Sandra‘s Closet

Snow, sun, rain, the past days in Boston had it all. The only constant: relentless wind. Hair everywhere, nothing in place… and yet, the look held its own.

And somehow, it feels fitting. Boston is often considered the windiest city in the U.S. (despite what many think). Chicago may be called The Windy City, but the nickname actually comes from its famously «windy» politicians, not the weather.

My look: Cropped cotton tweed jacket in blue, matching belted tweed mini dress, and Kat platform boots, all by GANNI, crystal-embellished earrings by Self-Portrait, butterfly sunglasses with grey pearl chain, and mini rectangle flap bag in pearly lambskin with black-tone metal, both by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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As summer settles over New York City, one of the Upper East Side’s most refined addresses, The Mark Hotel, reintroduces its quietly iconic ritual: an evening at sea aboard its elegant 70-foot Herreshoff sailboat.

Beginning May 30, 2026, guests are invited to step seamlessly from the polished calm of Madison Avenue life into something altogether more cinematic. Departing from Chelsea Piers, the two-hour voyage glides across the Hudson at golden hour, offering uninterrupted views of Manhattan’s skyline and landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, as timeless as the vessel itself.

On board, the experience unfolds with studied discretion. A curated selection of gourmet bites arrives courtesy of The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges or the storied Caviar Kaspia, paired with wines chosen by the hotel’s head sommelier. The mood is less excursion, more floating salon, intimate, indulgent, and unmistakably New York.

Sailings run from 6:30 to 8:30 PM throughout the season (with the exception of a special Father’s Day cruise on June 21). Tickets are priced at $640 per guest and may be arranged through the hotel.

For those seeking something more private, bespoke charters for up to 25 guests offer a heightened level of exclusivity, with tailored menus and minimum spends beginning at $15,000.

It is, in essence, summer in New York at its most rarefied, where the city’s energy softens into something slower, quieter, and infinitely more decadent.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Mark Hotel
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The epitome of a catsuit and quite literally so. An Alex Perry silhouette in animal print, bold yet razor-sharp in its elegance, worn for a night that called for exactly that energy.

We celebrated my daughter’s 24th at Blind Duck at the Raffles Hotel in Boston, a night of dancing, laughter, and that effortless kind of joy you wish you could bottle. Some evenings stay with you. This one certainly will.

My look: Oversized black blazer by Stella McCartney, ruched leopard-print devoré-chiffon jumpsuit by Alex Perry, Aevitas pointy stud leather platform pumps by Versace, embellished aviator-style recycled-acetate and gold-tone sunglasses by Bottega Veneta, Kelly Pochette Cut clutch in black Swift leather with gold hardware by Hermès, and Mitza ring by Dior Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

.Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
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Wishing you a beautiful Easter weekend from Boston. I’m in full 2-in-1 mode, quietly preparing for my daughter’s birthday as she turns 24 tomorrow. Time really does fly.

Last night, I slipped into one of those perfect Boston evenings with friends, ending up at My Girl, a hidden speakeasy-style gem with live music and an atmosphere that feels both intimate and electric. Effortless, a little decadent, and exactly the kind of place you hope to stumble upon but rarely do.

The interior design is really beautiful. Inspired by the warmth and ease of old Havana, the space balances elegance with intimacy, textured woods, soft light, and a rhythm that lingers long after the glass is empty. Each drink and detail is considered, each moment meant to be felt.

A truly special night and a spot I can only recommend.

My Girl Boston
10 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109

LoL, Sandra

So in love with my friend’s beautiful caviar clutch by Judith Leiber Couture.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and via My Girl
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With a meticulous renovation and a quietly confident sense of arrival, Oetker Collection Hotels unveils its first U.S. «Masterpiece Hotel»: THE VINETA HOTEL.

Set behind its historic Mediterranean Revival façade, the 41-room property has been reimagined by Tino Zervudachi, whose signature balance of restraint and refinement brings a distinctly European sensibility to Palm Beach. Soft whites and ocean blues meet terrazzo, Venetian plaster, and subtle 1930s references, creating an atmosphere that feels both timeless and gently playful.

At the heart of the hotel, Coco’s restaurant blends indoor-outdoor living with a warm, terracotta-toned palette. The menu, led by Executive Chef Brian Rodriguez and shaped in collaboration with Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, draws from the South of France, think Eden Roc sea bass, steak Diane, and delicately composed crudo, while the botanical cocktail concept adds a light, distinctly Palm Beach ease.

The pool scene leans into retro glamour with a modern lightness: mosaic details, lush greenery, and an atmosphere designed less for spectacle and more for effortless living. From yoga by the water to discreet, personalized service, everything feels considered without ever becoming overworked.

More than a reopening, the Vineta marks a return, reviving a storied Palm Beach address with a new, quietly luxurious rhythm. Intimate, sunlit, and unmistakably refined, it captures the destination at its most elegant.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Oetker Collection
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For the opening of the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition dedicated to Schiaparelli – Fashion Becomes Art, I returned to a look that feels almost personal by now.

Worn once before on a beautiful evening in Paris, it carries that rare quality of a piece that doesn’t fade with time, it deepens. In the showroom setting, surrounded by the house’s surreal codes and enduring legacy, the outfit felt entirely at home: sculptural, precise, and quietly audacious.

Schiaparelli has always lived in that space between art and instinct, and this look captures exactly that. One of my favorites, not only for how it looks, but for how it stays with you.

My look: Jacquard basque jacket, and matching jacquard bustier dress, Anatomy jewelry bag, dove necklace, and large eye ring, all by Schiaparelli, and lipstick heels in satin by Christian Louboutin.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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La Petite Maison arrives on Marbella’s Golden Mile with a new beachfront outpost at Puente Romano Marbella, bringing its unmistakable Riviera spirit to the Costa del Sol.

There are places that feel instantly familiar, no matter where in the world you encounter them. For me, La Petite Maison has always been one of them, whether in Cannes, where it has long been a favorite, or in moments that carry a more personal resonance. Hosting my wedding welcome dinner here in Marbella at the Puente Romano many years ago made it more than just a place; it became part of a memory I return to often, before the celebrations continued at the Marbella Club Hotel.

The new seaside setting feels like a natural extension of the house’s philosophy: light-filled, effortless, and quietly refined. Under the direction of chef Yiannis Kioroglou, the menu remains true to its essence, ingredient-led, generous, and unmistakably Mediterranean. Signature dishes, from delicate yellowtail carpaccio to the iconic sea bass «à la Nicole,» speak in the same clear, elegant language that defines the brand.

From long, sunlit lunches to evenings that unfold into something more vibrant, the rhythm of the day is seamless, guided by music, atmosphere, and that particular art de vivre La Petite Maison embodies so well.

A new address, perhaps, but one that, for me, feels deeply, beautifully familiar.

And, as I’m writing this from Boston, it feels especially fitting that La Petite Maison is also set to open here in summer 2026 at Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, its first address in the Northeast, bringing a touch of the Riviera to the city.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © LPM
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PUMA x JIL SANDER Introduce the K-Street

PUMA and JIL SANDER continue their ongoing dialogue with the launch of the K-Street, a sneaker that distills movement into its most refined form.

Following the revival of the King Avanti in 2025, the K-Street builds on a shared language of clarity, precision, and function. Designed under the direction of Simone Bellotti, the silhouette is defined by its slim, contoured fit and ultra-thin sole, tracing the natural lines of the foot with a sense of both softness and tension.

Fluid, almost aerodynamic in its construction, the design conveys a quiet sense of speed. It merges references from different disciplines: an upper inspired by PUMA’s archival H-Street running shoe meets a karate-influenced sole, giving the sneaker both its name and its distinctive stance.

Available in suede, canvas, and nylon across three colorways, the K-Street balances material contrast with understated precision. Co-branded details remain subtle, reinforcing the collaboration’s restrained aesthetic.

At its core, the project reflects JIL SANDER’s signature minimalism, where structure meets lightness, and continues a partnership with PUMA that has long explored the intersection of sport and fashion.

The unisex K-Street launches globally on April 8, 2026, with selected editions exclusive to JIL SANDER stores and online.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Puma x Jil Sander
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The Mark Hotel serves the 90s cocktail everyone wants right now.

As New York slips deeper into a 90s state of mind, much of the current mood can be traced back to Love Story, which follows the magnetic, much-mythologized relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Their understated elegance, their quiet confidence, their distinctly New York kind of romance, it’s all back, and it’s shaping everything from fashion to the way the city feels right now.

Naturally, The Mark Hotel understands the moment. With its Cucumber Martini, the hotel offers a drink that feels almost like a continuation of that narrative, crisp, refined, and effortlessly composed.

Fresh, clean, with just a whisper of nostalgia, the cocktail captures exactly what defines this revival: a return to simplicity that doesn’t try too hard. Much like Carolyn’s pared-back silhouettes or JFK Jr.’s innate polish, it’s about precision rather than excess. The influence of the series is unmistakable, what we see on screen translates almost instantly into a renewed appetite for a certain kind of East Coast minimalism, where restraint becomes the ultimate luxury.

The Cucumber Martini fits seamlessly into this world. It doesn’t announce itself; it lingers. It belongs to a time when elegance was instinctive, when style was something lived rather than performed.

And truly, where better than The Mark? If there were ever a place where their paths might have crossed, amid quiet glamour, soft lighting, and that unmistakable Upper East Side ease, it would be here. The mood hasn’t been recreated. It was simply waiting.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Mark Hotel
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One of the most important exhibitions ever dedicated to Alexander Calder, «Calder. Rêver en Équilibre» has been conceived in close collaboration with the Calder Foundation, its principal lender. The display also features loans from international institutions and leading private collectors, bringing together nearly 300 works: stabiles and mobiles – to use the Calderian terminology for static and kinetic abstractions – as well as wire portraits, carved wooden figures, paintings, drawings, and even jewelry, designed as unique sculptures.

Apple Monster, 1938. Wood, wire, and paint, 66″ x 55 1/2″ x 32 1/2″. Calder Foundation, New York; Gift of Alexander S. C. Rower in memory of Mary Calder Rower, 2015. Photograph by Tom Powel Imaging © Calder Foundation, New York.

Throughout the chronological journey spanning more than 3,000 m2, the exhibition at Fondation Louis Vuitton will highlight Calder’s fundamental artistic concerns: movement above all, but also light, reflection, humble materials, sound, the ephemeral, gravity, performance, and the interplay of positive and negative space.

Devil Fish, 1937. Sheet metal, bolts, and paint. 68″ x 64″ x 47″. Photograph by David Heald © Calder Foundation, New York.

The anniversary exhibition is enriched by contributions from Calder’s contemporaries. Works by the artist’s friends Jean Arp, Barbara Hepworth, Jean Hélion, and Piet Mondrian, as well as Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, will situate Calder’s radical inventiveness within the avant- garde movement. 34 photographs taken by some of the most important photographers of the 20th century – Henri Cartier-Bresson, André Kertész, Gordon Parks, Man Ray, Irving Penn, and Agnès Varda, among others – will show an artist walking a tightrope between art and life. «Calder. Rêver en Équilibre» will also feature focused presentations dedicated to key bodies of Calder’s work, including his beloved Constellation series and his dynamic jewelry.

Calder with Mobile (1941) in his Roxbury studio, 1941. Photograph by Herbert Matter © Calder Foundation, New York.

In line with previous monographic exhibitions dedicated to major 20th and 21st century figures – such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Joan Mitchell, Charlotte Perriand, Mark Rothko, David Hockney, Gerhard Richter – the Fondation Louis Vuitton is dedicating all of its exhibition spaces, and for the first time its adjoining lawn, to Calder’s work. In doing so, the exhibition initiates a dialogue between Calder’s volumes, planes and movements and those of Frank Gehry’s architecture.

Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris – from April 15th to August 18th – Calder. Rêver En Equilibre.

LoL, Sandra

La Grande vitesse (1:5 intermediate maquette). 1969. Sheet metal, bolts, and paint, 102″ x 135″ x 93″ (259.1 x 342.9 x 236.2 cm).

The Brass Family. 1929. Brass wire and painted wood. Overall: 67 × 41 1/8 × 8 7/8in. (170.2 × 104.5 × 22.5 cm). Gift of the artist. Inv. N.: 69.255 – Artwork Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA – Permission for usage must be provided in writing from Scala.

Harps and Heart, c. 1937. Brass wire, loop: 40″; element: 6 1/4″ x 4″. Photograph by Maria Robledo © Calder Foundation, New York.

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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