Sandra‘s Closet

Such a treat for the weekend to indulge in! I am delighted to show you one of the most beautiful collaborations ever with BVLGARI, «Serpenti: Through the eyes of Mary Katrantzou».

My dear friend Mary Katrantzou gives her own take to BVLGARI’s Serpenti, as a symbol of spellbinding metamorphosis for this exclusive capsule collection. Today, she sent me a beautiful message on Whats app: «I would be so happy if you would be part of this story, to celebrate this collaboration and our partnership with Natalia Vodianova to support the “Naked Heart Foundation” by sharing this message of optimism.»

Crafting joy through Haute Couture craftsmanship, Mary introduces three new styles – the Serpenti Metamorphosis bag, the Serpenti Metamorphosis Handle bag and the Serpenti Metamorphosis minaudière – completed by a selection of textiles.

«I wanted to first think about what Serpenti meant to me, through my own eyes. Serpenti to me is a symbol of femininity, transformation and rebirth. It’s symbolic nature dating back to Ancient Roman and Greek mythology. The Serpenti sheds its skin to allow for further growth and this idea of metamorphosis became the inspiration for our collaboration. Everyone experiences their own journey of growth and we all go through some type of metamorphosis through life. It is the reason Serpenti holds so much meaning to me.» – Mary Katrantzou

The official launch date for this capsule collection is April 15th.
Bravo, Mary, you never stop to amaze me!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Bvlgari / Mary Katrantzou
#Bvlgari #MaryKatrantzou #SerpentiMetamorphosis #MaryKatrantzouxBvlgari #NataliaVodianova #NakedHeartFoundation

Last week, I had the chance to preview the upcoming H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection 2017 at the new showroom in Zurich which is a dream by the way. The Swedish fashion house knows how to amaze us when it comes to affordable fashion, but it’s the work the brand is doing with its latest sustainable line that will blow you away.

Natalia Vodianova is the face of the campaign and looks absolutely divine in my favorite dress of the collection: a dreamy, blush-pink gown that seems to float on air, made of the new material BIONIC® – a recycled polyester made from recovered plastic from shorelines, waterways and coastal communities.

It is the very same plastic that is constantly polluting our beach ecosystems that is used throughout the newest Conscious lineup. Have a look at the video at the end of this post explaining the new material further.

Launching in stores and online April 20, you can enjoy here the mind-blowing preview of the future of fashion.

The full assortment will also include of men’s and kids’ clothes and accessories as well for the first time a fragrance.

LoL, Sandra

My favorite dress on display in the Zurich showroom…

… along with more beautiful pieces from the collection.

Those tulle dresses are also absolutely beautiful.

Photos: Courtesy of © H&M and © Sandra Bauknecht

Stella McCartney unveils its’ S/S 2015 ad campaign images for the first time today featuring model Natalia Vodianova photographed in Ibiza by Harley Weir.

A frequent favourite of the designer and styled by herself, this is the 7th time Natalia appears in her campaign. The photos are inspired by the effortless spirit and fluid silhouette of the new collection.

My favorite looks from Stella McCartney’s S/S 2015 collection

The new campaign highlights the iconic Falabella bag in quilted metallic silver faux leather in mini and micro size, as well as in the embroidered denim crossbody.

Embroidered Denim Crossbody Bag

Baby Falabella Quilted Messenger Bag

The micro quilted metallic Falabella will be sold exclusively at Stella McCartney stores worldwide and online starting this March. Get yourselves on the wait lists now!

YOU CAN PRE-ORDER THE STELLA MCCARTNEY S/S 2015 RUNWAY COLLECTION HERE.

TO SHOP THE NEW RESORT 2015 COLLECTION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photo: Courtesy of Stella McCartney

Supermodel and face of Guerlain NATALIA VODIANOVA shared her travel tips for Paris with us. The city where she is living with her three kids from a previous marriage and her partner Antoine Arnault with whom she is expecting her fourth child. The tall blonde was born 1982 in Gorky, Soviet Union (now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) and moved to France 15 years ago when she signed with Viva Models to start her modeling career.

Your favourite city?
I love PARIS. It was the first city I moved to when I was 17. I feel more at home here than in any other city.

Your favourite hotel?
The BRISTOL is one of my favorite hotels in Paris. It was my second home before I moved to live in Paris.
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, +33 1 53 43 43 00

Your favourite restaurant?
L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON, absolutely delicious, the perfect place for two.
133, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris, +33 1 47 23 75 75

Your favourite bar or nightclub?
I love the CAVIAR KASPIA.
17, Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, +33 1 42 65 33 32

Your favourite sightseeing spot?
I like to go to the PALAIS DE LA DECOUVERTE with my children, the science museum located in the Grand Palais.
Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008 Paris, +33 1 56 43 20 20

Your favourite park?
We love the playground at the JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG.
6e Arrondissement, 75006 Paris, +33 1 42 34 23 62

Your favourite shop?
The GUERLAIN BOUTIQUE on Champs-Elysées. The atmosphere is unique, it is absolutely magic and with an incredible attention to details. I feel like home.
68 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, +33 1 45 62 52 57

Your must-have accessory?
A BAG.

Your favorite song?
I would say maybe “WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY” by Yusuf Islam, I really like this song.

Your favorite holiday book?
My favourite book is Mikhail Bulgakov “THE MASTER AND MARGARITA”.

Thank you, Natalia, for sharing your insider scoop on Paris with us.

LoL, Sandra

As you might have already realized looking at the Spring looks of the likes such as Dior, Lancôme or Chanel, this season it is all about soft, pastel and very feminine shades. This post is dedicated to GUERLAIN‘s Météorites Blossom Collection which is probably one of the most beautiful and wearable ones this season. In the French Maison’s press release it says “a spring fable by Guerlain“, so please enjoy this little makeup fairytale that tells you the story of light and freshness with a radiant Natalia Vodianova as the princess of the story.
To the springtime muse in you, enjoy!

MÉTÉORITES
Light-Revealing Pearls of Powder

In 1828, Guerlain, the magician of powders, enchanted the beauty world and illuminated the royal and imperial courts with its radiance. A stroke of its brushes revived the complexions of princesses, the Empresses Sissi and Eugénie, and even Queen Victoria, lighting them up with joy. This unique know-how was so precious that it led to a multicolored big bang in 1987: the marvelous Météorites, small and perfectly round pearls whose happy and varied colors give a heavenly glow to the complexion. A powder? No, all powders! Each of these intangible little pastel beads has its own function and helps beautify the skin. Celestial bodies in pink for a healthy glow, pale green to correct redness, delicate mauve to catch the light and highlighting white and gold for a boost of radiance. In one swish of the brush, they work their magic to bathe the skin in light. Oh, and the last and now legendary detail: their delicious violet fragrance has a loyal following. More than 25 years later, like the original creation, these delightful and magical little pearls are delicately shaped by hand. This enchanting craftsmanship is mastered by only four people in the world… So rare! Now more than ever before, the Météorites write a new chapter of their legend: a constellation of colors that revives light and absolute radiance.

This season, Guerlain launches its iconic Météorites in three different shades that adapt to every skin tone. Available in Clair (pure light for fair skin), Medium (tone-on-tone light for medium skin) and Doré (warm light for golden skin).

BEAUTY TIP –  How to apply the Météorites

1. SCULPT: use Terracotta powder to define the facial contours and the area below the cheekbones. On each side, trace a 3 starting from the hairline, from the forehead to below the cheekbone, then from the facial contour towards the chin. Blend inwards towards the centre of the face.

2. HIGHLIGHT: with your Météorites harmony, illuminate the curved areas of the face. Trace a G from the centre of the forehead towards the top of the cheekbone, then from the bridge of the nose towards the chin. For a dazzling and more iridescent effect, try the Météorites Travel Touch.

MÉTÉORITES BUBBLE
Blush – Light Cream – Fizzy Healthy Glow
LIMITED EDITION

Enchanting partners of the marvelous Météorites, the new bubble blush adds a tangy touch to the complexion for a springtime glow.

Available in 01 Pink and 02 Cherry.

