Sandra‘s Closet

Yesterday’s post about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee inspired me to take out my “Union Jack” bags. The use of the Union Jack in fashion is obviously nothing new and I have always been a huge fan of the British flag. As for me, it has already become a fashion classic.

My Union Jack classics from left to right: Bag by Chanel and clutch by Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is probably one of the main perpetrators of this trend. The brand’s veritable explosion of Union Jack patterns on clothes and accessories make fashionistas drool with desire. Seriously, it’s like the flag just takes every outfit to a complete new level of style.

To shop those fashion classics, click on the highlighted text.

LoL, Sandra

Red, blue and white crystal box clutch “Union Jack” by Alexander McQueen

Beige crystal box clutch “Union Jack” by Alexander McQueen

God Save McQueen printed modal-blend scarf by Alexander McQueen

Distressed Union Jack wool and silk-blend scarf by Vivienne Westwood

Vintage Union Jack-print Wellington boots by Hunter

Photos: Vogue Italia and © Sandra Bauknecht

Spotted on many celebrities, the Balenciaga.Leather biker jacket can be named a true classic. Each season, the French fashion house is launching it in new tempting colours.  The jacket has long sleeves, zip up detail and is made of 100% lamb skin.

While the classic black version never goes out of style, your daydream calls probably for a slightly more whimsical iteration of the biker look.

I am having it in a bright orange and I am loving it! Below I am wearing it with leather pants by Balenciaga, a top by Miu Miu, shoes by YSL and a daisy necklace by Dior Haute Joaillerie.

To shop, please click on the tiny photos at the end of this post!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, via Polyvore

Vintage Versace printed silk shirts are hotter than ever. The colorful and bold Versace staple is being discovered and sought out by a new generation of pops stars, such as Lady Gaga, and style hipsters. The trend was also evoked in many runway collections these past few seasons as seen at Dolce & Gabbana and Céline among others. In celebration of this renewed appreciation, Versace has re-issued a limited number of classic printed silk shirts. No one can do Versace better than Versace.

Versace re-issued three different women’s styles, which are available now in all Versace boutiques worldwide as well as selected department stores and special boutiques/e-commerce sites for CHF 1100 each. You can shop the silk shirts by clicking here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

In order to further highlight the uniqueness of these products, that are available in some select worldwide boutiques, Prada will provide some colour variations of ostrich and crocodile exclusively on a Made to Order basis.

Saffiano leather starting at € 1.600.-
Ostrich leather starting at € 5.980.-
Crocodile leather starting at € 22.260.-

Which one is your favourite?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada

Being the last fragrant masterpiece from Gabrielle Chanel herself, Chanel N°19 entered the world of perfumery in 1970, created by Henry Roberts. The number 19 stands for the birthday of Gabrielle Chanel: August 19th. The year of its launch, she turned 87 and died only a few months later. The green fragrant trail with distinctive hints of iris has remained a bestseller among women all around the world.

A LITTLE ANECDOTE

One day, having ordered labels with the name “Coco” on them, she realized that it didn’t work for that fragrance. And so she called it “N°19”. Why N°19? Not long before her death, Coco explained why to her friend and confidante, Carmen Tessier.

“It is the day of my birthday, August 19. I was born under the sign of Leo – the lion. And I am just like the lion: I will bring out my claws to protect myself against being hurt. But believe me, it is har­der for me to lash out at someone than to have someone lash out at me.”

“So what do you think of this fragrance?” she asked, while spraying us with more. “Believe it or not but a man once stopped me in the street because of it. As I was leaving the Ritz, I felt someone touch my shoulder.

I turned around and saw a stranger. Before I could sharply brush off this intruder, he said, with an American accent: ‘Excuse me, I’m with two ladies who would like to know what perfume you are wearing.’

“I told him: ‘Why don’t you all follow me.’ And I took them to the CHANEL boutique, where – once we arrived – they realised who I was (…).”

MADEMOISELLE CHANEL SPEAKING WITH CARMEN TESSIER ABOUT N°19, “LES ANNÉES CHANEL” BY PIERRE GALANTE, 1972, P. 321-322

This summer, a new chapter created by Jacques Pole, begins: Chanel N°19 presents itself as delicate as a cloud of powder combining iris with musky notes to give a surprising fresh aroma:
CHANEL N°19 POUDRÉ

“I wanted to underline the importance of iris at CHANEL, while giving a new facet to N°19,” revealed Jacques Polge. “The desire to rework the original accord with other, more contemporary, powdery notes, came naturally to me.”

And so it is that the latest generation of the most sophisticated, beautifully soft and light musks has joined the world of N°19. Although clearly less green, N°19 POUDRÉ diffuses an incisive freshness on first contact with a zesty sensation of Grasse neroli and mandarin. Then Iris pallida appears, clinging to the dry swirls of Haitian vetiver root, bringing hints of powder cases and lipstick wax, archetypes of noble femininity. Iris fully expresses itself, enveloped in comforting and vel­vety white musk. A light almond impression from tonka bean gives the musk an even cosier feel. And then there’s that irresistible sensation of a cloud of scent on the skin…

TOP NOTES
Grasse Neroli
Mandarin Orange

MIDDLE NOTES
Jasmine Absolute
Iris Pallida

BASE NOTES
White Musk Notes
Haitian Vetiver
Tonka Bean

Available in Switzerland starting August 19th, 2011.
EAU DE PARFUM Vaporisateur 50ml, CHF 127
EAU DE PARFUM, Vaporisateur 100ml, CHF 183

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel

“Think of the prep world as a grosgrain ribbon encircling the globe!”
Lisa Birnbach

As if Tommy Hilfiger wasn’t preppy enough; he is taking the show on the road this spring with Prep World, a unique limited edition capsule collection of 60 pieces for both genders.

Helping him with the ambassadorial mission is Lisa Birnbach, author of “The Official Preppy Handbook“, the recent “True Prep: It’s a Whole New Old World“, and just for tommy.com, “The Prep World Gobal Guide”, which will include local lifestyle recommendations.

The line, that will be in stores and available on tommy.com starting April 28, include everything you need to become a true prep, from the signature blazer to the Oxford dress, accessorized with such accoutrements as boat shoes, duck boots, Ping-Pong paddles and badminton rackets.

Inspired by Nantucket in the summer, Hilfiger will bring his brand’s DNA around the world with a global “Prep World” tour.

Starting in the French capital , the first showcase Americana style cottage has been placed this weekend in front of the Centre Pompidou. Parisians can explore the “Preppy Look“, something that reflects the American identity. Other cities will follow to experience the airy beach cottage, among them Stockholm, London and Tokyo.

And by the way, Hilfiger calls it a drop-in store in his very preppy way. So don’t be so vulgar to name it a pop-up… Some pop, but true preps, they drop!

In 1854, Louis Vuitton opened his very first store in Paris, on the rue Neuve-des-Capucines. The house confirmed its attachment to the “City of Lights” in 1914 when his son Georges had a beautiful Art Nouveau-inspired building built on the Champs-Elysées, later to become LV’s flagship store. In 2010, the Parisian luxury house is staging an exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet, the most Parisian of the capital’s museums.

Around the iconic trunks and luggage brought together for the first time, the Carnavalet museum is showcasing the saga of Louis Vuitton, which has embodied the art of travel for more than 150 years. The visitors will discover the treasures of Louis Vuitton’s heritage collections, juxtaposed with works from the museum’s collections or other loaned pieces.

The famous trunk-maker has produced furnished sets in which the design of the form and the choice of materials were combined with technical know-how to develop a specific product or tailor it to its client’s tastes and requirements from the very first beginning. This is one of the house’s strength. It is a true pleasure to see all those different creations, an expertise of tradition and innovation, craftsmanship and creativity.

The exhibition is presented at the Musée Carnavalet – History of Paris, 23, rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris from 13 October 2010 to 27 February 2011, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Lecture visits are offered along with storytelling for younger visitors. For further information, please contact +33 1 44 59 58 58.

In case you cannot make it to Paris for the exhibition, I recommend the new book “Louis Vuitton: 100 legendary Trunks”, where all the travelers chronology of the house is recalled. It is a beautiful hommage to the Louis Vuitton trunk, the probably most iconic accessory in the world of luxury and travel. Published by Edition de la Martiniere (€100) and on sale in bookshops and at the exhibition sales desk.

LoL, Sandra

Limited edition available exclusively in LV stores, €140

Covered leather tea case, 1926 © Louis Vuitton / Patrick Gries, Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Mark my words! Emma Watson is becoming more and more a budding fashion icon, probably thanks to all her gorgeous Burberry outfits (see above).

Being BFF with Burberry’s Christopher Bailey, the former campaign face was the first person to step out in a trench coat with gorgeous leather sleeves from the new Burberry Bespoke collection last week at Heathrow airport.

The custom-made piece was a gift for her premiere and before the young actress left for N.Y., she tweeted: „That’s London done, now off to New York! Wearing my favourite trench that Christopher Bailey @Burberry designed for me. Love it! x“

Burberry Bespoke will be a new fully integrated, innovative digital platform, enabling the personalisation of the iconic Burberry trench coat in many different ways and will be available for those of us not on the fashion house’s immediate gift list sometime early in 2011. So now the question on my fashionista’s mind is how would my bespoke coat look like? As for me, I see a huge fur collar and cuffs. And you?

I truly love Emma’s look last week. She accessorized her one-of-a-kind trench with a beaded red poppy pin (in honour of Britain’s Remembrance Day – those pins are all over London in November), Ray-Bans, a pair of ballet flats and her beloved killer Burberry studded bag from the “Winter Storms” collection that she was seen with many times before.

The new capsule collection has the right pieces to fight blowing snow and whipping winds in style. I love the metal studs that are applied in unlikely places, such as on the underside of a jacket collar for example. They lend a certain rock glam to otherwise conservative pieces.
See for yourselves the stud-erific must-haves for men and women!

LoL, Sandra

(Photos: Courtesy of Burberry)

The best pieces of the Winter Storms colllection for women.

The best pieces of the Winter Storms collection for men.