Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

Last night, fashion’s most anticipated yearly event (yes, hotter than the Oscar’s), the MET GALA, offered a breathtaking red carpet that I will tell you all about today. It always takes place on the first Monday in May. But if you’re not an industry expert, you might be wondering why on earth there should be so much hype about it. First of all, Anna Wintour is hosting the night along some well-known co-hosts, which are all much-worshiped by the paparazzi: Amal Clooney, Rihanna, and Donatella Versace. But there is more… many stars, models and fashion designers attend the night in showstopping outfits worthy of unforgettable photos.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, right, designer Donatella Versace, left, and Vogue US Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour  in Rome last February.

It is a huge night for fashion fundraising as it is dedicated to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute – formally named The Anna Wintour Costume Center, in homage to the American Vogue’s editor-in-chief, who has been a chair member of the museum’s gala since 1995. It also celebrates the opening of the newest exhibition of which its theme sets the tone for the event and invitees have to dress accordingly. Personally speaking, I find this year’s motto extremely interesting, instead of being dedicated to the work of one designer, it is inspired by the dialogue between fashion and the masterworks of religious art: «Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination».

In Anna’s recent «Letter of the Editor» in the May 2018 edition of US Vogue, she writes: «The exhibition itself has been years in the making, and it will be not only the largest Costume Institue show to date but the biggest show ever at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s hard to not sound hyperbolic about it, but it is going to be an absolutely magnificent experience – spanning some 26 galleries and including work from the likes of Valentino, Gaultier, and Dolce & Gabbana along with more than 40 extraordinarily opulent liturgical garments and accessories on loan from the Vatican.

For curator Andrew Bolton, it required endless hours of patience dealing with the Vatican, given the labyrinthine way that it operates.»

Central to the conversation will be the papal garb on loan from the Sistine Chapel sacristy, many of which have never been seen outside the Vatican, even in the 1983 Met blockbuster, «The Vatican Collections: The Papacy and Art».

An enduring influence of religion on fashion: for F/W 2010, church elements played a huge role on the catwalks. Have a look at this previous post: The Nun’s Story.

The display of these extraordinary ecclesiastical pieces will highlight the enduring influence of religion and liturgical vestments on fashion. Among the 150 or so ensembles that will be on display are pieces by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, who was educated by nuns, and John Galliano, whose transgressive F/W 2000 Couture collection for Christian Dior opened with a mitred, incense-swinging pope-like figure who proceeded down the runway to a voice intoning: «Understand the concept of love.»

First look of Christian Dior Couture F/W 2000

Fashion is a way to express yourself and by placing clothes within the context of religion, you realize how much power the looks of Christianity have and that fashion has supported the way we feel the Catholic imagination.

Part of the exhibition
Left: Fragment of a floor mosaic with a personification of Ktisis, Byzantine, 500–550, with modern restoration, marble, and glass; right: Ensemble, Dolce & Gabbana, F/W 2013

Me in a Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2013 look: A Byzantine Moment

«Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination» is on view May 10–October 8, 2018. A catalog with photographs by Katerina Jebb will accompany the exhibition.

Below you can enjoy some of my favorite looks of last night.

My personal winner: Blake Lively in Atelier Versace
She needed to arrive in a party bus to have enough space for her amazing gown!

Love this look as well: Jennifer Lopez in Balmain, Jimmy Choo shoes and clutch.

Rare moment: The host of the night, Anna Wintour, caught smiling in Chanel.

Angel of the night: Katy Perry in Versace.

Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier

Co-host perfection: Rihanna in custom Maison Margiela by John Galliano, Christian Louboutin shoes, Maria Tash jewelry, Cartier jewelry, and a custom Judith Leiber Couture clutch.


Always an eye-catcher: Sarah Jessica Parker in Dolce & Gabbana and Jennifer Fisher.

Heavenly: Anne Hathaway in a stunning red Valentino gown.

Icon: Lily Collins in Givenchy


Cara Delevingne in Dior Haute Couture

Simple and elegant, matching the theme:
Andreea Diaconu in Michael Kors Collection and Chopard jewelry

Beautiful print: Ariana Grande in Vera Wang.

Lana Del Rey and Jared Leto, both in Gucci

Curvy and beautiful: Kate Upton in Zac Posen

Rita Ora in Prada

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in custom Ralph Lauren Collection

So cute: Cardi B shows off her baby bump in Moschino next to designer Jeremy Scott.

Kate Bosworth recreated her bridal look in Oscar de la Renta and Tacori jewelry.

Beautiful in velvet: Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren.

Definitely not the most sexy look, but matching the theme well: Greta Gerwig in The Row.

Stella Maxwell in Moschino and David Yurman

Sexy interpretation: Taylor Hill in Diane von Furstenberg

Best dressed man of the night: Chadwick Boseman in Versace.

I personally didn’t like this look at all, not matching the theme (as a co-host you would expect better) and the cut is not pleasing her beautiful shape: Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue.com, © Sandra Bauknecht, © Melanie Galea, (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Photos: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Harris Brisbane DickFund and Fletcher Fund, 1998; Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, Dodge Fund, and Rogers Fund, 1999 (1998.69; 1999.99) / © Metropolitan Museum of Art; Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana / Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Digital Composite Scan by Katerina Jebb, Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

Mulberry Now in Zurich

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Finally, Switzerland has a Mulberry store. Located in Zurich’s luxury shopping district, the new shop has a selling surface of 150 square meters on two floors, with a wonderful selection of accessories, shoes and womenswear from the English luxury brand.

Mulberry: Arrivals - LFW Autumn/Winter 2012

Del Rey in Black Soft Spongy Leather -  ú795; 990 EURDel Rey in Black Soft Spongy Leather –  990 EUR

Check out the newly launched Del Rey bag, inspired by American singer Lana Del Rey, one of fall’s must-have bags.

Mulberry, Storchengasse 4, CH-8001 Zurich

LoL, Sandra

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Del Rey in Black Forest Soft Matte Leather - ú795; 990 EURDel Rey in Black Forest Soft Matte Leather – 990 EUR

Mulberry_Zurich_Womens

Del Rey in Deer Brown Grainy Print Leather - ú795; 990 EURDel Rey in Deer Brown Grainy Print Leather – 990 EUR

Mulberry_Zurich_Mens

Del Rey in Petrol Veg Tanned Lambskin - ú895; 1120 EURDel Rey in Petrol Veg Tanned Lambskin – 1120 EUR

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry

The Trophée Chopard 2012

Trophée Chopard 2

Thursday night, the Trophée Chopard in partnership with Variety Magazine at the Martinez Hotel took place. Each year at the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard rewards the talent of two young actors. And the Swiss jewelry and watch brand seems to have a good nose for their awardees. Many gifted performers, such as Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Diane Kruger and Gael Garcia-Bernal, have received the Trophée Chopard before.

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The exceptional patron in the person of Sean Penn honoured this year’s rising stars, Shailene Woodley for her co-starring (and Golden Globe-nominated) role in The Descendants and Ezra Miller for his performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, with a beautiful laudatory speech.

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Shailene looked radiant in her black silk devore velvet gown combined with the strappy ‘The Egrette’ sandals, both from Jason Wu‘s F/W 2012 runway collection

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Ezra Miller gave a very moving thank you speech.

Winner

The awardees, Shailene Woodley and Ezra Miller, to the left with Sean Penn and Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to the right.

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After the award presentation, we went upstairs to the Chopard Lounge where the amazing highly exclusive (by invitation only) after party for around 200 guests took place. The terrace was filled with celebrities and we danced until dawn.

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Caroline et moi

Caroline Scheufele in a peach-coloured long gown by Emilio Pucci and Chopard jewelry with me

Eva et Bérénice

Eva Herzigova in Alexander McQueen with Bérénice Béjo wearing a pretty polka-dot dress with a cinched waist and paired  with a pair of glittering Chopard pearl earrings, of course.

Bérénice et moi

Bérénice Béjo with me

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Lana Del Rey in an ivory single-breasted suit by Moschino.

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Very sweet Shailene Woodley with me.

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Awardee Ezra Miller with me

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Famous Spanish actress Paz Vega and face of L’Oréal Spain in a sequined dress from Giorgio Armani‘s S/S 2012 runway collection that reflected the light interestingly and Chopard jewelry with me.

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Chinese actress and singer Fan Bingbing with me. Her forest-green fully embellished gown with a plunging neckline by Elie Saab that gave all the attention to her sensational Chopard jewelry looked stunning on her.

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L.A.-based film producer, movie studio chairman and co-founder of Miramax Films Harvey Weinstein with me. He came without his wife Georgina Chapman, who is the founder of Marchesa.

Lanas Performance

Highlight of the night was Lana Del Rey‘s amazing performance. I love “Video Games”
The singer is amazingly sweet and charming to talk to.

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Lana’s necklace from Chopard’s Red Carpet Haute Joaillerie collection, is a one-of-kind piece that is original, unexpected with a tinge of humour. Composed of pink rubellites, diamonds and onyx, it has a maximum magnitude, brilliance and fire.

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Lana, Caroline, Marion and Ezra

Lana Del Rey, Caroline Scheufele, Marion Cotillard and Ezra Miller

Eva & P.D.

Eva Herzigova and Sean John Combs (P.Diddy)

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This was such an amazing night! I truly love my job! Stay tuned for a detailed post on my look coming up soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The Frieze-Mania Hits Manhattan

Art Frieze

Frieze Art Fair is renowned for cutting edge art and a fashion-forward crowd. Established in London in 2003 by the infinitely stylish Matthew Slotover and his co-director Amanda Sharp, it has become one of the art world’s hottest tickets.

This month, London’s coolest art fair hits Manhattan for the first time with the launch of Frieze New York. The four-day event (May 4-7) will see over 1000 of the world’s leading artists gather alongside curators, gallerists and collectors all set against a cool waterside backdrop and with a hip lineup of pop-up restaurants, parties and people to spot. And fashion trendsetters such as Net-à-porter and Mulberry join forces with the art world:

142804816_CB_4962_FD95A6FBA08E652B4137436BC9DAD1D7Co-publishers of Frieze Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp at the Mulberry dinner

On Friday, May 4 Mulberry hosted an intimate dinner in celebration of the Frieze Art Fair’s New York debut and in honour of the artists of Frieze Projects, of which Mulberry is the sponsor.

Frieze Projects is a not-for-profit initiative featuring commissioned artworks around the outdoor space of Randall’s Island, which are accessible to all visitors to the area. The dinner was held at The Crown restaurant on New York’s Upper East Side (readers of my fashion column in the SI Style magazine know this place already).

MF2The beautiful decorated entrance to The Crown Restaurant

MFThe ambiance

Derek & AlexaAmong the fashionable guests: Derek Blasberg and Alexa Chung

ClarinsThe Clarins-Courtin sisters

LanaLana Del Rey

American singer Lana Del Rey performed during the evening, wearing the three quarter blouse in flame heavy lace and the fitted pencil skirt in flame, both from the F/W 2012 Collection. Lana was Emma Hill’s inspiration for Mulberry’s newest bag, the Del Rey, which launches in stores and online in mid-May.
(Stay tuned as I will keep you inform you once it hits the shelves).

Lanadelrey bagMulberry’s Del Rey Bag

Last night, May 5 influencers from the worlds of fashion and art came together to join NET-A-PORTER iconfor a cocktail party and dinner celebrating Frieze Art Fair’s Chelsea Gallery Night, a night where more than 20 of Chelsea’s finest galleries opened their doors for a neighborhood block party filled with exclusive gallery previews, live music and food.

The NET-A-PORTER-sponsored event at the Hôtel Americano kicked off with roof-top cocktails and music by London DJ, Bip Ling, and continued with a seated dinner.

The Big Frieze hits NYC, I love!

LoL, Sandra

NET-A-PORTER_FRIEZE_CHELSEDINNER6Christopher Kane with Natalie Massanet in a lace dress by Alessandra Rich icon

NET-A-PORTER_FRIEZE_CHELSEDINNER7Giovanna Battaglia in a black leather coat
(Don’t we love the floral lace A-line dress by Miu Miu iconto the left and the neon-orange with white lace dress by Christopher Kane to the right in the background?!)

NET-A-PORTER_FRIEZE_CHELSEDINNER8Olympia Scarry in head to toe floral prints by Proenza Schouler. icon

NET-A-PORTER_FRIEZE_CHELSEDINNER4Designers Jason Wu and Roland Mouret

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry, ©Craig Barritt/WireImage, Courtesy of Net-à-Porter and Frieze New York