Sandra‘s Closet

Fashionistas lining up in front of the Chanel store to get…

…a free manicure…

…with the three gorgeous shades of Les Jeans de Chanel.

I took the three bottles home, yippie!

Estée Lauder‘s face since 2007: Stunning Hilary Rhoda.

A little warm-up for me for my upcoming interview with Estée Lauder’s Global Creative Director Tom Pecheux on Sunday.

Two Estée Lauder spokeswomen: Liu Wen talking to Constance Jablonski.

Gorgeous presentation of Jo Malone‘s new scent: Wild Bluebell.

Hair guru Frédéric Fekkai

Lydia Hearst

Supermodel Doutzen Kroes…

…doing graffiti with designer Christian Cota.

Open your eyes, it is him…

…me with designer Prabal Gurung.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

It is that time again, when fashionistas from all over the globe mingle to spot the newest trends for the upcoming season. And it starts with New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

To start you off, I have a real eye candy for you from yesterday’s presentations. Derek Lam showed his F/W 2011 collection with a modern and dramatic makeup look designed by Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux. Enjoy the first-hand details on the look by following Tom Pecheux and his team backstage.

Derek Lam’s collection focused on new combinations of fabric to make the clothes look fresh, fluid and weightless, the bulk is eliminated and the pieces fit effortlessly together.
Walking in the show were Estée Lauder Global Spokesmodels Liu Wen, Constance Jablonski and Joan Smalls dressed in bold textures and patterns mixed with seamlessly flowing and sharp accents.

Working with Derek and Estée Lauder for a third consecutive season, Tom created the sleek leaden eye and muted lip and skin with new products from his upcoming Pure Color collection launching in Fall 2011.

Eyes: Silver (metallic finish) and black (shimmer finish) shades
Two NEW Estée Lauder eye shadows tested backstage – both launching Fall 2011
Highlight Shade: NEW Estée Lauder Illuminating Powder tested backstage – launching Fall 2011
Eyebrows: Automatic Brow Pencil

Tom started with shimmering black eyeshadow and dramatically winged out towards the temples and then used an intensely pigmented metallic grey eyeshadow to produce a silver foil finish in the center of the lid.  Finishing the eye with a swipe of a new highlighting powder on the brow bone created the focus on the bold eye that perfectly complemented the soft richness of the clothing.

Lips: NEW Estée Lauder Nude Matted Lipstick tested backstage – launching Fall 2011

The skin and lips evoked an almost blurred effect, using a new matte nude lipstick and soft contouring under the cheekbone.

Cheeks: Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer – below cheek

Face: Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup SPF 10
Lucidity Translucent Loose Powder

Skin: NEW Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator – launching Summer 2011
DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Crème SPF 15

Nails: NEW Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Porcelain –launching Fall 2010

Famed manicurist Jin Soon Choi was also on-hand to polish the toes and fingers of the models in the new limited pale shade.

“This look is very versatile, it almost changes with your movement. The silver metal on the eye reminds me of modern architecture, hard and strong and plays delicately against Derek’s minimal but sophisticated collection. These clothes, you want to keep forever.” described Pecheux, “This look is very confident and lovely, it evokes the fantasy of the Derek Lam woman.”

I am always a big fan of smokey eyes and pale lips and love Tom’s look for F/W 2011. We just have to wait a little longer for those amazing metallic and shimmering shades…
But isn’t anticipation the greatest joy?

LoL, Sandra

It is August and the majority of fall campaigns can be seen now in the new fashion magazines, ads just keep coming out of the woodwork and so I wanted to give you a brief summary of the most important ones and by whom they were shot.
It is funny to see that this world in particular is pretty small and some photographers are ahead of the game.

My personal favourite is Bottega Veneta`s strong expressive F/W 2010 campaign. Shot by the godfather of energetic graphic photography himself: Robert Longo. The artist has became famous in the late 1970s and early 1980s with his series „Men in the Cities“ that depicts men and women in business attire contorted in extreme positions.

The winner this season seems to be renowned Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. The dream team that has defined the look of the past decade, shot the most campaigns. Enjoy my preview:

The American photographer and long-time protégé of both Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour, editors-in-chief of Italian and American Vogue is also a big shot in the world of fashion photography. No wonder, Steven Meisel shot all those gorgeous campaigns.

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinood Matadin, a fashion photographer duo that is well known for their independent art work. Most of their photographs are both critical and slightly disturbing as you can see in the campaigns they shot for F/W 2010.

Italian-born Mario Sorrenti is a photographer and director best known for his spreads of nude models in the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino has shot many fashion stories and celebrities. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums.

Hermès has come up with another really beautiful advertising campaign shot by Paolo Roversi. I love his romantic, vintage looking photos that always seem to tell a story. To me, a perfect choice for the French house!

Bruce Weber is a well-known face in the world of advertising photography. His career really took of in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his famous advertising images for Calvin Klein.

Juergen Teller‘s work is extraordinary and with a distinctive design. His raw style makes him one of the most influential fashion photographers working today.

Multi-talent Karl Lagerfeld likes to keep everything in his own hands. So no wonder that he shoots the advertising campaigns for his own collections for Chanel and Fendi.

Steven Klein is an American photographer that shot many high-profile advertising campaigns for various clients. This season he was hired by Dolce & Gabbana to capture a close knit Italian family with Madonna as the matriarchal figure through his lens.
Great job!

LoL, Sandra