Sandra‘s Closet

 After a fashion show staged as a real fantasy – almost-impossibly presented in the landscape of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites Alps – the F/W 2021 Miu Miu collection designed by Miuccia Prada returns to the context of fashion, itself another fantasy of realities, exploring the power of clothes as a conveyance of character, an expression of strength. 

As this collection champions the notion of bravery and intrepid exploration, the hero of this Miu Miu campaign is the actor Emma Corrin – whose courage in her abandonment, whole-heartedly, to every role, has boldly powered her to international prominence. Acting requires innate courage – emotional bravery, the baring of one’s soul, to bring fantasies to life. 

An actor’s craft is to lend fact to fiction, to embody people other than themselves. Corrin’s career has been marked by the power of her performances – her paradoxical bravery in showing her own vulnerability, the strength of character she can convey. Here, Corrin is captured in a direct and arresting series of studio portraits, her gaze in each an echo of female archetypes – joyful and reflective, serious or seductive – photographed by Steven Meisel with creative direction by M/M Paris. Her personality projects onto every image – staring boldly from the picture plane, framed in a new context. 

Miu Miu celebrates bravery, boldness – it is rooted in and inspired by communities of women, in the power of the collective. Here, Corrin shifts between different identities, different sense of self – playful or powerful, fragile but strong. Accompanying the print campaign, a series of five short films allow Corrin to reinvent herself once more – as different characters, within different personae. Corrin reads aloud a series of anecdotes, recollections, remembrances – recounting memories, true and imaginary, in her own voice and those of others. Again, lines are blurred: is Corrin acting, or actual – are these her words, or a script? 

Throughout, both films and imagery constantly interrogate our ideas and ideals of reality and fantasy, the courage needed to traverse between the two. As Corrin gives her characters strength, Miu Miu clothes its wearers for brave endeavours. 

The first episode of ‘A BRAVE HEART’ films is online at miumiu.com. Watch the trailer HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu CREDITS: Creative Direction: M/M (Paris) – Photographer: Steven Meisel – Videographer: Benn Northover – Styling: Lotta Volkova – Talent: Emma Corrin

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

A cinematic context, a language of film, a mystery to be solved, a narrator reading words that the images bring to life – the Prada 2020 Holiday campaign «A Stranger Calls» is photographed by Steven Meisel and based on an original short story conceived and written for Prada by the best-selling author Candice Carty-Williams. It proposes perspectives – different angles, views and cuts around the protagonists of an unfolding narrative: Prada’s accessories, jewelry and leather goods. Each image, like movie stills, proposes a new panorama – like fragments of a story, about to unfold.

In the tradition of film noir, the campaign reconnects with early Prada moments pioneering the aesthetics of cinematic drama. A language then new for fashion, it now becomes layered with historical references – revisited through digital exchange with the audience.

Five characters, five faces cast from the universe of Prada – Freja Beha, Maty Fall, Mao Xiaoxing, Rudolfs Valbergs and Merlijne Schorren – populate an isolated villa in Italy, namely Villa Gnutti, made famous through a 1981 shoot by Helmut Newton. The stills are inspired by the moving, campaign imagery underscored by the esthetics of cinematic drama. Photographed in black-and-white, the fragments presented in the print campaign become the door to a living narrative that develops online. Jump shots from an imaginary film offer a sense of tension, sometimes of contradiction.

Cinema suggests shifting focus and points of emphasis: here, details of Prada accessories are pulled into macro-scale. Like plot-points, or clues to an unknown mystery, they dominate the frame, drawing attention – before Meisel’s lens, they become characters in themselves.

A focal point is the new Prada Cleo handbag, debuted in the Prada Multiple Views SS21 show and featured in the S/S 2021 womenswear collection. The Cleo line draws influence from archival Prada styles and traditional craft techniques, a synthesis of classicism and futurism. Precious jewels for her, in silver or gold with tourmaline, reinterpret the iconic lines of the Prada triangle, like facets of a gem abstracted, the emblem appearing as delicate chain necklaces, lariats and chandelier earrings. The Prada Galleria handbag, the Vanity compact-bags, Saffiano and nylon travel accessories and men’s jewelry all feature.

Heroes and heroines, protagonists and antagonists. A play between the still and the animated, this campaign – and these Prada accessories – explore emotion, intrigue, attraction and, ultimately, desire.

I love Newton, Meisel and Prada… a match made in heaven.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada

Twenty years ago, a green jungle print gown by Versace broke the internet, and Google Images was born. It was February 2000 when Jennifer Lopez wore the iconic dress, designed by Donatella Versace, to the 42nd Grammy Awards ceremony.

The sheer fabric was printed with a tropical leaf and bamboo pattern, and cut with a very low neckline that extended well past Lopez’s navel, while the waist of the dress was studded with citrines. Seemingly overnight it became a fashion legend, as well as the most popular search query Google had seen at the time. It was often described as a turning point in designer Donatella Versace’s career after the death of her brother, Gianni Versace.

But back in 2000, search results were still just a list of blue links. When the search team realized they weren’t able to directly surface the results that people wanted – a picture of the American recording artist and actress in the dress – they were inspired to create Google Images.

Left: Crystal-embellished printed silk-chiffon gown by Versace (available now)
Right: J. Lo wearing the original design in 2000 to the Grammys

Before it became famous on the red carpet of the Grammy Awards, the dress was presented on the catwalk by model Amber Valletta, and was also featured in Versace’s main advertising campaign that year; Steven Meisel also photographed it on Valletta.

Left: Cutout embellished printed silk-chiffon gown by Versace (available now)
Right: J. Lo with Donatella Versace on the S/S 2020 runway last fall

Two decades later, Donatella Versace showed off a new, revamped green gown in the print for her S/S 2020 collection, and a magic moment in fashion history took place when J. Lo modeled it as the final look of the runway presentation last fall. And is it only me? But I think that J. Lo looks even better than 20 years ago! Just wow!!!

Great news is that you can make these pieces of fashion history your own as both versions are available this season. TO SHOP BOTH VERSACE GOWNS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

Can you guess which one I went for? I hope this quarantine will be over soon and I get to wear it to a special occasion…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Versace, Net-à-Porter and Google
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Today, I received the breaking news that Raf Simons will join Prada starting April 2, 2020. Rumors had been out since quite some time and now it is official. The Belgium designer will join the Italian fashion house as co-creative director alongside Miuccia Prada with equal responsibilities for creative input and decision-making. Their first runway presentation together will be for S/S 2021 in September 2020. «It’s a new wind,» said Miuccia Prada and I have to admit that I agree with Tim Blanks who wrote: «I cannot think of anything like this in the history of fashion.»

In 1978, Miuccia Prada inherited the label that was known for luggage making and transformed it into a global fashion brand with her creative designs. Prada has been a true trendsetter for decades, sometimes too fast thinking for the fashion world, she is often a few steps ahead of the game. Her iconic black nylon backpack launched in 1985 caused a real fashion frenzy and has been popular since then. In 1989 she added ready-to-wear to the offerings. Simons, who will continue to design his namesake menswear label, is the first designer from outside the Prada family to join the house since its inception.

Trendsetting: Prada S/S 2012 ad campaign photographed by Steven Meisel

Today at the Prada press conference, Simons announced: “Prada is a brand that I have been interested in my whole life. I cannot wait to express to all of you the dialogue I will have with Mrs Prada and her team. To be really honest, Mr Bertelli approached me right after my exit from Calvin Klein. Miuccia and I had a conversation about creativity in today’s fashion system. And it brought me to open dialogue with many designers, not just Mrs Prada. We have to re-look at how creativity can evolve in today’s fashion system.»

Power couple: Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada

Simons, who had worked with Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli before, when he was hired as creative director of Jil Sander in 2005. Prada had bought the German label and was looking for someone to fill the shoes of the namesake designer at that time. Simons’ seven-year tenure at the brand was an absolute success, and the Prada Group sold it to a London private equity firm in 2006.
Simons later worked at Dior and his latest venture was at Calvin Klein, where he was chief creative officer, and abruptly excited in December 2018.

Presented in Milan last Thursday: Miuccia Prada’s last single show for F/W 2020

Miuccia Prada has still a very strong view on fashion. Yet, it seems hard for her at the moment to translate this into sales. Rumors had been that the family is planning to sell to one of the big conglomerates. With the appointment of Simons, it seems that the Prada family will keep it a family business that also owns Miu Miu and Church’s.

Good luck, Raf!

They will have all my support – I have been collecting Prada pieces since a very young age and have always been very fond of the brand. Good luck to Raf, I am really excited to see what the two creative masterminds will come up with…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada and © Sandra Bauknecht

Queen of Rap and style icon, Nicki Minaj collaborates with Fendi to create the coolest capsule collection. «Bentley tints on/ Fendi prints on» the singer rapped in her buoyant single «Chun Li.» And with that, a fashion collaboration was born. Eagerly awaited by the rapper’s fans, known as the Barbz, Minaj’s Fendi Prints On, a 127-piece collection that fuses Fendi’s playful character with Minaj’s bold sense of style, is available now on fendi.com and in selected stores.

The collection features house staples like the Baguette, Peekaboo, and Kan U bag, and more in a range of textures—among them, space-like metallics, shearling and lots of pink Lycra. Even though the designs were overseen by Fendi creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi, it seems as though Nicki had free reign throughout the entire process, whether it was choosing the body-skimming silhouettes and 90s-inspired jewelry or the Pinkprint-inspired hues.

On her latest single, «Fendi», that launched last month, the rapper shouts out the Italian fashion house by declaring «it’s Fendi, it’s poppin’, and we on and poppin’». The song comes just in time to celebrate the launch of this fabulous capsule collection for women and men. Even if you are not a Barbz, there will be something for you, promised!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Fendi, Steven Meisel for Fendi

The S/S 2018 runway of Marc Jacobs was full of turbans (see above right). When I spotted Adwoa Aboah wearing one of those fabulous pieces together with a Marc Jacobs dress and diamond earrings by Indian jewellers Bhagat, I knew this will be trending more than ever.