ROUGE AUTOMATIQUE
Hydrating Long-Lasting Lip Colour
171 Attrape-Coeur – 144 Insolence

GLOSS D’ENFER
Intense Colour and Shine, Bare Lip Sensation
900 Star Dust (Limited Edition)

COLOUR LACQUER
Long-Lasting Colour and Shine
263 À La Parisienne –  463 La Petite Robe Noire – 862 Star Dust (Limited Edition)

ÉCRIN 4 COLEURS
Long-Lasting Eyeshadows, Captivating Colours
503 Les Tendres (Limited Edition)

ÉCRIN 2 COLEURS
Colour Fusion Eyeshadows, Vibrant Effects
09 Two VIP

EYEBROW KIT
4 Long-Lasting Powders  – Tailor-Made Shades
00 Universel
CILS D’ENFER
Volume Creating, Curl Sculpting Mascara
03 Moka

In stores in Switzerland starting January 17, 2014.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Guerlain

Yesterday I flew to Paris to celebrate the reopening of GUERLAIN‘s legendary address – 68, avenue des Champs-Elysées, which will officially open its doors this Saturday. Since 1914, it had been the house of the family and also the first boutique with only 45m² until 2005.

Peter Marino, Laurent Boillot (CEO Guerlain) and Guy Martin (Chef G68)

Today, it has become a temple of beauty with 1000m² on four floors, expressing the house’s DNA with an unbelievable atmosphere that has not forgotten its past. It is the biggest mono brand beauty store in the entire world. Peter Marino designed the store concept, displaying amazing pieces of art and giving the house’s history space. He encrusted marble into marble in a modern way and said that he relied on his wife for any advice on beauty.

For Peter Marino, “perfume is something in the air, something that is not concrete, that travels through the atmosphere.” Therefore he came up for example with a ceiling installation in the entrance that he called “lost in fragrance”, a very flowing and captivating interior design.

Yesterday with Guerlain’s famous face Natalia Vodianova

A happy Sandra exploring Guerlain’s temple of beauty, filled with house’s iconic fragrances and makeup products.

The store also has a private shopping room where you can indulge into the Haute Perfumery.

Here, you will find exceptional bottles, like for example the Queen Secret, a diamond encrusted bee that opens her wings to reveal the perfume you choose (€400.00 per piece) or a perfumed watch that combines the craftsmanship of watchmaking, jewelry and perfume making.

On display in the store are also some amazing vintage pieces.

An hommage to Guerlain’s iconic L’Orchidée Impériale line is this artwork by Marc Quinn.

To celebrate the opening, different limited or special editions have been launched such as a face powder of which only 400 pieces will be available or L’Eau 68, created by Thierry Wasser, that weaves a thread between the past and the future. Its scent, floral and woody, plays off the contrast between warm and cool spices.

Moreover, you can find a silk scarf selection or perfumed gloves which are amazing and said to keep their scent for a very long time.

The charming Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director of Guerlain, with me yesterday.

On the fourth floor, the amazing Guerlain spa is located. Nine rooms offer a relaxing and calming atmosphere with a very holistic approach. Every treatment is tailor-made for the customer. Different massage techniques from all over the world are combined to cater to the needs of the individual.

The waiting area has its own orchid garden and the entrance is just breathtaking.

In the basement, you will find the G68 restaurant where one of the best French chefs Guy Martin is treating his exclusive clientele to sophisticated and luxurious food – French Haute Cuisine. Martin has worked closely with Guerlain’s in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser. Following the same approach to creativity, they invented food that is called like the fragrances, working with similar ingredients. Martin said: “You have to understand the brand. You have to work with the best qualities, looking for the right products. It is a cuisine of comfort, pleasure and travel.”

I am completely in love with their tea selection named after their iconic fragrances that is also available to buy.

Guerlain’s legendary address is a feast for your senses, where you can indulge in luxury and beauty like nowhere else.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Are you dreaming of this healthy sun-kissed glow that we have been missing the last months? Would you like to give your complexion the taste of more exotic climes? Like Natalia Vodianova, who stars in Guerlain‘s newest ad campaign for the TERRACOTTA COLLECTION 2013, you can achieve this radiant look with the help of these amazing new products:

The cult bronzing powder: TERRACOTTA 4 SEASONS

One Terracotta product is sold somewhere in the world every 20 seconds. Often imitated but never equalled, its secret formula strikes a subtle balance between color and transparency, creating a flawless natural look that lasts all day. Thanks to its four different shades, you can customize your natural-looking glow.

