Sandra‘s Closet

For the S/S 24 collection, Erdem partnered up with Barbour to create a show piece inspired by the late Duchess of Devonshire. Looking to the master couturiers who would have dressed Cavendish, Erdem reworked Barbour’s signature waxed cotton into a trapeze opera coat.

Deborah Cavendish, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, (1920-2014) photographed by Mario Testino in a November 2010 issue of Vogue, was the grandmother of fashion model Stella Tennant (1970–2020) and aristocrat William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington. 

The coat highlights Cavendish’s love of the great outdoors. A decidedly feminine take on the iconic British jacket, it features a couture-inspired open neck and comes with a detachable quilted gilet made up of antique-inspired floral linens and cottons.

«My work has always been about creating pieces with a human hand and I felt there was real synergy in our approach to craftsmanship. It was wonderful to collaborate with a brand with such an extraordinary history,» says Erdem Moralioglu in the press release.

To shop the Erdem x Barbour convertible floral-print quilted corduroy-trimmed waxed-cotton coat, click here please.

I am completely obsessed with this piece and needless to say, it has found its way into Sandra’s Closet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Erdem x Barbour
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

Such sad news before Christmas. Former British supermodel Stella Tennant has died at the age of 50, only 5 days after her birthday. «It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on 22nd December 2020,» the family said in a statement to the PA news agency. «Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed.»

Stella Tennant with me in 2016 in Cuba with CHANEL

The circumstances of her sudden death have not been revealed and the family asked for their privacy to be respected which is fully understandable. Stella was married to French-born photographer David Lasnet in in 1999. They had four children together in total, of which the youngest is only 15. In August it was revealed, that they had separated after 21 years of marriage earlier this year.

Stella Tennant and David Lasnet at Oxnam Kirk Church where they got married in 1999.

The granddaughter of Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire and The Hon. Deborah Mitford, one of the well-known aristocratic siblings, the Mitford sisters, Tennant was born in Scotland and attended St Leonards School in St Andrews. Her parents are The Hon. Tobias William Tennant, son of the 2nd Baron Glenconner, and Lady Emma Cavendish.

Stella shot by Steven Meisel for Vogue UK, December 1993

Tennant studied sculpture at Winchester School of Art. In 1993 she sent photographs of herself to a high fashion magazine, and a friend introduced her to fashion writer Plum Sykes. She had recently had her nasal septum pierced, which was an unusual look for models at the time, and Sykes was taken aback. In the same year, she attracted the attention of photographers such as Steven Meisel and Bruce Weber and soon achieved success as a fashion model, posing for magazines such as French, British and Italian Vogue as well as Harper’s Bazaar and Numero. Later i the ’90s, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld unveiled her as the new face of Chanel, noting her resemblance to Coco Chanel.

CHANEL campaign S/S 1997

She also appeared in numerous advertising campaigns, including Calvin Klein, Chanel, Hermès, and Burberry. In 2010, she starred in L.K.Bennett’s S/S campaign photographed by Tim Walker. She also starred in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games alongside fellow British models like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.

Rest in Peace, Stella! You will be missed!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, and via VOGUE

As part of the month of the French culture in Cuba, the House of CHANEL presents the exhibition “Obra en Proceso / Work in Progress” by Karl Lagerfeld at the Factoría Habana art gallery. To celebrate its inauguration two days before the Cruise 2017 show, guests were able to discover more than 200 photographs by the famous designer.

The exhibition is divided into three sections representing Karl Lagerfeld’s main interests – fashion, architecture and landscapes. It explores the great diversity of subjects, approaches and techniques that define the very personal and subtle interpretation that makes his photography. For him, a photo is not just an image but also a unique visual object. It is open until tomorrow and the admission is free.

Obra en Proceso / Work in Progress
Factoría Habana
Calle O’Reilly No.°308, e/ Habana y Aguiar
La Habana Vieja
La Habana, Cuba

Enjoy my personal moments of the opening celebration:

On our way to the exhibition through the streets of the old town of Havana…

… we were guided by beautiful Cuban models.

Factoría Habana art gallery

Karl Lagerfeld arriving at the opening celebration.

