Sandra‘s Closet

Living in Switzerland during the festive season means that you are treated to cheese fondue and raclette almost every evening when you are invited. Those are great meals with friends as they are traditionally for sharing and perhaps some of the most iconic foods that people relate to the Alpine country. But to be honest, those amounts of melted cheese can be quite heavy in your stomach, so you better dress up in something comfortable. I like to call it mountain chic.

My look for the opening of the Chalet au Lac: Suede-paneled embroidered wool coat, high waisted suede skirt, wool and cashmere-blend intarsia sweater, and embroidered bag, all from Emilio Pucci’s F/W 2011 collection, drop flower earrings with green crystals and black fur stole, both by Gucci, embellished choker by Dolce & Gabbana, and Paris ankle boots by Saint Laurent.

A great place to enjoy the warmth and coziness of a mountain cabin in Zurich is the Baur au Lac‘s pop-up CHALET AU LAC which is open Monday to Saturday from 6pm -11pm until December 31, 2017 in the park of the iconic hotel.

Reservations: +41 44 220 50 66, 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Baur au Lac, © Sandra Bauknecht

Happy first Sunday in Advent, my dear readers! While you are hopefully enjoying a cozy day at home or with friends, I am on my way to Salzburg with CHANEL to attend the French house’s extravagant Métiers d’Art show. I shared with you the first visuals a few days ago and you might imagine my excitement to be invited. Seeing Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams in those amazing outfits just got my imagination going how amazing the collection will be.

On December 1, the movie Reincarnation will be revealed during a dinner party and on December 2, the show will take place at 10.30 am at Schloss Leopoldskron, an 18th-century lakeside rococo palace. Follow me on instagram @sandrascloset for live updates. But Karl Lagerfeld isn’t the only one who looked to Austria for inspiration – Tyrolean references have shown up at previous collections from the likes of Givenchy, Emilio Pucci, Olympia Le-Tan, and more. See the trend’s full evolution below.

According to Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel derived her original inspiration for the Little Black Jacket from the Tyrolean uniform she spotted on a bellhop at Schloss Mittersill, a castle-cum-hotel in Salzburg, Austria.

Rock ‘n’ Tyrol at the recent Givenchy S/S 2015 show during Paris Fashion Week.

For Emilio Pucci’s F/W 2011 offering, Peter Dundas channeled Tyrolean folklore and two Austrian beauties: Romy Schneider (specifically her turn in Sissi) and the nation’s opulent palaces.

My look: Pucci Goes Wies’n

My look: Tyrolean Love

The aforementioned Romy Schneider in Sissi, a 1955 film based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri‘s darling take on Hansel & Gretel for Red Valentino’s F/W 2013 offering.

Milliner extraordinaire Stephen Jones whipped up this Tyrolean topper for John Galliano‘s F/W 2003 spectacular.

My look: Dirndl Time

Delicate alpine flowers scattered across a frock at Valentino’s F/W 2012 show.

These are a few of our favorite things: a luxe take on lederhosen, as spotted in the lookbook for Olympia Le-Tan’s F/W 2013 Schnitzel With Noodles collection.

Hello, cowgirl in the sand. Or, in this case, the Alps. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana went north for inspiration for their F/W 2002 D&G secondary line and came back with a Tyrolean-themed collection—just the thing for a sexy, young Heidi with a great figure and a good sense of humor.

My look: Greetings from Kitzbuehel in Austria

Whether you’re taking the Givenchy route or going full-on alpine, this trend is surely on the rise.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue and Style.com, Alessandro Garofalo / Indigitalimages.com, Michele Morosi / Gorunway.com, Monica Feudi / Feudiguaineri.com; Gianni Pucci / GoRunway.com, Mondadori Portfolio, Don Ashby, Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com, Courtesy of Red Valentino and © Sandra Bauknecht

Saturday night in Switzerland, I was invited to a friend’s birthday dinner party with the dresscode “Country Chic”.

My look: Suede-paneled embroidered wool coat, silk-charmeuse and lace blouse, high-waisted corduroy skirt, multi-buckle suede knee boots and embroidered bag, all from Emilio Pucci’s F/W 2011 collection, calfskin cuff by Céline, ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie, choker and hat by Dolce & Gabbana with gamsbart and brooches by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last June when I told you all about the F/W 2011 Emilio Pucci collection, I promised that you will see me in those pieces. Here you go, Pucci goes Wies’n! Last week, I was invited to an Oktoberfest party and this was my look.:

High waisted suede skirt and wool and cashmere-blend intarsia sweater, both by Emilio Pucci, Palais pumps by Yves Saint Laurent, choker by Dolce & Gabbana and clutch by Louis Vuitton.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht