Sandra‘s Closet

The new muse … Founded in New York City by designers Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk in 2014, AREA was named after the pioneering New York nightclub of the same name. As design students at Parsons the two creative minds bonded over a mutual love of ’80s glamour and feminine silhouettes. I feel so inspired by the  label’s high-octane embellishments.

My look: Cropped crystal-embellished checked cotton and wool-blend blazer by AREA, distressed wide embellished paperback jeans by Miu Miu, suede-trimmed crystal-embellished mesh slingback pumps by Gucci, Cloud crystal-embellished suede clutch by Jimmy Choo, Cosette crystal-embellished velvet headband by Jennifer Behr, large crystal drop choker necklace by Alessandra Rich, and Big Bang All Black Zermatt by Hublot.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
The photos were taken at the Dolder Grand.
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

With the Lunar New Year falling on February 1, the year of the tiger has officially arrived. Tigers symbolize strength, power and fearlessness so as we reach the Lunar New Year, I am channeling all of the tiger energy I can get (not so hard… haha, I was born in the Year of the Tiger).

As China is still a huge market in the fashion industry, many luxury brands have hopped on the train to release their festive capsules inspired by the Year of the Tiger and to promote the holiday on their global social channels, among them blockbuster brands such as Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Below you can find the best capsules collections of 2022:

The symbol of strength and bravery takes center stage in the new BALENCIAGA Year of the Tiger series, which largely consists of pre-existing seasonal lines updated with a new tiger motif.

BOTTEGA VENETA is going big for this Chinese Lunar New Year. The house has taken over a piece of the Great Wall of China in its latest large-scale activation celebrating the annual holiday. Bottega’s signature green shade mixed with a vibrant tangerine color (a symbol of luck in Mandarin) is digitally displayed across a massive chunk of one of the seven Wonders of the World.

BURBERRY evokes the power and strength of the tiger zodiac sign in this limited-edition collection dedicated to the Lunar New Year.

This year, the DIOR tiger will bring you strength and luck as he roams around the blooming garden, illuminated by glowing lanterns. For men, Dior Men’s Artistic director Kim Jones has teamed up with American artist Kenny Scharf to celebrate the New Year of the Water Tiger.

DOLCE & GABBANA pays homage  to the Year of the Tiger with a unique collection: the iconic print  is intertwined with the tiger pattern,  revived in different colors.

ETRO launches a capsule collection starring the strong and courageous Tigress, a character from the animated cartoon film Kung Fu Panda by DreamWorks Animation. Created in collaboration with Universal Brand Development and DreamWorks Animation, the unisex fashion and accessories collection reinterprets the symbolism of the tiger in a funny and unexpected way, portraying the heroic kung fu moves of the characters Ping Xiao Po, Tigress, Shifu, Mantis, Crane and Monkey on T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, scarves and a selection of bags, accessories and small leather goods made with the iconic Paisley print.

FENDI celebrates the Spring Festival and the Year of the Tiger with an exclusive capsule collection that updates the brand’s signature style codes with intense colours and a daring animal print.

In celebration of the holiday, different versions of the animal define a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories—highlighting the multifaceted nature of the GUCCI universe. Rich with significance for the House, the animal expresses the Creative Director’s fascination with the beauty of nature. For a detailed post, click here please.

For Chinese New Year 2022, LANVIN ‘s sculptural cat designed by Armand Albert Rateau that embellishes the Pencil Cat bag disguises itself as a tiger.

LOUIS VUITTON mounts a tiger tail at the new flagship store in Chengdu. The shop features original artworks and furniture crafted by Chinese artists and designers to showcase the house’s commitment to local art and culture. Meanwhile, to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, the house presented a special art installation that features a giant, textured tiger tail at the storefront, as well as a capsule collection.

In occasion of Chinese New Year, MARNI celebrates the Year of the Tiger through a capsule collection in collaboration with Venezuelan artist Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, a long-time friend of Marni. A limited series of accessories and ready-to-wear designs, across both female and male collections, turn Suarez’s distinctive illustrations into prints, embroideries and jacquards, bringing the artist’s imaginative work into the free-spirited world of Marni.

To celebrate the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, MIU MIU presents a collection of T-shirts printed with big cats in animation. They range in spirit from bouncy and cute to heroic, and from ubiquitous to unexpected.

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger, MOSCHINO‘s creative director Jeremy Scott has put together a special capsule collection featuring the icon of all frosted cereal flakes, Tony the Tiger. From ready-to-wear pieces such as oversized tees, hoodies and sweatshirts to bold accessories like the cereal box clutch, you’ll be the sharpest-looking tiger this CNY.

PRADA is celebrating the Lunar New Year with «Action in the Year of the Tiger», a combined campaign and project dedicated to safeguarding this legendary animal.
The Prada Group is also contributing to the conservation of endangered Amur tiger by making a donation to «Walking with Tiger and Leopard» Programme of China Green Foundation.

Tiger in Wonderland – to celebrate the Lunar New Year, FERRAGAMO has invited Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu to create a unique print inspired by the 2022 Zodiac Tiger. I am obsessed with the bag.

In celebration of the Year of the Tiger, discover this exclusive capsule by STELLA MCCARTNEY honoring the occasion and the zodiac animal – with organic cotton pieces and cruelty-free accessories featuring prints by airbrush artist Albert Seleznyov, raising awareness for the conservation of these sacred creatures.

VALENTINO‘s first acquaintance with the tiger dates back to its Haute Couture F/W 1967 collection. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Italian Maison brings back the Valentino Tiger 1967 collection as a tribute to the Chinese heritage and a nod to its friendship with the country.

VERSACE beckons the Year of the Tiger with a classy capsule collection of new interpretation of the favourites of the Italian brand. A print showcasing the magnificent tiger resting within golden Baroque flourishes is introduced for the capsule, as well as a vibrant new year red colour that runs through it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
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For the S/S 2022 season, Miu Miu introduces the Miu Wander bag.
A classic hobo design, the Miu Wander is crafted in lightweight Econyl, a regenerated material that testify the brand’s increased commitment to sustainability, here enriched by the iconic matelassé workmanship normally associated with Miu Miu’s best-loved leather goods. Emphasising the contrasts at the heart of the Miu Miu name, the utilitarian nature of the nylon is juxtaposed with the intricacy of the process involved to achieve the depth and plumpness of the matelassé surface.

The Miu Wander bag is available in Miu Miu stores, and online.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Miu Miu
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New Year’s Resolution for 2022? Make your presence count. When you confidently exude your most authentic self – powerful, life-changing things can happen. Believe in yourself and start kicking some ass. Sometimes our biggest challenge isn’t our skills or abilities, it’s learning to believe in ourselves.

Stay flexible and give it your best shot, preferably in a breathtaking, yet comfortable outfit. I literally tried to take the best shots for this post as I did all the photos by myself with the timer of my iPhone in my room at Gstaad Palace.

My look: Checked wool jumpsuit, and crystal-embellished checked wool cardigan, both by Miu Miu, leather waist belt by Alexander McQueen, embellished leather pumps by Gucci, velvet pochette with colorful stones by CHANEL, and Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Inspired by the language of evening dressing, a vocabulary of scintillation – sequin embroidery, crystal strass, the lusters of satin and velvet – for its campaign, the Miu Miu Nuit collection by Miuccia Prada is captured after dark. The images serve as both portraits of individual women – the actors Ever Anderson, Ciara Bravo and KiKi Layne – and as document of the vista of the collective Miu Miu world.

Ciara Bravo for MIU MIU

Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, those campaign stars are poised in enclaves that speak of the night: a deserted bar, a draped antechamber, the illuminated entrance to a member’s club. Images seem loaded with the memory of celebrations just ended, or the promise of those about to commence – the clothes themselves reminders of parties too, embroidered and embellished, joyous and optimistic.

Ever Anderson for MIU MIU

Each star shines brightly – a new generation of female talent celebrated for their abilities to transform. Ever Anderson has gardened critical acclaim for her turn as the young Natasha Romanov in Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’: her latest role is the titular female lead of Disney’s ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’. Ciara Bravo debuted on the small screen but quickly transitioned to cinema: she delivered a revelatory performance in the Russo Brothers’ ‘Cherry’, and acclaim for her role in ‘Small Engine Repair’. KiKi Layne has been lauded since her screen debut as the female lead in Barry Jenkin’s 2018 Golden Globe-nominated feature If Beale Street Could Talk. Layne also starred in HBO’s ‘Native Son’, in 2019. Most recently, she starred in ‘The Old Guard’ for Netflix opposite Charlize Theron and featured in ‘Coming To America 2’ alongside Eddie Murphy.

KiKi Layne for MIU MIU

Here, these women both adopt other personas and, paradoxically, personify themselves – dressed in finery, caught in fleeting moments. They shift between realities, embody characters, make believe – to make us believe.

I am so obsessed with the denim pants… should I get them?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu

Part of my series of self-shot outfit posts with a timer, please find today the uninhibited good girl gone bad who finds herself in a luscious floral whirlwind in the garden of good and evil. Joking aside, this is what I love about fashion, you can dress up or down and invent yourself every day new. You might wear a floral gown but in the right combination you are half-innocent and half-seductive. The choice is all yours…

My look: Winnifred belted tiered floral-print cotton-blend dress by Ulla Johnson, ruffled embroidered wool cardigan by Miu Miu, Mini Dauphine bag by Louis Vuitton, Birkin 30 in gold Epsom leather by Hermès, lace-up booties with logo buckle by CHANEL (F/W 2021), and Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

The Met Gala is typically held on the first Monday in May, but this year, the event was postponed due to COVID-19 and falls right in the middle of fashion month. As Iris Apfel once said: «When we were small children, we all played dress-up and everybody had a good time, so why stop?». This is how Met Gala is for me, a huge party for everyone who loves to dress up and has never stop to indulge in fashion.

Ensemble, Christopher John Rogers (American, born 1993), F/W 2020; Courtesy Christopher John Rogers. Photo: HAPPYMONDAY / Courtesy of the Costume Institute

Also referred to as «fashion’s biggest night out,» the Met Gala is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This year, the Costume Institute will host its first two-part exhibition, on the theme of American fashion, during 2021 and 2022. Part one, «In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,» will open in the Anna Wintour Costume Center on September 18, 2021, and will remain on display when «In America: An Anthology of Fashion,» opens on May 5, 2022 in the period rooms of the American Wing. Both shows will run through September 5, 2022.

Below, you will find my personal selection of outfits, that I loved or didn’t like and hope you will enjoy it.

LoL, Sandra

Fashion that makes us dream – my favorite look of the gala: Iman in Harris Reed

Cracking the codes: Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga

Rihanna in Balenciaga Couture and Maria Tash jewelry and A$AP Rocky in ERL

Wild West: Jennifer Lopez in Ralph Lauren

Fitting the American theme of the upcoming exhibitions perfectly: Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams in CHANEL

Sporting the American flag: Debbie Harry in and with Zac Posen

Trio infernal with an American «Statue of Liberty» touch: Sienna Miller in Gucci, Hamish Bowles in Thom Browne, and Emily Blunt in Miu Miu

Feathers were also a trending theme: Serena Williams in Gucci

One of my favorites last night: Zoë Kravitz in Saint Laurent

And another one of my favorite looks: Kendall Jenner in Givenchy

Julia Garner in Stella McCartney

Hailee Steinfeld in Iris Van Herpen

Donatella Versace in Versace

Whoopi Goldberg, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Carey Mulligan in Valentino

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello in Michael Kors Collection

Literally eye-catching: Hunter Schafer in Prada

Gigi Hadid in Prada

A great look, but somehow not for her: Diane Kruger in Prabal Gurung and Jimmy Choo shoes

Beautiful: Emily Ratajkowski in Vera Wang

Mmh… definitely not my favorite look: Vera Wang in Vera Wang

Playing dress-up: Erykah Badu in Thom Browne

Making a statement: Cara Delevingne in Christian Dior

Flowers were a huge theme: Lili Reinhart in Christian Siriano

LOVE: Irina Shayk in Moschino

YouTuber Nikkie Tutorials (Nikkie de Jager), who came out as transgender last year, paid homage to activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson with this «pay it no mind» sash.

Anna Wintour wore a floral Oscar de la Renta gown.

Stunning in Oscar de la Renta: Karlie Kloss and designer Wes Gordon

Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta. Her bombshell gown symbolizes her activism for animal rights. According to The New York Times, she agreed to work with Oscar de la Renta on the condition that the designers would no longer use fur in their pieces.

Dan Levy in Loewe

Designer Virgil Abloh in Off-White

And here comes the golden king in his amazing outfit that revealed different layers: Lil Nas X in Versace

Photos: via Vogue.com

Looking back, the ’90s feels like a golden era—the Game Boy! The Spice Girls! The last cell phone-less generation! but most of all when it comes to the fashion. Do you remember the impossible-to-forget popcorn shirts – aka magic bubble shirts, or scrunchie shirts, as they can also be called – from the late ’90s/early 2000s? They are back! A shirt that’s initially tiny enough to fit a doll, but expands large enough to fit your boyfriend, and that everyone had put on the «never again» fashion list, is making a comeback. I unpinned mine with a matching bra top.

My look: Cropped satin-cloqué cardigan, satin-cloqué sports bra, and Bite layered distressed denim and cotton-piqué shorts, all by Alexander Wang, mirrored-platform metallic-leather sandals by Miu Miu, green flap pocket bag with colorful strap (Look 5 Pre-collection Summer 2021), horn layered necklace by Isabel Marant, Louise long necklace by Louis Vuitton, and Loulou heart-shaped acetate sunglasses by Saint Laurent.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Anouk / Sandra Bauknecht
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Salut de Saint-Tropez and Happy Birthday, Switzerland! Today, August 1st, Switzerland celebrates its 730th Federal Holiday. A good reason to wear something red and white while being on holidays. Here you see me at the entrance of our hotel, the iconic Byblos Saint Tropez, on our way to the beach.

My look: Cassia Waterfall ruffled bikini, and tasseled floral-print slub cotton towel, both by Zimmermann, asymmetric draped linen-gauze midi skirt by Michael Kors Collection, quilted leather mules by Bottega Veneta, beige multicolor Mizza embroidery book tote by Dior, soft pink terry cloth headband by Miu Miu, thin chain waist belt with small CC logos by CHANEL, Oscar seashell choker, long gold-tone and shell necklace, and gold-tone and shell earrings, all by Isabel Marant, bracelets by Cartier, and Royal Oak 37mm 18-karat frosted rose gold watch by Audemars Piguet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Michael HJ Lopez Photographie
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

 After a fashion show staged as a real fantasy – almost-impossibly presented in the landscape of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites Alps – the F/W 2021 Miu Miu collection designed by Miuccia Prada returns to the context of fashion, itself another fantasy of realities, exploring the power of clothes as a conveyance of character, an expression of strength. 

As this collection champions the notion of bravery and intrepid exploration, the hero of this Miu Miu campaign is the actor Emma Corrin – whose courage in her abandonment, whole-heartedly, to every role, has boldly powered her to international prominence. Acting requires innate courage – emotional bravery, the baring of one’s soul, to bring fantasies to life. 

An actor’s craft is to lend fact to fiction, to embody people other than themselves. Corrin’s career has been marked by the power of her performances – her paradoxical bravery in showing her own vulnerability, the strength of character she can convey. Here, Corrin is captured in a direct and arresting series of studio portraits, her gaze in each an echo of female archetypes – joyful and reflective, serious or seductive – photographed by Steven Meisel with creative direction by M/M Paris. Her personality projects onto every image – staring boldly from the picture plane, framed in a new context. 

Miu Miu celebrates bravery, boldness – it is rooted in and inspired by communities of women, in the power of the collective. Here, Corrin shifts between different identities, different sense of self – playful or powerful, fragile but strong. Accompanying the print campaign, a series of five short films allow Corrin to reinvent herself once more – as different characters, within different personae. Corrin reads aloud a series of anecdotes, recollections, remembrances – recounting memories, true and imaginary, in her own voice and those of others. Again, lines are blurred: is Corrin acting, or actual – are these her words, or a script? 

Throughout, both films and imagery constantly interrogate our ideas and ideals of reality and fantasy, the courage needed to traverse between the two. As Corrin gives her characters strength, Miu Miu clothes its wearers for brave endeavours. 

The first episode of ‘A BRAVE HEART’ films is online at miumiu.com. Watch the trailer HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu CREDITS: Creative Direction: M/M (Paris) – Photographer: Steven Meisel – Videographer: Benn Northover – Styling: Lotta Volkova – Talent: Emma Corrin