Sandra‘s Closet

After a year like no other, supporting and celebrating feels more important than ever for NET-A-PORTER that showcase their #PowerToChange commitment by collaborating with incredible female designers to create an exclusive INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EDIT, reflecting the designers’ personal interpretation of female empowerment. 13 exclusive pieces across ready-to-wear, lifestyle and jewelry, with 100 percent of the NET-A-PORTER profits donated to Women for Women International, helping women living in war-torn countries rebuild their lives and creating lasting change in their communities.

To showcase these 13 exclusive fabulous pieces, some incredible women have been invited to wear these T-shirts with pride, among them supermodel, mother, writer and activist Coco Rocha, Interior designer, culinary storyteller and entertaining expert Athena Calderone and Model, student and co-author of Mixed Feelings, Naomi Shimada, just to name a few.

The exclusive collection consists of nine T-shirts, designed by Stella McCartney, Emilia Wickstead, Westman Atelier, Tove, Anya Hindmarch, Jennifer Fisher, Simone Rocha, Amina Muaddi and Ninety Percent; jewelry by Roxanne Assoulin and Alighieri, and homeware by Anissa Kermiche.

Model and LGBTQ+ campaigner Teddy Quinlivan sports Westman Atelier’s ‘FORCE FEMININE’ T-shirt.

«Nothing is more powerful than women connecting, inspiring and advocating for
each other which is why I’m so honored to be supporting Women for Women International. We have to invest in those who are held back by social, cultural and economic inequality. Women are the driving force of change.» – Gucci Westman / Wetsman Atelier

Author, writer and founder of Gal-Dem – the award-winning media company committed to sharing the perspectives of people of color from marginalized communities – Liv Little is wearing the Tove ‘Womanhood’ embroidered T-shirt.

In addition to the donation of 100 percent of profits from the sales within this collection, for every public post tagged #PowerToChange, @womenforwomen and @netaporter on TikTok or Instagram, between now to March 8, 2021, NET-A-PORTER will donate $1 to Women for Women International.  I encourage you to take part in this, so please do share your posts and pledges!

TO SHOP THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EDIT, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Net-à-Porter
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2021 is the Year of the Ox. The Chinese New Year will start on February 12th, and it will last until January 31st of 2022. Many designers are celebrating Lunar New Year of the Ox with special collections, such as Gucci is featuring the famous Manga character Doraemon, the cat-type robot sent from the XXII century, appearing on ready-to-wear and accessories, or Moschino is showing a cute ox with the slogan «in love we trust».

In the Chinese Zodiac, the Ox is very hardworking and methodical. The upcoming 2021 will be the year of the Metal Ox, and its message couldn’t be clearer: Success will come to those who work hard. Like really hard! 2021 is going to be a year when work will get rewarded. Cheers to that!

LoL, Sandra

Chinese New Year Ox-embroidered clutch by Olympia Le-Tan

Oversized embroidered printed organic cotton-jersey T-shirt by Chloé

New Year Ox charm keyring by MCM

Year of the Ox textured leather-trimmed printed coated-canvas tote by Gucci x Doraemon

 Year of the Ox limited edition fountain pen and roller pen by Caran d’Ache
Limited to 888 pieces.

Chinese New Year Ox tote bag by Anya Hindmarch

Perpetual Moon Year of the Ox by Arnold & Son 1764
CHF 49.900 – limited to 8 pieces

Bullchic horn-detailed Chinese New Year tote bag by Moschino

Chinese New Year logo-embroidered sweatshirt by Moschino

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Anya Hindmarch is loved for the sense of whimsy she imbues into all her accessories. Handmade from recycled satin and covered in glittering paillettes, those mini totes are embellished with sparkling beads and crystals to mimic the different packagings. It’ll be sure to raise a few smiles wherever you go and the good thing is those treats are all calorie-free.

LoL, Sandra

Heinz Ketchup Tote Bag

Mars Tote Bag

Walkers Tote Bag

Rolo® Tote Bag

After Eight Tote Bag

Marmite Tote Bag

Wrigley’s tote bag

Fisherman’s Friend Tote Bag

Twix Tote Bag

Frosties Tote Bag

Dairy Milk Tote Bag

Stills: © Anya Hindmarch,  Collages: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

Mother’s Day is around the corner, so why not getting prepared on time to give a little unexpected surprise to your beloved mum. Here are some of my favorite new beauty products for Spring 2018. To shop, click on the highlighted text to be transferred directly.

ALAÏA PARIS Eau de Parfum Nude, 30ml
also available as 100ml
After black and white was nude the third important color for the late designer. He took the art of fragrance even a step further by saying: «the foundation of beauty is the body,» and your fragrance is the first step. Alaïa’s new Nude Eau de Parfum is an evocative, exotic scent that’s layered with orange blossom. It has warm tonka bean, cardamom and suede at the base, while woody top notes of cedar and sandalwood give it a luxurious finish. Just wonderful for a warm summer night.

TOM FORD Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette – Soleil D’Ambre
Perfect for traveling as everything you need is housed in a sleek compact that comes with a mirror for touch-ups on the go. This limited edition «Soleil D’Ambre» palette contains a coral-pink blush and antique-rose highlighter to give your cheeks a pop of color, with four shimmering eyeshadows ranging from cream to an aubergine chocolate. Time to get your subtle sun-kissed glow.

BY TERRY Baume de Rose Body Scrub, 180g
A gift your mum will surely love. Adding this scrub into the daily regime will keep the skin smooth, soft and radiant (also a prefect preparation for applying self tanning products). Infused with multiple elements of precious rose including butter, oil and extracts, this rich formula hydrates, repairs and protects dry and fragile skin. The naturally moisturizing sugar crystals will gently remove dead cells.

LA MER The Moisturizing Cool Gel Cream, 60ml
As a huge La Mer fan, I can only recommend this new texture of the famous cream which is so lightweight that it is just perfect for the warmer summer months. It is also infused with the brand’s signature Miracle Broth™ formula that works to heal skin down to its core, while soothing irritation and leaving you feel refreshed.

NURSE JAMIE Neck & Décolleté Wrap – Skin Perfecting Silicone Treatment
When you mum thought there might be no help, you will surprise her hugely with this new «Neck & Décolleté Wrap» that helps minimize the signs of aging caused by sun damage, gravity and sleeping on your side tremendously. Something we will all experience when we get older. Inspired by scar treatments that have been used in the medical field for years, it works by blanketing the chosen area and amplifying the effects of your favorite moisturizer – for best results, the brand recommends leaving it on for at least 20 minutes. Great news is that it is reusable for up to 20 treatments.

TOM FORD Eau de Parfum – ******* Fabulous, 50ml
This is highly exclusive and you better order it fast as this bottle is something really special. After Tom Ford had sent out 300 of those bottles of its new fragrance «F***ing Fabulous» with the invites to his S/S 2018 show, fashionistas started craving for it after the first pictures appeared on Instagram of some of the lucky guests. The name was created the second Tom smelled the scent during a business meeting and proclaimed those very words and after that no other name could compete. It is an alluring leathery Eau de Parfum infused with spicy and bold notes of bitter almond oil, tonka resinoid and cashmeran, but there are also hints of lavender and vanilla for freshness, too. What a lovely way of telling your mum that she is f***ing fabulous!

FREDERIC MALLE Essentials Collection, 5 x 7ml
If your mum is a fragrance lover, she will adore this curated selection of Frederic Malle’s most-loved scents. Each bottle is perfectly sized for travel and bears the name of the perfumer who created the fragrance. Included are Carnal Flower, Magnolia, Iris Poudre, Musc Ravageur (my favorite) and Portrait of a Lady.

ANYA HINDMARCH Baby Powder scented candle, 700g
Evoke some of your mum’s happiest times with this candle that smells reminiscent of newborn babies and the memories they create. Set in a black glass vessel with hand-poured wax, this «Baby Powder» version blends notes of bergamot, Italian mandarin and rose petal with a base of vanilla, tonka bean and musk – reminding your mum of sleepless nights and first smiles… and that it was all worth it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

This week, I was in London for Fashion Week and treated myself to the legendary Prêt-à-Portea designer afternoon tea experience at the Berkeley Hotel which is inspired by the world of fashion. I had already done it once 6 years ago (for the previous post click here please) and was curious to see the Collins Room after it had undergone renovations.

You might be wondering what is Prèt-à-Portea exactly? It is a menu of couture cakes especially designed for the respective season gets a makeover every six months to reflect the latest catwalk trends, colours and designs. For F/W 2017-18, Head Pastry Chef Mourad Khiat has sent out a brand new collection of exquisite biscuits, bakes and fancies. It takes inspiration from an array of distinguished fashion and accessory designers, and the latest creations shown on the international fashion runways.

YOUR FASHIONISTA’S TEA INCLUDES
A delicate collection of cakes and fancies inspired by the world’s finest designers:

Gucci’s kimono, complete with a charming parasol, transformed into a pomegranate and grenadine bavarois, with cassis and apple compote topped with a crystallised edible flower and a chocolate parasol.

Balenciaga’s effortlessly luxe black-and-white flouncy dress reimagined as a moist chocolate cake, layered with white chocolate Grand Marnier mousse, crunchy ganache and a sexy orange leg.

Gianvito Rossi’s red-heeled boots, recreated as a fennel seed biscuit iced with burgundy red royal icing.

Bottega Veneta’s daring mustard-coloured suit, gracing the cakewalk as an iced speculoos chocolate biscuit.

Anya Hindmarch’s orange leather clutch as a dulce and ginger cake sandwiched within foxy orange chocolate.

Burberry’s sleek white feathered cape, recreated as a tonka bean cheesecake with cinnamon crumble base, covered with glossy white glaze and finished with a curvy white chocolate feather.

Miu Miu’s luxuriously warm coat transformed into a bûche of pistachio crémeux set on hazelnut sable and topped with waved meringue.

Christopher Kane’s ‘LBD’ taken to another level with stunning flowers and transformed into a chocolate moelleux cake with lacte café and Bailey’s cream, finished with sugar flowers.

Dolce & Gabbana’s stand-out dress, now an almond génoise complete with a mango & passion fruit insert and a cocktail caraibe mousse, topped with a rainbow of chocolate disks.

Your tea also includes a flavoursome collection of miniature savoury skewers, taster spoons, elegant canapés and tea sandwiches. To drink, choose from a large selection of loose leaf teas (I personally recommend the Ceylon & Rose tea) from the hotel’s extensive collection and treat yourself to a glass of bubbly like I did. Raise a toast in style!

Prêt-à-Portea is priced at £52.00 per person.
Champagne Prêt-à-Portea, with a glass of Laurent-Perrier, £62.00 per person.
Couture Champagne Prêt-à-Portea, with a glass of Laurent-Perrier Rosé, Bollinger Rosé or Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, £70.00 per person.
A 12.5% discretionary service charge will be added to your bill.

Bookings
Email: dining@the-berkeley.co.uk
Call: +44 (0)20 7107 8866

THE PRET-A-PORTEA BOOK
There is also a great coffee table (I meant tea table book :-)) that I can recommend: «Prêt-à-Portea: High-Fashion Bakes and Biscuits» was published to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Berkeley’s iconic afternoon tea with 20 recipes and baking techniques from the hotel’s Head Pastry Chef Mourad Khiat. To buy the book, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Runway Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
Photos Cover: Courtesy of the Berkeley Hotel

Breeze through check-in with this line-up of chic travel wallets, luxe luggage and more.
First priority is to stay organized with the help of those items:

Panama Marshall textured-leather travel wallet by Smythson

Printed textured-leather passport cover by Dolce & Gabbana

In-flight travel bag by Anya Hindmarch

Get your favorite beauty products in travel sizes and only take hand luggage (so no worries about lost baggage):

Beauty travel kit by Net-à-Porter Beauty

On board, get comfy, remove your make-up, relax and finally get some sleep:

In Transit No Traces – 60 pads by This Works

Ribbed-cotton travel set by Skin

Lace-trimmed printed silk eye mask by Dolce & Gabbana

All doesn’t work if you don’t have the right luggage (and don’t forget the luggage tag!). I always recommend a great bag that is easy to carry and that you can put on top of a trolley:
Falabella GO travel bag by Stella McCartney

Panama leather luggage tag by Smythson

Grained-leather suitcase by Mark Cross

Safe travels!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Casual days at the pool, comfy evenings at home, today I would like to present you the most exquisite versions of the basic slip-on sandals.

1 Embellished slip-on sandals by Chloé
2 Ode embellished slip-on sandals by Fendi
3 Slidy Viv leather slip-on sandals by Roger Vivier
4 Kerenn flat shearling mule by Chloé
5 Egg shearling and mink fur slip-on sandals by Anya Hindmarch
6 Velvet slides by Dolce & Gabbana
7 Beth slip-on sandals by Ganni
8 Isle Slide embellished slip-on sandals by Tory Burch
9 Printed slides by Givenchy
10 Embellished slip-on sandals by Fendi

Aren’t those Dolce & Gabbana velvet hotel slides hilarious? A funny sense of humor…

LoL, Sandra

Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

The S/S 2016 catwalks have provided us with the beautiful colours of the rainbow. To work the trend, you preferably include the full spectrum, from yellows to sharp shots of orange and pink, and beyond. Call it the rainbow connection — loveliness wins!

