Sandra‘s Closet

While you are reading this, I am on my way to Cannes with Chopard for the 66th Cannes Film Festival. As some of you might remember, I had this amazing red carpet experience already last year as guest of Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweler. Since 1998, Chopard has been enjoying a true romance with the Cannes International Film Festival. 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of this partnership, and of course this is celebrated with several high-profile events, including a “In Love with Cinema” photo exhibition of the most beautiful onscreen kisses and the presentation of its new Haute Joaillerie Red Carpet collection.

What has truly caught my attention is the brand’ s new eco-conscious initiative. This year’s red carpet for the Cannes Film Festival is turning green. In a collaboration with ARM (Alliance for Responsible Mining), the sculptor of Cannes’ iconic Golden Palm trophy, Chopard, has joined Eco-Age creative director and founder of the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC), Livia Firth, wife to Colin, to create ’The Journey’, its journey to sustainable luxury, which already begins at the very start of the production chain and involves issues such as respectful sourcing and traceability of raw materials. Those entirely ethical Haute Joaillerie models will mark the Geneva-based manufacturer’s first Green Carpet Collection.

At the Green Carpet collection press launch: Fan Bing Bing, Livia Firth,Marion Cotillard, Caroline Scheufele, Colin Firth and Laura Bailey

The dazzling beauty of these two Green Carpet Haute Joaillerie models, a cuff bracelet and a pair of earrings in 18ct white gold, finely chased like lacework and entirely set with diamonds, is indeed an adventure in itself. Crafted by the jewelers, gem-setters, polishers and gold casters of the Chopard Haute Joaillerie workshops, they bear exquisite testimony to the exceptional know-how of the Geneva firm.

Stay tuned for many exciting posts coming up from Cannes soon…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard, © ARM

The collaboration between Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival turns 15 this year, and once again, the Swiss jewelry and watch brand is set to prove that its precious creations sparkle as brightly as the movie stars who wear them. Reflecting the number of editions of the famous movie festival, this year’s Chopard Red Carpet collection comprises 65 creations by Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard.

For this oustanding one-of-a-kind collection, she has chosen to work with stones such as rubies, emeralds, padparadscha sapphires, tanzanite, and kunzite –without forgetting diamonds, which Caroline Scheufele proclaims as “my favourite stone and an indispensable ally for women on the red carpet”.

As for me, one of the most standout pieces is the apple ring that is adorned by 800 tsavorites and more than 200 brown diamonds totalling 57.2 carats. So delectable with a deliciously tangy radiance, Chopard is taking the Big Apple literally, bound to draw all eyes.

Below, you can see the making of, from the sketch to the final product.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht

Thursday night, the Trophée Chopard in partnership with Variety Magazine at the Martinez Hotel took place. Each year at the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard rewards the talent of two young actors. And the Swiss jewelry and watch brand seems to have a good nose for their awardees. Many gifted performers, such as Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Diane Kruger and Gael Garcia-Bernal, have received the Trophée Chopard before.

The exceptional patron in the person of Sean Penn honoured this year’s rising stars, Shailene Woodley for her co-starring (and Golden Globe-nominated) role in The Descendants and Ezra Miller for his performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, with a beautiful laudatory speech.

Shailene looked radiant in her black silk devore velvet gown combined with the strappy ‘The Egrette’ sandals, both from Jason Wu‘s F/W 2012 runway collection

Ezra Miller gave a very moving thank you speech.

The awardees, Shailene Woodley and Ezra Miller, to the left with Sean Penn and Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to the right.

After the award presentation, we went upstairs to the Chopard Lounge where the amazing highly exclusive (by invitation only) after party for around 200 guests took place. The terrace was filled with celebrities and we danced until dawn.

Caroline Scheufele in a peach-coloured long gown by Emilio Pucci and Chopard jewelry with me

Eva Herzigova in Alexander McQueen with Bérénice Béjo wearing a pretty polka-dot dress with a cinched waist and paired  with a pair of glittering Chopard pearl earrings, of course.

