I have been in love with this floral dress the minute I saw it on the Saint Laurent F/W 2013 runway and Anna dello Russo obviously had the same moment. Here, she shows how the punk and grunge trend works in perfection this season without loosing femininity.
Get her look: Silk-chiffon printed dress, plaid wool shirt and studded leather boots, all by Saint Laurent.
LoL, Sandra
During the last two weeks, the Grand Palais hosted the flagship exhibition dedicated to the spirit of Miss Dior, the house’s famous and first fragrance. To celebrate the opening night, celebrities such as Natalie Portman, the face of Dior, Sophie Marceau, Karl Lagerfeld and many more came to see the exhibition themselves, followed by an amazing after party also hosted at the Grand Palais. I felt very honored to be invited to such an exclusive event.
Arriving with Mary Ma, international model and Chinese fashion designer.
Christian Dior himself, a creative and visionary genius, managed to unite couture and perfumes. During my visit to the exhibition, I enjoyed exploring the designer’s life and work plus his artistic influences.
To illustrate his passion for art, it also presented the works of fifteen contemporary women artists, who were inspired by the iconic scent Miss Dior. Below you can see my favorite artworks.
ALYSON SHOTZ
” I love that idea of there being no surface, no inside or outside. Surface is structure, and vice versa. These shapes are created by assembling a large whole, piece by piece. The observer visually combines all the little parts and when he walks around the sculpture, his eyes and brain assemble these shapes in different ways.”
For New Yorker Alyson Shotz, the rose theme, a flower dear to Christian Dior, also inspired her sculpture Infinite Rose with its reflections of steel and dichroic film, which changes color and shape depending on the movement of light, and that of the observer.
MARIA NEPOMUCENO
“I decided to bring the bottle of Miss Dior perfume, which for me is an object related to elegance and delicacy, to my own universe. I transformed the shape of the bottle into an object made of clay, from which tentacles and roots protrude, but also crevices with emerging organic elements.”
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1976, Maria transcends the Miss Dior bottle to create an organic and sensual installation using different material. Spirals of nylon, rope, straw and woven pearls are rolled up in an endless process, like a living sculpture, moving matter that bonds everyday life, cosmology and genetics.
JOANA VASCONCELOS
“I enjoyed being able to merge with the Miss Dior spirit, and its combination of extremes, that engage the world of couture and playfulness, architectural rigor and cotton candy lightness.”
My avid readers might recognize Joana Vasconcelos from her current solo exhibition at the Gucci Museo in Florence. For Dior, she has imagined a carbon fiber bow some 3 meters wide adorned with almost 1.665 perfume bottles and LED lights. This is probably the most impressive installation of the exhibition.
NIKA ZUPANG
“Starting out with a vision of the idealized and somewhat conservative Dior woman, I wanted to shake up her image. I didn’t want to distort it, I just set out to highlight the strengths of her unique, singular character.”
Recognized the world over for her objects midway between fantasy and narration, the Slovenian designer explores femininity from every angle with a series of pieces and collaborations, highlighting sensuality and seduction. Here, she created a fairy-tale pavilion dedicated to women and their aspirations. This was one of my favorite artworks of the exhibition.
KAREN KILIMNIK
“When seeing this piece, I would like visitors to the exhibition to want to take a look through the archives of Dior.”
Born in Philadelphia, Karen Kilimnik dramatizes today’s consumer society and the world of images through her paintings and lyrical installations, with a profound sense of romanticism. Inspired by the 18th century Drottingholm Theater in Sweden and the design sets for Alexei Ratmansky’s production of Psyche, but also fascinated by the Dior archives and first models, she has taken a new look at the follies and gloryfiers.
CAROLE BENZAKEN
“In Miss Dior, I don’t see a woman, I see colors and landscapes. It is a relationship between skin and veins, heart and heartbeat, music, life.”
With Carole Benzaken, media – drawing, painting, photography, video -, intertwine and overlap each other. She designed a majestic but fragile opalescent glass sculpture spanning one meter, surrounded by seven back-lit vats decorated with wooded landscaped drawings, like the idea of a liquid and immaterial fragrance that takes up and appropriates space.
POLLY APFELBAUM
” I decided to create a work that reflected Dior’s audacity and the brand’s tradition of allying the new with the classical.”
It was the houndstooth pattern that inspired the American artist’s large-scale installation, hand-woven in Mexico using the traditional weaving techniques of Oaxaca.
LEE BUL
“Smell is the most closely related sense to memory. A sense that appeals to emotions more than a reason.”
An unmissable figure from the Asian artistic scene, she created a dozen monumental sculptures in crystal and aluminum. For this exhibition, she has taken a new look at the olfactive memory of Miss Dior, its light and modernity at the center of an installation designed as a manifesto, standing 5 meters high and weighing almost 500 kg.
I stepped inside this suspended cocoon for a private journey on self-reflection.
CARLA MATTI
“I chose to interpret the theme of Dior’s beloved rose in my own poetical way.”
Under a venomous hybrid appearance, the works of Carla Matti are about nature and reality, the world and its virtual dimension. This young Italian artist scanned then recomposed and computer printed in 3-D the legendary Miss Dior rose which is transformed into a sculpted rose garden full of original flowers taken from a bend of five different floral varieties.
At the after party: Having fun with the fabulous Montasar Dumas.
It was such a fabulous event and I truly had a blast. If you like my look, here are all the details: Black strapless dress by Prada, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps by Saint Laurent, skirt belt, feather stole, handbag and pearl necklace, all by Dior.
Thank you Vanity Fair for featuring me among the most amazing celebrities!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Dior, Vanity Fair and © Sandra Bauknecht
This was my outfit I wore to the Piaget Rose Garden Party at my place. I kept it very simple to draw attention to the beautiful diamonds. The semi-sheer style of my dress is precisely lined to provide coverage exactly where it’s needed and to show skin in the right spots.
Shop my look: Crochet-knit gown by Missoni, Tribute patent-leather sandals and Betty leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, diamond rose ring, necklace and Limelight Gala watch, all by Piaget.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
This winter, it is all about the plaid factor. The pattern that somehow manages to straddle the not-so-fine-line between preppy and punk has suddenly proven itself as this season’s principle print. Check your boyfriend’s closet for an oversized version or shop Saint Laurent‘s iconic piece offering the perfect avante-garde grunge aesthetic.
My look: Plaid shirt, leather shift dress and studded leather boots, all by Saint Laurent, Bamboo leather tote by Gucci, Stephanie gold-tone necklace by Lanvin, Limelight Gala watch and rose diamond ring, both by Piaget.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Aren’t we all driven by something? For the opening night of the Zurich Film Festival, I was driven by this Saint Laurent S/S 2013 runway look. I love the sweeping asymmetric hem of this stretch-crepe gown that is balanced by padded shoulders and a voluminous pussy-bow tie.
My look: Sequin-embellished stretch-crepe gown, wide-brimmed rabbit and cotton-blend felt fedora, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps, all by Saint Laurent, ‘My Own Code’ clutch by Valentino, Limelight Gala watch and diamond rose ring by Piaget.
By the way, I can only recommend the movie RUSH, that was shown at the opening night of the Zurich Film Festival. Directed by Academy Award winning Ron Howard, the film is set in the epic 1976 racing season and narrating the legendary rivalry between Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth).
The movie offers a lot emotional scenes and ladies, believe me, you will die watching Chris Hemsworth. He is so good-looking and captivating with those divine eyes.
Massimiliano Giornetti, Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo, designed the costumes worn by Daniel Brühl and Alexandra Maria Lara, who is playing on-screen the champion’s wife, Marlene. Gucci‘s Creative Director Frida Giannini has dipped into the archives to dress the opponents Chris Hemsworth and Olivia Wilde. Another good reason to watch the movie…
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, © Zuza Speckert and courtesy of Ferragamo and Gucci.
Inspired by the paintings of Flemish Old Masters (Vermeer in particular), Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli’s F/W 2013 collection for Valentino is absolutely gorgeous and has been top of my wish list for the winter season.
My look: Intarsia stretch-knit dress and ‘My Own Code’ clutch, both by Valentino, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps by Saint Laurent and diamond rose ring by Piaget.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Last week, I wore this bold red dress to the launch party of Isabel Marant for H&M in Paris. It has become one of my favourite looks of the season.
My look: Stretch-cady and lace gown by Alessandra Rich, camouflage fold over clutch
by Valentino, Janis pumps in black and gold by Saint Laurent, ‘Mitza’ ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and earrings by Chanel.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Last week in London, I stayed for the first time at the Haymarket Hotel which I adored. My avid readers know that I am usually loving the Browns Hotel but sometimes a little change is great. Today, I was supposed to fly again to the UK for a wonderful press trip with Cowshed but had to cancel last minute… so I enjoy those sweet memories.
My comfy look: Black double-breasted wool coat with gold bars by Givenchy, the perfect grey cashmere sweater with suede elbow patches by Saint Laurent, jeggings by Marc by Marc Jacobs, studded biker boots and sunglasses by Miu Miu, Bamboo leather tote by Gucci, diamond rose ring, necklace and Limelight Gala watch, all by Piaget.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Tartan is one of the biggest trends for F/W 2013. From red checks, to blue or green and even black plaid, many looks, traditional and modern appeared printed with the iconic Scottish pattern on the fall runways. Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent gave it a grunge twist and I couldn’t resist this amazing cardigan that I wore during Paris Fashion Week.
My look: Plaid mohair-blend jacket, black leather dress, Sac du Jour leather tote, studded boots, all by Saint Laurent, Love gold-tone necklace by Lanvin, rose ring by Piaget, Audrey wayfarer sunglasses by Céline, leather bracelets by Miu Miu and Hermès.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Yesterday, one night before the official opening of the Zurich Film Festival, I was invited to the Piaget Movie Night at the store on Bahnhofstrasse. I went for a classy outfit that gave all the attention to my beautiful sparkling jewelry.
My look: Vest, gabardine skinny tux trousers, lace body, mousseline-silk bow tie, and pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps, all by Saint Laurent, ‘My Own Code’ clutch by Valentino, Limelight Gala watch, diamond rose ring and necklace, all by Piaget.
Piaget ambassadors: Actor Carlos Leal with me
Highlight of the evening was a lively panel discussion, presented by Philippe Klemenz, during which Carlos Leal gave some insights into the cineaste world along with my husband Dr. Gero Bauknecht, partner and board member of Silver Reel Partners.
A huge thank you to Sylvain Auroux, Director Piaget Switzerland, and Nunzia Marsella-Cesaro, Store Manager Piaget Zurich, and their team for this lovely evening!
I had a lot of fun and was happy to party with my dear friend and colleague Florence Jacquinot in Zurich!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