CREDIT: STEVEN MEISEL/ VOGUE

Photographed by Steven Meisel and styled by Edward Enninful for his first VOGUE UK cover, the model shows the new era of glamour, as easy as it sounds turbans feel right again.

Most stylish and timeless women sporting turbans:
Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Sophia Loren and Bianca Jagger.

Embracing the sophistication associated with Hollywood glamour of the 1920s and ’30s, when women like Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson and Joan Crawford wore them, followed by Lana Turner in the ’40s to Sophia Loren in the ’60s to Bianca Jagger in the ’70s at the London Palladium, turbans breathe the ultimate glamour. They are a fashion piece. But wearing it demands confidence – you have to believe in your look.

Here is a selection of fabulous turbans available at the moment (just click on the highlighted text to be transfered directly to the online shop). Plump for Gucci’s disco-fabulous red leather drapery if you dare, or adopt Missoni’s insta-ready zig-zag outfit enhancer. They will all steal the show:

1 Ribbed wool turban by Fendi
2 Rosette silk turban by Jennifer Behr
3 Spot-print stretch turban by Adriana Degreas
4 Twisted-front leather turban by Gucci
5 Printed silk turban by Valentino
6 Printed silk-twill turban by Valentino
7 Striped fan turban by Norma Kamali
8 Metallic crochet-knit turban by Missoni
9 Printed silk turban by Gucci

Happy Weekend!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via The Red List, © STEVEN MEISEL/Vogue, Courtesy of the Brands; Vogue.com

The fashion world is moving fast and sometimes labels that have been around for many years become all of a sudden absolutely trendy. It takes the right designer to lead the brand to new heights just like Alessandro Michele did with Gucci. Now, there is another fashion house that you should include in your wish list: LOEWE. Founded in 1846, Loewe started life as a cooperative of leather artisans in Madrid, before German entrepreneur Enrique Loewe Roessberg took over the workshop and consolidated it under his name in 1872. The Spanish label introduced its first ready-to-wear collection in 1965, bringing fashion to the centre of the brand.

In 2013 Jonathan Anderson took over the helm at Loewe and transformed the Spanish house slowly but constantly into one of the most talked-about labels this season.

Raquel Zimmermann starred in Loewe’s S/S 2016 ad campaign.

Under Anderson’s creative direction, the label has had its logo and emblem rebranded by Parisian art duo M/M (Paris), Steven Meisel-lensed ad campaigns have been rolled out and the clothes and bags are quickly garnering must-have status among the style set. When it comes to taking a label steeped in heritage and making it relevant today, Anderson has the Midas touch.

A statement bag that you should get: Loewe‘s Joyce embellished leather shoulder bag.

A modern legacy: LOEWE Boutique Bilbao designed by architect Javier Carvajal, 1960.

An authority in leather goods for over 160 years, Loewe, under the creative vision of Anderson, continues to design classic handbags using cutting-edge techniques. With a keen interest in interiors and architecture, Javier Carvajal (the architect responsible for the modernist Loewe stores in the 1950s and 1960s) is another key inspiration.

The new must-have bag for the S/S 2017 season? Loewe‘s Puzzle leather shoulder bag.
For Anderson’s first bag style, the Puzzle, more than 40 fragments of super-soft leather have been sliced and repositioned.

«I set out to find a new way of building a bag, fundamentally questioning its structure. It was about deconstructing a conventional bag to create a flat object with a tri-dimensional function» – Jonathan Anderson.

I love it! It is definitely on my shopping list…

You can shop a great selection of LOEWE at NET-A-PORTER, LUISAVIAROMA, MATCHESFASHION and MYTHERESA.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Loewe

This season, PRADA brings you a delicate new addition to the Prada Candy universe. Inspired by fashion, music and the pop culture of the ’60s, Prada Candy Kiss is composed around one single note, an overdose of powdery musk that is wrapped up in orange blossom and vanilla.

The Prada Candy family from left to right: Prada Candy Kiss (2016), Prada Candy L’Eau (2013), Prada Candy (2011) and Prada Candy Florale (2014).

Under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada, Daniela Andrier has created this delicate gourmand cocktail that is quite addictive, oriental, sweet and powdery, evoking thousands of kisses.

The campaign was shot by Steven Meisel who transformed US model Lexi Boling in a seductive pop icon.

Prada Candy Kiss is available as Eau de Parfum in three different sizes: 30ml (CHF 82.00), 50ml (CHF 110.00) and 80ml (CHF 140.00).

TO SHOP PRADA PRET-A-PORTER ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada

Olivier Rousteing, Balmain‘s Creative Director, wrote yesterday on his instagram account: «U made me love FASHION yesterday, U make me love FASHION today, and U re going to make me love FASHION in the future.» In the pictures that he commented on, he was next to Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell.

His #BalmainArmy is in expansion mode and the three ’90s supermodels are the faces of the S/S 2016 campaign shot by Steven Meisel. Posing in the designer’s body-conscious and ruffled new seaon’s creations, they look as stunning as 20 years ago and are a perfect fit for the French Maison. Personally speaking, the three icons are so much more beautiful than Kendall and Gigi, the previous faces. I am sure this campaign will have a lot of success.

TO SHOP BALMAIN ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balmain