With lovely Stella Tennant in front of Karl Lagerfeld’s photos of her.

I fell in love with Lagerfeld’s photos of his muse Baptiste Giabiconi…

… that show the model in a different way.

More to come from Cuba! Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel / © Olivier Saillant / © Anne Combaz and © Sandra Bauknecht

“In the new campaigns, I wanted to express the power and freedom of Versace today. The women’s images are about strength and sensuality, with women in total control.
The men’s campaign stands for a man’s right to be whoever he wants to be.”

Donatella Versace

It is this time of the season when all the new ad campaigns are popping up. I have to admit that I love observing who shot which campaign and how each brand likes to present itself. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott are definitely some of the most successful photographers when it come sot campaign shooting. For Versace, the duo showed, under the creative direction of Donatella Versace, supermodels Anna Ewers and Stella Tennant in a world of femininity and strength, dramatic and provocative.

The men’s campaign is about the individuality and self-expression of the Versace man. The images are shot on an entirely plain set, as the Versace man needs nowhere to hide. The models Filip Hrivnak and Daniel van der Deen wear pieces from the F/W 2014 collection inspired by the biker and the Wild West.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

Fresh and fierce, strong and sexy; the NARS Spring 2013 Color Collection introduces a vibrant, ‘90s-esque palette that sets the tone for a season of audaciously feminine looks.

The ’90s have been back on the runways and this is the perfect make-up to complement your revived look. François Nars has created a collection that heralds spring’s arrival with shades ready to make a graphic statement. Look your best as the face of the campaign, model icon Stella Tennant.

The collection will be available in Switzerland end of February 2013.

Another great product will be launching in March 2013: The long awaited, skincare infused Radiant Creamy Concealers from NARS, that had been spotted during New York Fashion week S/S 2013 when the house’s make-up teams were using them backstage. They come with an amazing creamy liquid formula and will be available in 10 different shades for CHF 40.- each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Nars

Givenchy’s Creative Director Riccardo Tisci asked models Stella Tennant, Joan Smalls, Stef van der Laan, Daniela Braga, Simone Nobili, Jarrod Scott, and Rodrigo Braga to come up with their best dance moves for the latest GIVENCHY RAVE ad campaign. Shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott and styled by Carine Roitfeld. The clothes are divine, definitely on my shopping list this winter.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Givenchy

It was crystal clear last week in Paris that Karl Lagerfeld was once again breaking fresh ground with multi-facetted silhouettes and some unexpected pieces including a new suit: “The new three-piece, a jacket and little dress over trousers!” (This will be a huge trend for F/W 2012. Also Miuccia Prada had shown this look for Prada F/W 2012).
As well as a very long riding coat with large, rounded, sloping sleeves and the “pantacoat”, an all-in-one with legs that unzip to become a coat. Volumes are amplified by drawstrings or gathered belts, are highlighted by top-stitching – a reference to the same detail found on the Boy CHANEL handbag. There are jackets with sailor-smock collars and a fur-lined coat like the one worn by Stella Tennant at the start of the show (see photo above).

Needless to say, the decor at Chanel is always ouststanding. This time, the breathtaking ambiance was created by a brightly-lit mineral backdrop, beneath the glass roff of the Grand Palais. Giant blocks of uncut amethyst, clear rock crystal and opaque quartz erupted from a sparkling, white floor. “Nature’s the greatest designer,” said Lagerfeld to style.com, pointing at some of the more spectacular crystalline excrescences. “These shapes are millions of years old.”

The mineral rock setting extended into fabric metaphors with combinations of wool and more technical materials glinting with a subtle metallic shimmer. Subdued shades of hematite, azurite and obsidian are illuminated by a myriad of jewel-coloured splashes of sulphur, lapis-lazuli, emerald and amethyst. Stippled iridescent feathers, “softer to the touch than fur”, bring warmth to the outfits. Crystals and minerals reinterpreted in the style of Czech Cubism become prisms of gleaming vinyl.

I included some of the backstage photos for you to see the beautiful details of the clothes even better. Enjoy Chanel’s  new mineralogist silhouette!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

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