Sandra‘s Closet

London has a way of making you feel anything is possible. Standing in front of the Corinthia Hotel, one of the city’s most iconic addresses, I chose to show up in full bloom: a floral dress, an oversized studded denim jacket, and zero apologies.

Yes, it is a young look. And why ever not? Age is not a dress code. The only rule that matters is whether you feel alive in what you wear. Wear the dress. Add the jacket. Own it completely.

My look: Grizzo oversized studded denim jacket by Khaite, floral dress with white collar by Miu Miu, Cherry leather platform ankle boots, and Niki mini studded quilted textured-leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, Aquanaut Luce in khaki green by Patek Philippe, and My Monogram square sunglasses by Louis Vuitton.

Stay wild. Stay free.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @georgiashane
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The New Frontier of Ageless Eyes: Genaissance de la Mer™ The Eye & Expression Ampoule

There are few skincare houses I hold closer to my heart than La Mer. As a long-standing ambassador and devoted fan, I have followed the brand’s evolution with genuine fascination over the years. So when the new Genaissance de la Mer™ The Eye & Expression Ampoule arrived, my excitement was immediate and personal.

Full disclosure: the eye area has always been my personal Achilles heel. Fine lines, expression zones, the inevitable traces of a life well lived and well loved. This is precisely where this extraordinary new ampoule steps in, and it could not feel more perfectly timed.

What sets this formulation apart is its intelligent precision. Rather than simply targeting the eye contour, it addresses the full landscape of expression: crow’s feet, the glabella, the forehead, nasolabial folds and the cheek area. The fact that it goes after zones so many treatments routinely ignore makes this a true expression treatment in the most elevated sense.

At its core is Crystal Miracle Broth™, La Mer’s most rarified ingredient, born from the accidental discovery of crystals forming in a beaker of the legendary Miracle Broth™. Encapsulated in a micro-melting delivery technology, it penetrates skin with remarkable speed, visibly plumping lines and working to reverse the appearance of deeper wrinkles over time. The clinical results are equally compelling: a measurable reduction in crow’s feet after 12 weeks and an immediate visible smoothing effect after just a single application.

Genaissance de la Mer™ The Eye & Expression Ampoule is available for CHF 700 (20ml).
TO SHOP IT ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

I cannot wait to put this to the test. If La Mer’s past is any indication of its future, the skin around my eyes is in very good hands.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © LA MER
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Tbilisi, the city that stole my heart, calls for colour, so I showed up in a full rainbow. I rode the funicular up to the Mother of Georgia statue, lost myself in the colourful Old Town, and walked every inch of Rustaveli Avenue where Georgian fashion proves it belongs on the global stage. The Bridge of Peace over the Kura River is simply spectacular, the sulphur baths of Abanotubani utterly iconic, and a sunset boat ride along the Kura sealed the deal.
Tbilisi is non-negotiable. Put it on the list!

My look: Cardigan in GG multicolor, Ultrapace mid-top sneaker, GG Marmont Multicolour small shoulder bag, and aviator-style metal sunglasses, all by Gucci, Felix sweatpants in storm grey by Alice + Olivia,  Oyster Perpetual 36 Celebration by Rolex, and «Look at Me» tank top by JW Anderson.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Between covering the new Art in the Park edition and the beautiful Assouline book dedicated to this iconic house, I found myself feeling wonderfully nostalgic. So consider this post a small homage, one that has been quietly waiting to be written for some time.

My Look: Must-Have

The Baur au Lac is not simply a hotel to me. Having had the privilege of knowing the Kracht family over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary care, vision and quiet dedication that goes into everything this house represents. That connection makes every visit feel personal in a way that is difficult to put into words.

My Look: Magic Weekend

Over the years, some of my most memorable moments on the Zurich social calendar have unfolded here. Art in the Park is one of them. The Kispi Ball, that most glamorous of charitable evenings, was another, along with the annual Rive Gauche Summer Party. And then there is Street Parade, when Zurich transforms into something wonderfully wild and the Baur au Lac somehow remains the most elegant spot in the city.

My Look: Kispi

The garden terrace holds a particularly special place in my heart. There is nowhere quite like it on a warm Zurich days, and I have spent many of those evenings there, dressed up and grateful to be exactly where I am.

My Look: Beauty Sleep

And yes, I have stayed the night more than once. Because sometimes the only right thing to do is not to leave.

My Look: Roman Studs

Come winter, the magic shifts indoors and into the park in an entirely different way. The Chalet au Lac, a charming rustic retreat tucked into the hotel grounds, is one of Zurich’s most enchanting seasonal secrets, perfect for an unhurried fondue evening when the city slows down and candlelight feels like the only appropriate light source.

My Look: Denim & Brocade

And then there is Baur’s, one of my absolute favourite restaurants in the city. Designed by the internationally acclaimed Martin Brudnizki , the same visionary behind Annabel’s in London – where I am part of the membership committee – , the interior is simply a dream. That particular alchemy of warmth, glamour and timeless elegance that Brudnizki conjures so effortlessly feels entirely at home here.

My Look: Modern Marie Antoinette

What you will find in this post is a collection of outfits photographed at the Baur au Lac across all of these occasions and all of these years. Fashion and place are inseparable for me, and this hotel has been one of the most beautiful backdrops my wardrobe has ever known. Consider this a love letter in looks.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

My Look: Chill

My Look: Girls’ Night

My Look: My Funny Valentine

My Look: Kispi 2018

My Look: Rive Gauche Summer Party 2016

My Look: New Style

My Look: Art in the Park

My Look: Street Parade

My Look: Street Parade 2024

My Look: Baby It’s Cold Outside

My Look: Lesage

My Look: Fab

 Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography and André Hengst
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Now in its 24th edition, Art in the Park returns to the iconic grounds of Baur au Lac this summer with a compelling solo presentation by Norwegian artist Ida Ekblad. Initiated and curated by sixth-generation owner Gigi Kracht, the annual sculpture exhibition has long been a fixture of the Zurich cultural calendar and a highly anticipated prelude to Art Basel.

Having attended many editions over the years, this is one of those Zurich summer highlights I return to time and again, and if you have been following Sandra’s Closet for a while, you will no doubt have seen my coverage before. What Gigi Kracht creates here each year is simply remarkable.

With Gigi Kracht at a previous Art in the Park event.

Running from June 15 to July 21, 2026, and opening in parallel with Zurich Art Weekend, this year’s edition is realised in collaboration with Zurich gallery Karma International. Ekblad, whose work is held in collections including the Kunsthaus Zürich, Centre Pompidou and MOCA Los Angeles, brings a new body of work that extends her sculptural and painterly practice into both the park and the hotel’s interior salons.

Book of Boredom by Ida Ekblad

Two monumental bronze sculptures, THE JINXED PORTRAIT (2026) and BOOK OF BOREDOM (2022), will anchor the outdoor presentation, their hand-painted surfaces entering into dialogue with the park’s remarkable tree canopy.

Joining them is the white bronze bench NATTSYN FOR DAGSYN (2022), adorned with a rose motif and previously shown at the Kunsthaus Zürich. A particular highlight is the world premiere of Ekblad’s Kraken Möbel series, a group of wooden objects that blur the boundary between sculpture and design, inviting visitors to interact with the space in entirely new ways.

Ida Ekblad

Indoors, a new series of paintings and works on paper continues Ekblad’s signature language of gestural abstraction, layered colour and poetic text. The exhibition is free for everyone to visit.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Baur au Lac and Kistefos-Museum, © Sandra Bauknecht
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Few hotels carry a story quite like the Baur au Lac. Since opening its doors in 1844, Zurich’s most legendary address has been shaped by seven generations of the same family, a thread of continuity rare in the world of luxury hospitality. Now, that story has been immortalised in A Legacy by the Lake, a new coffee table book published by Assouline as part of its Hospitality Collection.

Andrea Kracht and his daughter, Marguita «Muki» Kracht, are the 6th and 7th-generation owners and operators of the legendary five-star luxury hotel.

Written by James Reginato, Writer-at-Large at Vanity Fair, contributor to Sotheby’s Magazine, and the author behind The Carlyle, the book traces the vision of founder Johannes Baur through to the family Kracht, who own and run the hotel to this day. What began as one man’s idea has grown into one of Europe’s most revered hotel addresses, without ever losing the spirit of deeply personal service and attention to detail that defined it from the start.

Set within a private park at the heart of historic Zurich, with the Swiss Alps and the lake as a backdrop, Baur au Lac has long been a discreet refuge for the world’s most notable guests, from Empress Elisabeth of Austria to Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren and Elton John. Its culinary landmarks, Brasserie Baur’s and the Mediterranean inspired Marguita, and the beloved outdoor sculpture exhibition Art in the Park, complete a picture of a house where culture and hospitality have always been inseparable.

The book brings all of this to life through archival and contemporary imagery, with the people at its heart, guests, staff and the Kracht family, as its true protagonists.

A Legacy by the Lake is available from May 2026, priced at CHF 135 / EUR 120.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Baur au Lac
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Royal Pop: I Called It. And Here Is What Comes Next.

Well. The watch world just got its answer and I have to say, I called the pocket watch. If you read last week’s post, you know I spotted the lanyard and the «clac!» for exactly what they were: a nod to the original 90s Pop Swatch, the one you could clip, hang and wear any way you wanted. That modular DNA is alive and well in 2026.

The Royal Pop turns out to be a collection of eight Bioceramic pocket watches, priced at CHF 350 and CHF 375 depending on the configuration, powered by a new hand-wound SISTEM51 movement with 90 hours of power reserve. Two case styles: the Lépine with the crown at 12, and the Savonnette with the crown at 3 and a small seconds subdial. Eight colorways, Royal Oak octagonal bezel, Tapisserie dial, eight screws. Everything you hoped for, just not on your wrist.

And yes, two of the models look remarkably like the AI concepts I created right here on Sandra’s Closet.

At launch there is no official strap option, but I am convinced that dedicated watch straps will follow as accessories, allowing the Royal Pop to sit on the wrist as well. That would complete the concept beautifully.

What excites me most though is the bag charm potential. The Royal Oak silhouette in BioCeramic, in eight pop colors, hanging from your bag? That is not a watch anymore. That is a statement piece. And that market is enormous.

One more detail worth noting: Audemars Piguet is donating 100% of its proceeds to support the next generation of watchmaking talent. For a maison built on independence and savoir-faire, that is exactly the right footnote on the most unconventional thing it has ever put its name to.

The Royal Pop drops on May 16 exclusively in selected Swatch boutiques worldwide. One watch per person, per store, per day. No online sales at launch. The full list of participating stores can be found here.
So – would you queue for one?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Swatch and © Sandra Bauknecht
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Ralph Lauren and the USPS Just Made Stamps Worth Collecting
For nearly six decades, Ralph Lauren has been synonymous with American style. Now he is leaving his mark on something even more quintessentially American: the postage stamp.

To celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service invited the designer, and 2025 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, to curate «American Icons,» a 13-stamp commemorative pane. It is the first time in USPS history that a single individual has been handed the creative reins over an entire official stamp issuance, and the result feels exactly as considered and layered as you would expect from Lauren.

The pane draws from his personal archives and the visual touchstones that have shaped his career over the decades. Twelve stamps line the outer edges, each one a quiet portrait of American life: Jackie Robinson’s worn baseball glove, a Diné blanket woven by Naiomi Glasses, a pickup truck, the Empire State Building. At the centre sits a 13th stamp, larger and anchoring the entire composition, featuring Lauren’s own knit flag design framed in blue denim and marked simply «1776 to 2026.»

Separately, the USPS is also releasing a 2026 U.S. Flag Mail Use Stamp, its design pulled directly from the distinctive knit texture of Lauren’s iconic Flag Sweater.

A Ralph Lauren project without a wearable counterpart would be incomplete, and so a limited edition capsule collection launches globally on June 9, the day of the official dedication ceremony. The lineup brings back a reimagined American Flag Sweater alongside a classic Polo Shirt and a tailored Ball Cap, each piece rooted in the same heritage the stamps celebrate.

The stamps are available now for pre-order through USPS locations and online. The apparel drops June 9 at select Ralph Lauren stores and on ralphlauren.com.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren #AmericanIconsStamps
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The outfit: spontaneous, but make it Barbie. A pink tracksuit, worn with complete intention. The jacket silhouette is everywhere right now, and for good reason.

The real talking point: my new Moschino toilet paper roll bag, acquired as a special order ahead of its official launch. Camp and couture in equal measure. The perfect accessory to underscore the glorious kitsch of the Malibu Barbie Café. At home in my closet sits the actual Barbie outfit, still waiting for its debut. But this worked. Perfectly.

My look: Embroidered shell track jacket, and matching shell track pants, both by Givenchy, ribbed cotton tank by Brunello Cucinelli, silver-tone faux pearl necklace, and faux pearl-embellished silver-tone charm, both by Simone Rocha, toilet paper bag by Moschino, drip rose kidskin sandal with crystals 105mm by Valentino, aviator sunglasses with Swarovski crystals by CHANEL, and Oyster Perpetual 36 with a turquoise blue dial by Rolex.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Pink Paradise: My Visit to the Malibu Barbie Café in Boston

If you follow me on social media, you already know I have a soft spot for immersive experiences and anything that comes wrapped in a generous shade of pink. So when the Malibu Barbie Café landed in Boston, a visit was absolutely non-negotiable. Though honestly, it was not even planned. My daughter spotted it on a spontaneous walk past Faneuil Hall, and within seconds we looked at each other and the decision was made. We are going to make a reservation.

The pop-up has taken over a space at 101 South Market Street, right in the heart of the Faneuil Hall neighbourhood, one of Boston’s most historic and lively corners. Cobblestone streets, a buzzing marketplace, the waterfront just steps away, and that unmistakable New England energy all around. It is an area where centuries of history meet a very current, very vibrant city scene, which makes it the perfect backdrop for something as boldly out-of-time as this.

The moment you step inside, you are transported to 1970s Malibu California. Every corner is drenched in that iconic Barbie pink, layered with beachy motifs, retro details, and a whole lot of glam. It is the kind of space that makes you reach for your phone before you have even sat down.

And that, honestly, is the main event. For anyone who loves photography, fashion content, or simply living their best Barbie life for an afternoon, this place truly delivers. There is a life-size Barbie Box made for stepping into with your best pose, a scenic lifeguard chair, a wave arch, and several other photo moments scattered throughout. Every corner has been considered with the perfect shot in mind.

Now, a word of honesty about the food and drinks: it is not the reason to go. The menu leans heavily into the aesthetic rather than the culinary. Everything felt a little artificial and very calorie-laden without a lot to show for it in terms of actual taste. We ordered drinks, but truly just for the photo. The menu simply did not tempt us beyond that.

Every ticket does include a ten dollar food credit and a five dollar merchandise credit, which is a nice touch. Just be aware that the food credit applies only to food, not to drinks. The gift store is worth a browse, though I personally did not find anything I could not live without.

None of that took away from the experience. We had a genuinely wonderful time, and the atmosphere is joyful and immersive in a way that is hard not to smile at.

One tip I would give anyone planning a visit: we went on a Tuesday morning, and it made all the difference. The space was calm, relaxed, and the photo moments were completely free to enjoy without crowds or waiting. If beautiful, uncluttered shots are your goal, I would strongly recommend choosing a weekday and an early time slot. Weekends and peak hours will be a very different story.

The Boston pop-up runs until July 19, 2026, so there is still time to plan your visit if you are in the city this summer. And the Malibu Barbie Café has already toured quite a number of cities across the US, including New York, Miami, Chicago, Austin, and Las Vegas, before recently making its very first stop outside of America in Melbourne, Australia. As for Europe, there is nothing announced yet, and as someone based in Switzerland, I will be the first to say: we would absolutely be ready for it. Fingers crossed that Mattel is listening.

Tickets start at 25 dollars per person and include a 90-minute seated experience. All ages are welcome, and children under two do not need a ticket.

As for what I wore, I had not planned the visit at all, so I put together a fitting look entirely from what I already had with me that trip. I will be sharing the outfit details very soon, so stay tuned.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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