Sandra‘s Closet

In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld joined forces to curate ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited’, which presented stunning photographs of stylish celebrities boasting their interpretation of Chanel’s timeless and iconic black jacket. Over the last year, the book and exhibition were celebrated in cities across the globe.

Some of those photos were even the inspiration for Karl Lagerfeld’s artwork Fire Etchings, presented at Galerie Gmurzynska in February 2013 in St. Moritz.

This year, a new expanded edition of the book will go on sale (Steidl, Göttingen, 2013, 280 pages. Available in selected bookstores, €78).

For this occasion, Karl Lagerfeld has once again focused his lens on twenty or so international celebrities and close friends of the House, including Keira Knightley, Diane Kruger, Carla Bruni and Carole Bouquet. The photo shoot took place in Paris in the couturier’s studio in January 2013. Taking time out from their busy schedules, the celebrities all enthusiastically reinterpreted the little black jacket in their own inimitable style. Once more Karl Lagerfeld illustrates the universality of the Chanel jacket, one of fashion’s most legendary and timeless pieces.

Here is a sneak preview of how stunning Diane Kruger looks in it:

The exhibition is at the moment in Milan and opening next in Dubai on April 27, 2013. For more information, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Ear cuffs are this season’s hottest accessory. They have made their comeback for the first time on the Chanel S/S 2012 runway last year, and since then those must-have jewelry pieces have been spotted on the likes of Cara Delevingne and Diane Kruger.

The ear cuff is a great investment piece for the summer, it can be worn in multiple styles depending if it is made from feathers, chains, or sparkling diamonds, adding real flair to your outfit in an instant.

Below are the best ones available at the moment. I bought myself the tiger version from the Roberto Cavalli S/S 2013 catwalk. For the post in which I am wearing them, please click here. By the way, the last three shopping suggestions (N°7-9) cost less than CHF 50.00.

1 Crystal-embellished branch earrings by Emilio Pucci
2 Embellished ear jewel by Givenchy
3 Gold-plated Swarovski crystal cuff-style tiger earrings by Roberto Cavalli (my choice)
4 Berbère 18-karat rose gold multi-hoop ear cuff by Repossi
5 Earring with ear cuff by Nina Ricci
6 Maia bronze leaf ear cuff by Pamela Love
7 Feather ear cuff by Anni Jürgenson
8 Double chain ear cuff by Anni Jürgenson
9 Ear cuff by Maria Francesca Pepe

The Swiss based designer Carmen Cita Jones also offers a large variety of ear cuffs. To shop, please click here. Enjoy this fabulous trend!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the brands and via style.com

For the Cannes Film Festival 2012’s opening night, the who’s who of Hollywood came down to the Côte d’Azur. Here are the best dressed ladies of this amazing night. Enjoy!

Jury member Diane Kruger looked amazing in a mint green sheer couture gown by Giambattista Valli.

Eva Longoria wore a flowing, feathered train gown by Marchesa in which she had quite some problems walking on the red carpet.

American singer Lana Del Rey was wearing a classy black long dress by Alberta Ferretti that gave all the attention to the 18-carat white gold necklace set with a 31 carats yellow pear-shaped diamond by Chopard.

Eva Herzigova, the Czech model, was wearing a lace gown by Dolce Gabbana combined with the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts). Earrings en suite. All by Chopard.

Actress Tilda Swinton, who stars in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, wore a bronze gown by her fashion friend, designer Haider Ackermann.

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto wore a strapless beaded bodice gown, with a peplum pink satin skirt by Michael Angel, accessorized by Chopard jewelry.

The legendary Jane Fonda, wearing Chopard jewelry, looked absolutely stunning at 74  in a form-fitting metallic gown from Stella McCartney’s new evening collection I saw her during the day at the Chopard lounge and was overwhelmed by her charisma.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©VALERY HACHE/AFP/GettyImages, ©Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, ©Rex, ©Lia Toby / WENN

On Wednesday evening, the opening night of the 65th Cannes Film Festival (May 16  to May 27, 2012), I was invited by Chopard to this year’s first “Montée des Marches” at the Palais des Festivals. (Each night there is the legendary black tie “Montée des Marches”, the famous red-carpet, by invitation only, where the 22 films in competition are screened.)

It is an amazing feeling to climb up those famous steps, the stairway to heaven. There are hundreds of people waiting behind the barriers to spot their favourite celebrities. The minute I got out of the limousine, I was absolutely speechless and full of emotions.

My look: Gown by Roberto Cavalli, fur stole by Blumarine, Pyramide bag by Prada (In case you are wondering why I didn’t choose a little clutch, I wanted to take my big camera with me.), earrings by Chanel, ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off with the screening of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom.

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, the movie centers around two young kids (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) who fall in love, and run away together into the wilderness, but the adult cast is pretty well-stacked in the acting department, featuring Hollywood stars like Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman.

Personally speaking, I am not the biggest Wes Anderson fan, but I have truly liked that movie. It is different and moving, featuring the best of Anderson’s iconic comedy whimsy. Moonrise Kingdom will be released later this month.

Bérénice Béjo, the Artist star, hosted the opening ceremony in a stunning gown by Louis Vuitton that blended in well with the red carpet. She introduced the audience to this year’s president Nanni Moretti and his A-list jury that includes Diane Kruger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander Payne, Ewan McGregor, Raoul Peck, Hiam Abbas and Emmanuelle Devos.

During the 12-day movie marathon, they will choose from 22 competition titles to give out the coveted Palme d’Or prize on May 27.

Beth Ditto opened the festival with an amazing performance of ‘Candle In The Wind’.

Very funny, the famous singer was hurrying to get a photo with the jury:

Stay tuned for my best-dressed list of this night!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Tomorrow, May 14, “Kaiser Karl” will reign over the world of fashion once more. Lagerfeld will show his Resort 2013 collection for Chanel at Versailles. Of course, it will be a big production, but all details are still under wraps. Past Chanel Resort shows have been presented at the Lido in Venice (Resort 2010), and one of my favourites, in St. Tropez (Resort 2011). Their locations usually bewray the inspiration for the collection.

Versailles was the famous place where the French royal family ruled in extravagance for 100 years before the French Revolution. What does come to your mind? As for me, I could only think of excess, rich fabrics, opulence.

 I am truly curious what Karl Lagerfeld has been thinking of.  If anyone is up to the task to pay tribute to Marie Antoinette or to revive those decadent moments in time, it is definitely him. I am sure that he will surprise us as the setting has to be different from his S/S 2011 Chanel show that was based on Versailles’s extensive gardens (see above).

If you look in fashion history, this won’t be the first time Versailles has been used for a show.

In 2007, John Galliano rented out the palace for a huge spectacle - Dior’s 60th anniversary couture show.

In 1973, five upcoming US-designers, Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, Halston, Bill Blass, and Oscar de la Renta faced off against French couturiers Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, and Emanuel Ungaro in a runway spectacle that became known as the Battle of Versailles.

The French designers were certain of victory, due to their long tradition and know-how. But the Americans had a secret weapon; a vibrant group of eight African-American models plus the wish to conquer the European world of fashion. And the celebrity-packed audience of 800, including a tiara-wearing Princess Grace cheered to their performance. It was that chilly night changed the face and colour of fashion forever.

There have also been numerous fashion editorials photographed at Versailles over the years.

Above:
1 Shalom Harlow by Steven Meisel for Vogue October 1994
2 Diane Krüger by Gilles Marie Zimmerman for Paris Match March 2012
3 Trish Goff by Steven Meisel for Vogue October 1994

Please enjoy this little summary of some of the most beautiful ones, along with other palace-set shoots by Karl Lagerfeld himself.

Jessica Stam and Snejana Onopka by Karl Lagerfeld for Harper’s Bazaar Romania November 2007

Gisele Bündchen by Karl Lagerfeld for Harper’s Bazaar June 2007

Vanessa Paradis by Karl Lagerfeld for Tatler Russia July 2012

Stay tuned for the photos of the Chanel Resort 2013 show.

LoL, Sandra