Get the look: Metallic-striped cotton-blend terry jacket by Sonia Rykiel, appliquéd cady mini dress by Red Valentino, Set of 10 stretch-lace Brazilian briefs by Hanky Panky, Rainbow leather shoulder bag by Anya Hindmarch and amber lace-up suede peep-toe ankle boots by Edgardo Osorio for Salvatore Ferragamo.

Enjoy some of the best runway looks below.

LoL, Sandra

Mara Hoffman S/S 2016

Chloé S/S 2016

Christopher Kane S/S 2016

Photos: Via Vogue.com and Courtesy of the Brands

Great news, it is this time of the year: NET-A-PORTER.COM start their big sale today. Now, you have the chance to get the most amazing pieces marked down up to 50%.

Especially for you, I put together this outfit that would be perfect for a night out. To shop, just click on the highlighted text.

Get the look: Godet Dance embellished stretch-tulle mini dress by Topshop Unique (50% off), Lelie snake-effect leather sandals by Isabel Marant (40% off), Valorie glitter-finished canvas clutch by Anya Hindmarch (50% off) and Soho gold-plated snake earrings by Aurélie Bidermann (30% off).

TO ENJOY THE FULL SALE SELECTION CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I have specially selected some of my favorite goodies to treat a loved one or maybe yourself. Enjoy those thoughtful Valentine’s Day keepsakes such as this cute mini leather shoulder bag by Christian Louboutin. To shop just click on the highlighted text.

Cora Heart 100 patent leather pumps by Christian Louboutin

Love U 14-karat gold, diamond and enamel earrings by Alison Lou

The Valentine’s Box

Charlotte Tilbury ‘s rich Mini Magic Cream (15ml/ 0.5fl.oz.)
Bamford‘s Geranium Hand & Body Wash (50ml/ 1.7fl.oz.)
LAFCO‘s Chamomile Lavender Soap (130ml/ 4.5oz.)
Radical Skincare Revitalizing Mask (30ml/ 1.0fl.oz.)
Jurlique‘s Nutri-Define Retexturizing Serum (15ml/ 0.5fl.oz.)
Hourglass‘ silky, pore-minimizing Veil Mineral Primer (5ml/ 0.16fl.oz.)
Eyeko‘s Mini Black Magic Mascara (4ml/ 0.13fl.oz.)
Anastasia‘s Mini Clear Brow Gel (2.5ml/ 0.08fl.oz.)
Serge Normant‘s Meta Sheer Dry Finish Oil (50ml/ 1.7fl.oz.)

The Love Box

Bamford‘s geranium pebble soap (250g/ 8.8oz)
Susanne Kaufmann‘s rose oil (100ml/ 3.4fl.oz.)
LAFCO House & Home‘s Champagne scented candle
Stella McCartney‘s ‘Lips‘ iPhone 5 case
Assouline‘s The Big Book of Chic by Miles Redd hardcover book
Smythson‘s ‘Inspiration and Ideas‘ textured-leather notebook
Lipstick Queen‘s ‘Velvet Rope‘ lipstick in ‘Brat Pack’
Anya Hindmarch‘s Phwoar!!! textured-leather adhesive sticker

The Pamper Box

Bamford‘s rose, geranium and jasmine pebble soap set (three x 75g/ 2.6oz.)
Monica Vinader‘s rose gold-plated ‘Fiji‘ bracelet
Stella McCartney‘s ‘Clara Whispering‘ lace-trimmed silk robe
Neom Organics + Jenny Packham ‘Happiness‘ white neroli, mimosa and lemon scented candle
Aromatherapy Associates‘ ‘Ultimate Bath Jewels‘ set (10 x 7.5ml/ 0.2fl.oz.)

The Box of Jewels

Anita Ko’s ‘Wave’ 18-karat rose gold diamond necklace
Anita Ko’s ‘Thorn’ 14-karat rose gold earrings
Anita Ko’s ‘Spike‘ 14-karat rose gold diamond bracelet
Smythson’s ‘Panama’ mini textured-leather jewelry box

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands