While doing my tour around Los Angeles, I had to stop at one of my favourite shops in town: Opening Ceremony.
My look: Printed stretch-satin jersey top, striped low-rise skinny jeans, both by Balmain, crystal cat’s-eye sunglasses by Prada, flat tote bag
by Saint Laurent, patent leather jeweled heel lace-up oxfords
by Miu Miu and 4810 hoop earrings in pink gold with diamonds by Montblanc, dotted socks by Fogal.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
The combination of black and white is shaping up to be one of S/S 2013‘s hottest trends, namely in the form of stripes. Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino showed one of the most stunning two-tone takeovers. I am convinced that chances are high, that you already have a few black-and-white-striped pieces in your closet, but look for a style update to take it up a notch. To get in on one of summer’s boldest trends, step inside to shop my picks now.
Dresses from left to right:
Scooter striped stretch-twill dress by Marc by Marc Jacobs
Striped cotton-blend sheath dress by Lanvin
Wide stripe sun dress by Dolce & Gabbana
Personally speaking, a striped blazer is my must for this season. An easy way to take your outfit to the next level.
Jackets from left to right:
Striped satin blazer by Balmain
Striped cotton-blend blazer by Lanvin
Stripe-print lurex blazer by Saint Laurent
Striped glossed rayure-effect blazer by Saint Laurent (I couldn’t resist this one…)
Paloma suede and metallic sandals by Saint Laurent
Walk the line and have fun!
LoL, Sandra
Start the season on the right foot with an all-white outfit. The non-colour has been seen head-to-toe on many S/S 2013 runways. But don’t think that you can stay with your average white cotton shirt that has been hanging forever in your closet. This summer, it is all about ruffles, laser-cut holes, panels, and stripes.
Slice and dice! Chloé has some of the most beautiful looks for summer and the house’s designer Claire Waight Keller spared no expense to come up with some gorgeous details. What might normally be just another ordinary crisp white jacket was sliced at the sleeves to give it a major point of difference.
Inspired by the Mercedes-Benz fashion film in which Karlie Kloss looks stunning in an all-white look from Chloé, here are some of the best pieces available at the moment. Sure investments in a season of style!
1 Appliquéd cotton-blend lace skirt
2 Drape-detailed cotton-jersey top
3 Woven panama blazer
4 Open-knit cotton-blend sweater
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz and via style.com
While we are getting our wardrobe ready for the upcoming winter, designers are already showing their S/S 2013 collections. Here is a summary of the most important collections and trends seen at New York Fashion Week. Stay tuned as a detailed report from London, Milan and Paris will follow soon.
In New York, stripes were having a moment this S/S 2013 season. From Marc Jacobs, to Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors, the American majors are getting in line to consider a fashionable life behind bars. Floral patterns and digital prints stay for the next summer, the best ones were seen at Altuzarra and Thakoon. Layering is all about getting this slouchy chic style. My favourite: Prabal Gurung. A must for summer is a pair of strappy, knee-high summer boots, such as spotted at Proenza Schouler.
Enjoy my little runway reviews!
LoL, Sandra
Joseph Altuzarra came up with a clever way to transform a jacket into a more airy piece by using vents for your arms like a cape, so that the jacket stays in place on your shoulders, even so it comes with sleeves. “It’s how editors wear their coats,” he said of the genesis of the idea to the US Vogue. The draped dresses, the interesting prints and the knee-high Gianvito Rossi for Altuzarra sandals make it my favourite NYFW runway collection.
I love this Oscar de la Renta collection. Punk hair, combined with a ’50s silhouette and pop colors. So much fun and sophistication!
After four years in business, Victoria Beckham‘s designs have evolved. The iconic sheath dresses have got company, separates and suits are now part of her collection as well.
Stylists, editors and bloggers have been buzzing about Rodarte continuously. The eccentric designs of the Mulleavy sisters are truly outstanding. For the next season, the précis described Kate’s and Laura’s inspiration as “medieval and fantasy role-playing games”. Please reserve one of those fashionable armors for me!
Alexander Wang‘s runway show for S/S 2013 was ultra-strong with cut-out dresses and footwear to die for. The audience was kindly asked to remain from flash photography which was wishful thinking because when the lights were dimmed down to reveal white looks glowing in an ecclectic shade of yellow, people took their cameras to share this magic moment.
Proenza Schouler‘s Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez have a young and visionary approach to fashion. This season, they have experimented with leather and print. Very interesting, you have to study the outfit to see all the innovative details.
Viva Espagña! For Ralph Lauren, the next season is all about Matador suits, serapes, ruffles and fringes. Especially, his gowns will be loved by celebrities all around the globe. Olé, fashionistas!
Very preppy, lots of stripes and the four basic colours, this was Michael Kors‘ recipe for his S/S 2013 collection. A subtle ’60s vibe and clean tailoring finished the sophisticated looks. Not new, but very wearable and very American.
Another true prep is, of course, Tommy Hilfiger, who celebrated stripes with a collegiate beat in the all-American shades of red, blue and white. A must for those who are spending their summers in the Hamptons.
The bold spirit that Marc Jacobs had been pushing for fall, has transformed into a more calm and artistic vibe. Lots of black and white stripes and wearable cuts, a wind of change is blowing at the American designer, at least for this season.
Thakoon Panichgul has been inspired obviously by an architectural Japanese feeling. Beautiful blooming floral designs and bird prints dominated this feminine collection. So pretty!
This season, Prabal Gurung channeled Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. Layering was a key element, such as dresses worn over pants. The Kapoor inspiration was also evident in the extraordinary prints and delicate sheer fabrics.
It was Sophia Kokosalaki‘s last collection for Diesel Black Gold, and probably her best. I truly like this 90’s aesthetic, cool, contemporary with an interesting twist. Her successor, Andreas Melbostad, the former Phi designer, is now in charge to bring the label to the next level.
David Neville and Marcus Wainwright, the designer duo behind Rag & Bone, showed their refreshing collection at New York’s dramatical and beautiful old US Post Office building, a gorgeous backdrop. The inspiration: A desert traveler.
Reed Krakoff is the new king of intellectual minimalism with a very sexy twist. Strong and sportif, he used a colour palette of nudes, browns and blacks. Those see-through deconstructed dresses will be seen on many editors, for sure.
Edun, the beloved fashion label, run by Irish rocker Bono and his wife Ali Hewson, is based on the commitment to encourage trade in Africa. For S/S 2013 the collection is about the contrasting worlds of the Edun girl – intimate and extroverted, utilitarian and outerworldly.
Personally speaking, the most stunning evening and bridal wear for S/S 2013 is designed by Marchesa‘s Georgina Chapman and Karen Craig. Last week, they announced that they had designed Blake Lively’s wedding gown and her bridesmaids’ dresses. For summer, they take their fans on a stunning journey through India by way of maharani’s wardrobe with the bridal motif certainly at the forefront.
Zac Posen focused on gowns and a ’40s silhouette. The biggest surprise happened on the runway, supermodels Naomi Campbell, Angela Lindvall and Karolina Kurkova walked in his show.
This morning I headed early to Lincoln Center to see the Lacoste S/S ’12 show which was full of stripes and ’60s silhouettes.
For Felipe Oliveira Baptista‘s first womenswear collection as Lacoste’s new designer, he created a more playful feel than his predecessors, proving that he is not afraid of change. He mixed sunny primary colors with vibrant brown and classy navy and went for a new twist on cuts as seen on exaggerated arm holes. All in all, the collection has got a certain kind of sexiness which is pretty promising to me. What do you think?
LoL, Sandra
A little gift waited for me on my chair.
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Yesterday, I was invited by Daniele Cavalli to see the Roberto Cavalli Men S/S 2012 show which took place in the beautiful garden of the Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan. It was truly amazing. Every single look screamed gorgeous. This is how men should look like, crisp cuts, great fabrics and a sexy allure.
Roberto Cavalli’s son Daniele is the designer for the men’s line and a real talent. The handsome Italian knows how to flirt with clothes, colours and women. Stripes were used in interesting ways, from a bold all-over-look to a more subtle tone-on-tone pattern on the cobalt-blue jacket. I especially liked the python trims, “very Cavalli” but with a young twist. The collection had a lot of `70s references and rock appeal. No wonder, as the 25-year-old draws a lot of inspiration from his probably biggest passion, the music.
As for me, it had a very nice Italian Riviera feel. Well done, Daniele! I would like him to dress the women as well. Probably we won’t need to wait too long…as the wind of change is blowing in the house of Cavalli! And it is a young and fresh one.
LoL, Sandra
Daniele had to give a lot of interviews before the show, here with his father Roberto.
Speaking with International Herald Tribune‘s Suzy Menkes.
A proud mum, Eva Cavalli
Me at the show with Carmel from the LuisaViaRoma team.
In the end, when the applause started, Daniele left the runway with a generous gesture to his parents…
…who then applauded their son. Their proud faces were really sweet to watch.
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Today is Independence Day, commonly known as Fourth of July that honours the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is definitely the most American of holidays, celebrated all over the country and marked by patriotic displays coloured in red, white and blue like the US-flag.
Above there is my “American Dream” consisting of a white gold case with 76 set diamonds, a rotabable bezel with 23 diamonds, 18 rubies and 18 sapphires framing a black dial: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II. The list price of this beautiful watch is definitely not a steal: €53.920.- / $70.600.- but colourwise a solid salute to the 234th anniversary of the USA. What a lovely reason….
There are plenty of stylish ways to wear your pride for America. Stars and stripes work the year around and are always a cool addition to your look, but please just one at a time! For today`s celebration, you can go overboard. The Converse shoes and the snakeskin lips clutch by Lulu Guinness, both with the US-flag, are absolute eyecatchers. Thanks to the big nautical trend this summer showing your sartorial spirit for the USA is very easy and there is a large variety to choose from. I love this Alice by Temperley striped jersey dress and the maritime sunglasses by D&G.
Have a great 4th of July!
LoL, Sandra
Get ready for this coming Saturday! On February 20, an exclusive knitwear collection by Sonia Rykiel for H&M will be available in around 200 stores worldwide. The colours are flamboyant and the designs like her signature graphic stripes very à la mode.
It is the second part of the collaboration after the amazing success of Rykiel`s recent lingerie collection for H&M. The advertising campaign was shot by Sølve Sundsbø and captures the spirit of the brand perfectly, especially with the models` hair frizzed like the designer`s own.
It is also H&M`s first guest designer collaboration that includes children.
Available are very cute pieces for girls aged 18 months to 8 years.
Nathalie Rykiel
During my studies, I interned with Sonia Rykiel, the „Queen of Knits“, and worked by her side in her design office located above the famous Parisian shop in Saint Germain des Prés (175, blvd St. Germain). It was a very interesting time for me – not always easy but definitely a worth-while life experience. Today Nathalie Rykiel, Sonia`s daughter, is the president and artistic director of the fashion house.
I was in love with her knitwear a long time before I got to know her. Every piece I own has never gone out of fashion and was absolutely worth the investment. Therefore I am really looking forward to the Sonia Rykiel for H&M collection.
The ultimate accessory is the UNICEF bag by Sonia Rykiel for H&M. Thirty per cent of the proceeds from the bag will go to a project supposed to improve the lives of children in cotton-growing communities in India. Read more on: www.hm.com/allforchildren.
Below you can find my favourites. Get your hands on an iconic piece with Rykiel`s hallmark stripes and rhinestones. Slogan sweaters are also always a major part of her collections. „Mon Pull Rykiel“ might be a good start! Combine your look with a little beret plus platform shoes and the Parisian joie de vivre will be all yours for little money!
If you are not able to make it on Saturday, no worries please, the whole collection (except for the UNICEF bag) will be sold online.
LoL, Sandra
Photos courtesy of H&M
Black and White is always a great combination and was seen a lot on the runways. For winter houndstooth was a must-have. For the upcoming summer 2010, stripes, op-art and graphic prints, some of them with an influence of ethnic ornaments, appeared on the runways.The top by Gareth Pugh is on sale at www.brownsfashion.com and a great buy for the next season.
If you are not so into patterns, you can also achieve the look with an accessory like a black belt on a white dress or combine the two colours by wearing a light top and a dark skirt or vice versa.
As I am a big fan of the nautical look, I like the black and white striped tops that you can order at www.topshop.com. They are cool, not so expensive and will give you an immediate fashion-update. Optional you can go for a black and white bag or shoes.
It is definitely a trend that you will have already in your closet. So start now and enjoy!
LoL, Sandra
The hype has started already last summer when stars like Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer were spotted on the streets wearing this ultra-cool Chanel nautical top. It seems like Coco Chanel sparks another trend from her grave as she has transformed the navy and white striped, authentic French sailor`s working garment into a style essential. (It was said that this stripe might help locating a man fallen into the sea).
And the nautical trend hasn`t come to an end yet.
In the movie „Coco before Chanel“ that hit the cinemas early fall, the look was refreshed again by Audrey Tautou when she appeared in a striped boatneck breton shirt playing the famous French couturier.
For the recent resort collections designers are still loving the nautical theme. Maritime colours, stripes and rope belts were seen a lot. Therefore the Lido in Venice was the perfect location for Karl Lagerfeld to show his Chanel Cruise 2010 collection (see the pictures above) that is an hommage to the fabulous Coco and the 1920`s.
My recommendation is not to go head-to-toe nautical. Snap up a great striped piece for youself like the ones above and team it with skinny jeans and high heels. I am totally in love with the flower embellished one by Marc Jacobs
. It is a great addition to your summer wardrobe and will accompany you for many years.
And for those who love cruising, I have the perfect idea: the WHY. Two luxury goods companies, the yacht maker Wally and Hermès, got together to design this amazing boat. Go to their website www.why-yachts.com and get a tour. Enjoy and start dreaming.
LoL, Sandra