Available in six different shades for CHF 94.00 each.

THE NO-FAIL “3” GESTURE TO APPLY THE BRONZING POWDER
to create a three-week tan in three seconds

Beauty tip from Olivier Echaudemaison, Guerlain’s Creative Director

“Using the special Terracotta bronzing powder retractable brush, apply your Terracotta powder by tracing a figure “3” on each side of the fee: from the forehead down towards the cheeks, then down along the jaw line to the chin and down the neck. For the finishing touch, take a little more Terracotta powder with your brush and sweep it over the raised areas of the face, the places that catch the sun most – the forehead, nose, cheekbones and chin. The result is an instant glow.”

Glow-enhancing perfector: TERRACOTTA SKIN

Delivering the corrective coverage of a foundation with the sheerness of a Terracotta powder, this powdery cream allows for a flawless complexion in one step. The formula is composed of soft-focus elastic particles which reflect light in all directions making enlarged pores, fine lines and other imperfections less noticeable, giving a matt and velvety finish.

Available in three shades, Nude (new), Blondes and Brunettes for CHF 69.00 (30ml) each.

The secret to creating a sun-kissed glow: TERRACOTTA SUN SCRUB

Effective for all stages of tanning, this scrub not only prepares skin for tanning but helps it retain its sun-kissed look longer. The secret to its success lies in the formula, comprised of three different particles. Upon contact with water, those transform the oil-based gel into a body milk which helps to remove dead cells, massaging the skin and leaving it satin-smooth, the perfect condition for the perfect uniform sun-kissed glow.

Available for CHF 78.00 (150ml) – Limited Edition

The perfect illusion: TERRACOTTA SUNLESS and TERRACOTTA JAMBES DE GAZELLE

Remarkable both for their ultra-penetrating texture, those products offer the illusion of an instant tan in only one hour that lasts four days, for a healthy glow that looks truer than life.

I especially adore Terracotta Jambes de Gazelle that is lightly scented with the fragrance of tiare flower, this tinted spray mist refreshes the legs and leaves them feeling relaxed. Drying instantly, it provides beautiful legs without any risk of clothing stain (great news) or product transfer, yet washes off with soap and water. Perfect for bare legs who haven’t seen the sun yet!

Terracotta Sunless is available for CHF 72.00 (150ml) – Limited Edition
Terracotta Jambe de Gazelle for CHF 78.00 (100ml)

The right sun protection: TERRACOTTA SUN – BLONDES SPF 30 & BRUNETTES SPF 15

This little tube is Guerlain’s most elegant sun protection product, working for face and body, it means you can travel light. Like a bodyguard on alert, it protects the skin from the sun’s rays and from polluting particles in the environment, chlorine, cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes, which helps to restore the skin’s glow and beauty.

Available for CHF 62.00 (110ml) – Limited Edition

Tan booster: TERRACOTTA SUN SERUM

This remarkable serum is your loyal ally in acquiring, deepening and prolonging a tan. Adding a few drops of this honey-coloured serum to your normal skincare product will instantly transform it into a tan booster. It stimulates the natural production of melanin and is enriched with a soothing complex to moisturize and soften the skin.

Available for CHF 72.00 (28ml) – Limited Edition

To come to a conclusion, I have tried all of those products and find them just amazing! Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

YOU CAN SHOP THE TERRACOTTA COLLECTION 2013 HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Guerlain

Guerlain’s Christmas 2012 makeup collection was inspired by the brand’s fragrance Liu. It is Olivier Echaudemaison’s interpretation of the scent which was created in 1929 by Jacques Guerlain. Liu is a hymn to femininity and true love, which was inspired by the heroine of Turandot, Puccini’s opera. The story is about the young slave who chooses to commit suicide rather than reveal the name of her master with whom she is in love. The scent symbolized the power of secrets.

From scent to make-up, this bewitching journey transports us to the threshold of a fantastical and incredibly refined Asia. Golden mists, tapered eyes, a blood-red mouth… Beautifully enhanced by the opulence of the Orient, Guerlain’s modern heroine is Natalia Vodianova who stars once more in the house’s ad campaign.

