roger Dubuis.

 

Next week I will tell you much more about my beautiful new watch by Roger Dubuis.

 

Me tonight with Chiara Ferragni (The Blonde Salad)

…giving an interview…

…and having fun with my two favourite blogger colleagues BryanBoy and Wendy (Nitrolicious)

…trying to convince them to take off their iconic glasses…

…et voilà!

Now, I am in the hotel room enjoying my goody bag.

Good night!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Are you tired of your traditional business attire? Have you seen your classic two-piece suit too much and feel like wearing a uniform?
Why don’t you try something new, that still looks classy but makes you feel like a woman without loosing your serious business allure?

Tia Carrere, American actress (True Lies, The Relic Hunter…) shows it perfectly: A comfortable and appropriate silk shirt looks amazing combined with a well-tailored pencil skirt that should defintely end a little above or below the knee. The last length is very à la mode at the moment. The leather gives the skirt a very feminine and kind of sexy look. Instead of adding a blazer, you could opt for a slim cardigan.

Patent pumps will make your legs look so much longer. Keep your jewelry simple, a nice watch and some diamond studs work always very well. The most fashionable item of your look could a statement bag, like the large Alexa by Mulberry. This detail will underline your style in the best way possible.
I am sure that the compliments will be all yours and the business deals anyway!

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht

It is August and the majority of fall campaigns can be seen now in the new fashion magazines, ads just keep coming out of the woodwork and so I wanted to give you a brief summary of the most important ones and by whom they were shot.
It is funny to see that this world in particular is pretty small and some photographers are ahead of the game.

My personal favourite is Bottega Veneta`s strong expressive F/W 2010 campaign. Shot by the godfather of energetic graphic photography himself: Robert Longo. The artist has became famous in the late 1970s and early 1980s with his series „Men in the Cities“ that depicts men and women in business attire contorted in extreme positions.

The winner this season seems to be renowned Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. The dream team that has defined the look of the past decade, shot the most campaigns. Enjoy my preview:

The American photographer and long-time protégé of both Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour, editors-in-chief of Italian and American Vogue is also a big shot in the world of fashion photography. No wonder, Steven Meisel shot all those gorgeous campaigns.

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinood Matadin, a fashion photographer duo that is well known for their independent art work. Most of their photographs are both critical and slightly disturbing as you can see in the campaigns they shot for F/W 2010.

Italian-born Mario Sorrenti is a photographer and director best known for his spreads of nude models in the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino has shot many fashion stories and celebrities. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums.

Hermès has come up with another really beautiful advertising campaign shot by Paolo Roversi. I love his romantic, vintage looking photos that always seem to tell a story. To me, a perfect choice for the French house!

Bruce Weber is a well-known face in the world of advertising photography. His career really took of in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his famous advertising images for Calvin Klein.

Juergen Teller‘s work is extraordinary and with a distinctive design. His raw style makes him one of the most influential fashion photographers working today.

Multi-talent Karl Lagerfeld likes to keep everything in his own hands. So no wonder that he shoots the advertising campaigns for his own collections for Chanel and Fendi.

Steven Klein is an American photographer that shot many high-profile advertising campaigns for various clients. This season he was hired by Dolce & Gabbana to capture a close knit Italian family with Madonna as the matriarchal figure through his lens.
Great job!

LoL, Sandra

Our time machine is moving further. After the glam references of the past decades, some designers also saw the impact of architectural purity during the 90s and there is something intrinsically cool about today’s new minimalism.

The creations are great investment pieces, very versatile, less extreme and more functional. You could go through decades wearing the same thing and looking great.

If you want to add some 90’s minimalist sophistication to your wardrobe, think more about tailored silhouettes in superb quality. Draping, asymmetry and unusual fabrics give maximum choice for minimal style.

The colour palette is mostly muted with a lot of white, camel, grey and black. But if you love the bright hues, it does not mean that you cannot buy into minimalism. There were lots of beautiful choices on the runways.

To conclude our trip through time, those pure outfits have more longevity than any other seasonal looks. But wether or not, trends never really go out of fashion, it just takes a while for them to resurface and each decade has the same key factor, the need to be fashionable.

With this in mind, enjoy the comeback of 90’s great fashion moments!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Can you guess where we are in time-travelling after my lastet posts about lace and rocking hot black leather? Yes, we have arrived in the `80s. For some people, the golden decade was the worst one fashionwise but since a few seasons designers have relied on some of the worth recycling styles. The leggings  and skinny jeans came back around 4 years ago and who would have ever imagined their ongoing success?! They have definitely conquered my closet and I never want them to vanish again as the modernized versions are stylish and comfy in one.

Designers have returned 20 years this F/W 2010 to find the `80s ma-ma-material beauty and so can you. Let`s begin!

You might feel like a virgin in a sharp leather pencil skirt, sequined blazer and fishnet stockings. Add lots of accessories like the iconic safety pins, stacked bracelets and big cross pendants for the ultimate killer look!

Balmain launched a real boom with the return of the shoulder pads. The last seasons, fashionistas have crazed all over the world for the must-have blazers and jackets. The hype is definitely not over yet! Party like it`s 1982 in those brocade and patchwork nightclub nostalgia pieces from the F/W 2010 runways. Absolutely screaming hot are red leather leggings, another must for this winter!


The `80s encouraged self-expression with eyecatching neon colours and rainbow dyes. I would not do the complete look but you can easily embed one sparkling bright piece into your daily wear. One thing I am not so sure is about the über-teased hair…. probably a little too much retro-style. But nevertheless the point of fashion is that girls just wanna have fun! So let`s start experimenting….

In case that you are looking for your personal Jesus, try black leather and fringes. So hot! Sequined leggings combined with a denim jacket would turn you also very fast back to the `80s without looking disguised.

If you want to find the fashion cure for this winter`s style heritage, you could opt for a goth look with an asymmetrical cropped sweater or some cut out off-shoulder-tops. And I am sure that this Friday, you will be in love.

 

My personal `80s-inspired object of desire is this gorgeous suede buckled V-neck dress by Balmain. Available from today at net-à-porter. This is rock glam chic at its best! Hard to beat it.

LoL, Sandra