Bérénice Béjo with me

Lana Del Rey in an ivory single-breasted suit by Moschino.

Very sweet Shailene Woodley with me.

Awardee Ezra Miller with me

Famous Spanish actress Paz Vega and face of L’Oréal Spain in a sequined dress from Giorgio Armani‘s S/S 2012 runway collection that reflected the light interestingly and Chopard jewelry with me.

Chinese actress and singer Fan Bingbing with me. Her forest-green fully embellished gown with a plunging neckline by Elie Saab that gave all the attention to her sensational Chopard jewelry looked stunning on her.

L.A.-based film producer, movie studio chairman and co-founder of Miramax Films Harvey Weinstein with me. He came without his wife Georgina Chapman, who is the founder of Marchesa.

Highlight of the night was Lana Del Rey‘s amazing performance. I love “Video Games”…
The singer is amazingly sweet and charming to talk to.

Lana’s necklace from Chopard’s Red Carpet Haute Joaillerie collection, is a one-of-kind piece that is original, unexpected with a tinge of humour. Composed of pink rubellites, diamonds and onyx, it has a maximum magnitude, brilliance and fire.

Lana Del Rey, Caroline Scheufele, Marion Cotillard and Ezra Miller

Eva Herzigova and Sean John Combs (P.Diddy)

This was such an amazing night! I truly love my job! Stay tuned for a detailed post on my look coming up soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The 65th annual Cannes Film Festival commemorates Marilyn Monroe on the 50th anniversary of her death, featuring her on the festival’s posters. Festival sponsor Chopard pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe‘s most memorable movie moment, her famous performance of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” in the 1953 musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with a diamond necklace in honour of the blonde bombshell’s object of affection in the film, featuring almost 200 carats of diamonds.

On this occasion, the Swiss jewelry and watch brand exhibits “Marilyn Forever”, 25 unpublished images, captured by frequent Monroe photographer Milton H. Greene, previewed in the Chopard Lounge at Hotel Martinez. After the festival, it will travel to Chopard boutiques around the world alongside with the Monroe-inspired “Tribute Set”.

Eva Herzigova wore the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts) with matching earrings on the Cannes Film Festival’s opening night.

I was able to explore this stunning tribute jewelry creation designed by Caroline Scheufele closely at the Chopard lounge. It is truly breathtaking.

Diamonds and glamour: Marilyn Monroe and Chopard were destined to cross paths. Below you can see how the tribute set was created, a piece of art and craftsmanship.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard, © Getty Images and © Sandra Bauknecht

For the Cannes Film Festival 2012’s opening night, the who’s who of Hollywood came down to the Côte d’Azur. Here are the best dressed ladies of this amazing night. Enjoy!

Jury member Diane Kruger looked amazing in a mint green sheer couture gown by Giambattista Valli.

Eva Longoria wore a flowing, feathered train gown by Marchesa in which she had quite some problems walking on the red carpet.

American singer Lana Del Rey was wearing a classy black long dress by Alberta Ferretti that gave all the attention to the 18-carat white gold necklace set with a 31 carats yellow pear-shaped diamond by Chopard.

Eva Herzigova, the Czech model, was wearing a lace gown by Dolce Gabbana combined with the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts). Earrings en suite. All by Chopard.

Actress Tilda Swinton, who stars in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, wore a bronze gown by her fashion friend, designer Haider Ackermann.

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto wore a strapless beaded bodice gown, with a peplum pink satin skirt by Michael Angel, accessorized by Chopard jewelry.

The legendary Jane Fonda, wearing Chopard jewelry, looked absolutely stunning at 74  in a form-fitting metallic gown from Stella McCartney‘s new evening collection I saw her during the day at the Chopard lounge and was overwhelmed by her charisma.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©VALERY HACHE/AFP/GettyImages, ©Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, ©Rex, ©Lia Toby / WENN