LIU – Perfumed Shimmer Powder Face, Body and Hair

The magical light-as-air loose powder swathes the skin and hair in a silky halo with iridescent golden glints. The sensual universal shade softly illuminates the face, hair and exposed parts of the body from the curve of the shoulder to the top of the décolleté. A scintillating breath exudes luminous aldehydes, a sensual armful of roses and a caressing base of vanilla, iris and woody notes. CHF 112.-

LIU – Eye and Lip Calligraphy Palette

Another icon, the collector’s palette draws its inspiration from the art of calligraphy and Asian beauty rituals. Two fatal shades for the lips, carmine and blue-toned red, and three eyeshadows with an iridescent powder texture that plays on every tone of gold – bronze, copper and white. A matte black powder line that can be used wet or dry is the ultimate accessory for an unforgettable gaze. CHF 105.-

The Complexion Divas
Météorites Perles du Dragon (illuminating powder) and Météorites Wulong (pressed powder)

The legendary Météorites have been reinvented in two luxurious limited-edition versions. In the year of the dragon, they have been christened Perles du Dragon and Wulong – meaning “black dragon”. They pay tribute to this mythical animal, a symbol of the emperor of China, whose primary source of power lay in pearl, synonymous with happiness, wisdom and abundance. Perles du Dragon CHF  76.- and Wulong CHF 220.-

Écrin 4 Couleurs – Long-lasting Eyeshadows

This precious quartet, 500 Les Ombres Turandot, showcases a subtle monochrome palette for vibrnat and refined eye make-up. CHF 80.-

The Heroines’ Lipsticks: Shine Automatique – Hydrating Lip Shine

Available this fall in two colours: 700 Altoum, a gold adorned with tone-on-tone sparkle that is worn on bare lips or alternatively as a top coat and 760 Lou-Ling, an enchanting beautiful plum with a golden sparkle for an even more fiery effect. CHF 54.- each

Nail Lacquers

Dare to display ultimate sophistication down to your fingertips with limited-edition nail polishes in the same jewel tones 03 Altoum, a gleaming gold for a precious glow, 04 Lou-Ling, a stunning plum for spellbinding nails. CHF 36.- each

Personally speaking, I adore this festive make-up collection very much. The packaging itself is so luxurious and beautiful that you will enjoy the products whenever you hold them in your hands as much as putting them on your face. In stores now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Guerlain and © Sandra Bauknecht

On Wednesday morning, I went to Louis Vuitton‘s S/S 2013 show that was as energizing and different as it was brief because the models walked out in pairs like twins. The setting was once more very special: Four escalators formed the fundamental structure of the presentation inspired by Les Deux Plateaux, a famous installation piece in the Palais Royal by the artist Daniel Buren with columns arranged in a grid.

The collection was very graphic and structured which had I expected after having seen Marc Jacobs’ signature line where minimalistic stripes ruled the runway (for more information, please click here). For Louis Vuitton, the designer went for ’60s silhouettes, gigantic checks and floral embroideries stitched in mini-squares. Even the house’s iconic Speedy bag got cubed, too.

It was the first ever Louis Vuitton collection not to make use of the Monogram. Instead, the Damier pattern provided the house’s signature.

A fundamental duality underpinned the collection, Marc Jacobs used always two colors, shiny and matt textures. He had the image of two very different French icons of the ’60s, Françoise Hardy and Jane Birkin, in mind when creating the collection: Hardy always very covered up, Birkin always revealing plenty of flesh, but both always in long, simple clothes. To reinforce these oppositions, the collection was presented on models in pairs.

For a finale, the models streamed down the four escalators very futuristically like an army of Louis Vuitton cult followers to the music from the opera “Einstein on The Beach” by Philip Glass. The show was different, especially compared to the excesses of last season and also optimistic as the sunshine yellow enlightened the room.

Marc Jacobs almost jumped down the escalator while the audience applauded.

Front row: Delfina Delettrez-Fendi, Natalia Vodianova, Antoine Arnault and Poppy Delevingne

Rachel Zoe and husband Roger Berman

Enjoy your weekend!

LoL, Sandra

Photos used for the collages: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, all other photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Another amazing ad campaign shot by photographer duo Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott:
STELLA MCCARTNEY F/W 2012 starring Natalia Vodianova.

To shop Stella’s new season must-haves, please click here.
As usual, one of my favourite collections!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Stella McCartney