Sandra‘s Closet

The Dior event in Paris last week was truly amazing. The Dior team spoilt me constantly during my stay with wonderful birthday surprises. How creative they are was clear when we went for dinner Thursday night. Held at the ice rink of the Plaza Athénée which is located at the inner courtyard of the famous Parisian hotel, we were welcomed by a Swiss chalet atmosphere and a cute Saint Bernard dog.

View of the ice rink from the top

As I have done many dinners on the ice in St. Moritz before, I knew exactly what to wear in order not to get cold.
My look: Mink coat by Prada, fur boots by Prada Sport, scarf, bag and bracelet, all by Anselm Reyle for Dior, Diorette ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and fur hat by Marc Jacobs.

Lovely Montasar Dumas (Dior Paris) and Huda Heidi Kattan with me.

From left to right: Me, Sofie Valkiers and Gala Gonzalez

Raclette prepared by three Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse was a big surprise. Who would have expected having a Swiss traditional dish in Paris?! Very funny, the two Swiss ladies, Manuela and my humble self, were shoveling the yummy cheese in our mouth, whereas most of the other bloggers were a little overwhelmed by the heavy food.

Manuela Pastore (Dior Switzerland) explained enthusiastically how to eat raclette.

Pumpkin soup as a starter

Spotted – the cutest iPhone cover ever, available here.

A surprise birthday dessert. Thank you, Dior, for this wonderful experience!
Stay tuned for all the photos taken during the day for the house’s new beauty launches.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

My dear friend Karo from Geneva sent me this for my birthday and I thought it was so hilarious that I had to share it with you. Young Karl Lagerfeld and Grace Coddington… time flies!
Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so special!

A huge thank you to the Dior team with whom I spent an amazing day today. I am in Paris at the moment for the launch of the French house’s newest mascara and something I cannot talk about yet. Follow me on Twitter and look out for #dioriconicevent to stay up-to-date. A detailed post will be coming up soon. Now, I am off to dinner at the Plaza Athénée Ice rink “Les Bancs d’Hiver” by Chef Alain Ducasse.

LoL, Sandra

The reason for my fairytale-like trip to Paris was the launch of Dior Addict Extrême, the new lasting fashion lipstick. For the official photos, please click here. Today, I would like to give you more information on the new season’s must-have beauty product.

In 2011, an addict fashion story came to life when Dior launched Dior Addict, the house’s first fashion lipstick in 44 easy-to-wear and playful colours with spectacular glossy shine and ultra-comfort. For last year’s post, please click here.

In 2012, Addict becomes Extreme, edgy and sophisticated. The new black case makes it a fashion statement already.
Available in 12 new pure luminous colours, starting in Switzerland Mid March for CHF 46.-.
(There will be 4 new nail polish shades complementing the look for CHF 37.-.)

The star ingredients of the lipsticks are 4 expert waxes with extreme opposite actions for a breakthrough combination of lasting comfort in an ultra-thin veil. Dior added the most thin and radiant oils for a luminous shine and radiant shades. Hyaluronic microspheres provide ultra-comfort and an immediate plumping result.

Below you can explore the 4 “It“– shades  and their 4 iconic styles.
I also created some fashion looks complementing the new lip colours. To shop the outfit, just click on the highlighted texts.

LUCKY
Audacious Pinks – Fashion Dress-Code

Inspired by Lucky, one of Dior’s most famous models, who was an icon on the catwalks in the `50s, this shade is for a woman who explores her inspirations and plays with her style.

Wrap-effect crepe dress by Vanessa Bruno, Masako silk-satin pumps by Charlotte Olympia and Mini Loubi Lula printed silk-twill frame clutch by Christian Louboutin.

Dior Addict Extrême 536 Lucky and Dior Vernis 659 Lucky

INCOGNITO
Beige Elegance – Minimal Chic

Inspired by the allure of Parisian women, this shade is synonymous for timeless sophistication.

Wool-twill blazer and shirt dress with star buttons, both by Miu Miu and snake-effect leather pumps by Giuseppe Zanotti.

Dior Addict Extrême 316 Incognito and Dior Vernis 257 Incognito

RIVIERA
Sunny Shades – Cruise Aura

This coral tone stands for the elegance of the Riviera and the fascination of St. Tropez.

Printed silk-georgette top by Roberto Cavalli, silk-trimmed brushed-twill shorts by Elizabeth and James,leather ballerinas by Repetto, PS1 Small leather satchel by Proenza Schouler and enameled gold-plated cuff by Yves Saint Laurent.

Dior Addict Extrême 639 Riviera and Dior Vernis 537 Riviera

PLAZA
Depth & Intensity – Extreme Glamour

Inspired by the iconic Plaza Athénée hotel on Avenue Montaigne, this velvety pink is for all divas and the special moments in your life.

Strapless cotton and silk-blend faille gown by Prabal Gurung, neon python snake-clasp clutch by Roberto Cavalli and Tippi snake-effect leather pumps by Jimmy Choo.

Dior Addict Extrême 476 Plaza and Dior Vernis 579 Plaza

Which one is your favourite?

LoL, Sandra

My make-up look for the photo shoot was based on the “It”-colour Plaza, a wonderful pink tone. It is inspired by the glamour of the Parisian luxury hotels, such as the eponymous Plaza Athénée hotel. The colours are dramatic, deep and sophisticated.

My skin was prepped with the new Revitalizing Foundation from the Dior Prestige line which is only available in Asia (To all my Asian readers, lucky you!). It is an amazing product, you have to try it. For us Europeans, Diorskin Nude is a great alternative.

For the dramatic look, the make-up artist started to contour my eyes with a black eye pencil.

Then, she used the darkest shade of the 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette “970 Stylish Move” and applied it with a beveled brush as an eyeliner.

She made the line thicker toward the outer edge and extended the upper line out beyond the corner of the eye, to form a cat’s–eye-like shape. The lighter colours of the palette served as a base. Then, she applied the new Diorshow New Look Mascara in black.

On my cheeks: Diorblush in 839 Vintage Pink.

On my lips: The new Dior Addict Extrême in 476 Plaza, lasting lip colour with radiant shine.

On my nails: Matching the lips, the new pink 579 Plaza nail polish was applied.
Love it so much!

Stay tuned for the official photos!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For the Dior Addict Extrême event in Paris, I was invited to stay at the beautiful Plaza Athénée, already an institution on the famous shopping street Avenue Montaigne that captures the Parisian spirit of life perfectly. The hotel has also a Dior spa.

I stayed in an amazing suite on the third floor of the hotel. Isn’t the view from the balcony just divine? The only thing missing was the sun…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

View from the top

The Mandarin Oriental, Paris has officially opened its doors yesterday. The new prestigious hotel is situated in a 30s art déco building on one of the most fashionable streets in the world, Rue Saint-Honoré, surrounded by high end fashion, haute couture and steps from the Louvre.

Rooms

The 99 rooms and 39 suites were conceived by distinguished architect Sybille de Margerie, designer of LVMH-owned Cheval Blanc. Patrick Jouin, who designed Jules Verne and Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée, designed the restaurant and bar spaces. 2-star Michelin chef Thierry Marx is in charge for your dining experiences.

The bar

The in-house spa works with Guerlain products and offers an indoor pool and a well-equipped fitness center.

The pool

I’ve just received notice about an exclusive grand opening offer. When booking („J’aime Paris“ rate starting at  €765) between July 17 and August 28, 2011, you will be treated to a €300 voucher per room, per stay or a €500 per stay per suite to be used in the restaurant or the spa.

I love brand-new hotels especially when you are one of the first guests in a room!
And isn’t Paris always worth a visit?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental