Finally the sun is out. I love those bikini summer days with beach waves and a little tan. Here you see me chilling in St. Barths, my favorite little island in the world.
My look: Embroidered silk crepe de chine kaftan by Matthew Williamson, cutout bandage bikini by Hervé Léger, sandals by Prada, leopard print tote by Lanvin and «So Real» sunglasses by Dior.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
In the end of last week, it was announced that Maria Grazia Chiuri had left Valentino, where she was co-creative director with partner Pierpaolo Piccioli. One day later, we knew where she would head to. It is quite breaking news: she will be the new artistic director at Dior, which marks the first woman in the fashion label’s 59 year history to take this position. Chiuri takes the place of Raf Simons who departed in October (for the previous post, click here please).
Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri take a bow after the Valentino couture show on Wednesday.
Somehow, it feels quite sad. Chiuri worked with Piccioli for 25 years, first at Fendi then behind the scenes at Valentino. In 2008, they were named creative directors in 2008 and brought the label into a new era.
Rockstud embellished leather sandals
Think of all the famous «Rockstuds» that gained a huge following… romance with a twist of coolness, that is what there collections have been made of. The Valentino sales rose constantly, in the first quarter of 2016, already by 9%.
TO SHOP VALENTINO PRE-FALL 2016, CLICK HERE PLEASE.
It is sure that LVMH, Christian Dior’s parent company, is hoping for Chiuri bringing the same success there. She beat other contenders for the highly prized job, including Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton and ex-Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz.
Her first ready to wear collection will take place on September 30 in Paris.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Valentino, © Sandra Bauknecht and SIPA/REX/Shutterstock
The CHANEL F/W 2016 handbags and small leather goods collection revisits the great classics of the House of CHANEL.
Karl Lagerfeld reinterprets several fundamental elements of CHANEL’s stylistic vocabulary, starting with the emblematic quilting of the House that we discover here as an ultra-light version on the flap bags, the shopping bags and even a backpack, uniting comfort with elegance.
The designer has also reinvented the iconic CHANEL bag and in particular the 11.12 which, this season appears in a laser treated faded denim.
The 2.55 is attached to a clip hanger with a discreet little mirror. It comes in aged or metallic leather as well as overstitched beige suede split calfskin inspired by the toiles used in the ateliers to make the handbag prototypes. This same material covers the drawstring, flap and bowling bags, plus the clutches and a camera case.
Meanwhile the BOY CHANEL bag appears to be patterned with pins. The Montex Atelier has created a special embroidery composed of silver tube beads and multi-coloured round beads, and which required more than 20 hours of work. Another version is embellished with precious braiding.
A key detail in the collection, the lacing inspired by corsetry that cleaves the dresses and boots, is also present on handbags in leather or combined with tweed.
The Girl bag adopts a clutch format in quilted leather or united with tweed. Functional thanks to its numerous pockets, its leather-interlaced chain is detachable at one end allowing it to be hand held or worn over the shoulder.
For evening, the clutches in leather, lizard or python play the ultimate luxury card with chains made of leather, metal and fantasy pearls.
As a tribute to the ateliers and their treasures, the resin minaudières adopt the shapes of a dual compartment sewing-box or a bobbin of golden thread.
Karl Lagerfeld has also conceived a line of accessories dedicated to Smartphones and tablets: the cases covered with tweed (including two versions woven by the House of Lesage) or with quilted or exotic leathers are designed to accommodate the devices in style. On certain models the iconic chain alternates gold and silver links.
The CHANEL F/W 2016 handbags and small leather goods collection will be available in boutiques from September 2016 onwards.
I cannot wait for those beauties to arrive!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Chanel
Today, Gucci is launching an online exclusive collection of women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, available solely on gucci.com. Known as Gucci Garden, this capsule is characterised by a new print created by Creative Director Alessandro Michele, which showcases flora and fauna symbols that are part of the House’s new design lexicon. The Gucci Garden special collection is delivered in exclusively designed packaging – black-pink-and-red gift boxes and paper bags.
Here are some of the highly exclusive pieces:
Gucci Garden exclusive silk shirt
Gucci Garden exclusive Dionysus shoulder bag
Gucci Garden exclusive silk skirt
TO SHOP THE COMPLETE GUCCI GARDEN ONLINE EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION CLICK HERE PLEASE.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Gucci
Bye-bye beautyblender!
Ladies, here is your answer to flawless foundation. When you were happy you just had mastered your beautyblender technique, there comes a new beauty gadget and believe it or not, it is a vibrator. The Automatic Foundation Applicator Pro Edition by Color Me was developed with celebrity makeup artists, that delivers flawless 8-hour coverage that’s superior to what you can achieve with your fingers or a brush. This premium version uses sonic pulse technology (15,000 sonic pulses per minute) to mimic the tapping technique of the professionals and comes with the brand’s new universal sponges so you don’t have to switch between liquid and powder applicators. You’ll immediately notice a more even, air-brushed finish.
To shop your Automatic Foundation Applicator Pro Edition, click here please.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
“Fendi is my Italian version of creativity. It’s Italian to its core. It’s not only Italian, it’s Roman,” says Karl Lagerfeld of his position as Creative Director.
This book set celebrates his astounding 50 year tenure with the label – the longest collaboration ever between a designer and a luxury fashion house.
Beautifully presented in a custom-made wooden case modeled on the box of oil pastels on Lagerfeld’s work desk, it’s a compilation of exclusive interviews, recorded conversations, personal sketches and DVDs of his short films, through which we discover some of his earliest and fondest memories of the past five decades.
Get your issue of Karl Lagerfeld: Fendi 50 Years by Steidl online HERE.
Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini (the granddaughter of Adele and Edorado Fendi) at the Fendi F/W 2011 runway show
THE STORY
Fendi was founded by Adele and Edoardo Fendi as a fur and leather shop in Via del Plebiscito, Rome in 1925. In 1965, their five daughters hired the young Karl Lagerfeld, who was around 30 years old at that time to come on board and help them to revitalize their fur business. Previously Lagerfeld had worked for Parisian houses Balmain and Jean Patou. Upon his arrival at Fendi, the German-born designer changed the way the house used fur and took the luxurious fabric rather as an embellishment for coats, stoles, and trimmings. He introduced bright colors of fur and mixed it with different fabrics to create interesting textures and silhouettes. He is responsible for the term «fun fur» along with the double F logo that is now recognizable worldwide.
In 1977, Lagerfeld introduced Fendi’s women’s ready-to-wear collection providing a wardrobe that the already popular furs and accessories could accentuate. The eighties became a time of expansion where many categories were licensed out to other manufactures to facilitate growth and global recognition. Also, during this time the next generation of Fendi children started to get involved in the company. Since 2001, the Italian House became a multinational luxury fashion brand and member of LVMH group.
Here are some of this season’s must-haves you should definitely get:
A must: Karlito mink and fox-fur bag charm by Fendi
Already a classic: Petite 2Jours leather tote by Fendi
The most famous baguette in the world: Micro Baguette hand-embroidered cross-body bag by Fendi
The most charming monsters: Bag Bugs fur-appliqué roll-neck sweater by Fendi
The backpack everybody wants: Bag Bugs nylon and fur mini backpack by Fendi
It all started with fur: Flowerland appliqué fur coat by Fendi
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Fendi
Here’s a trend that has been taking flight for some time now: butterflies! Embroidered onto outerwear at Valentino and stitched on a Gucci sweater, the butterfly is about everywhere this fall.
1 Butterfly embellished wool sweater by Gucci for Net-à-Porter
2 Butterfly-embroidered canvas guitar strap for handbag by Valentino
3 Fil coupé silk-blend scarf by Alexander McQueen
4 Butterfly crocodile small clutch bag by Nancy Gonzalez
5 Appliquéd stretch-suede over-the-knee boots
by Valentino
6 3D Glitter Butterfly Sunglasses by Anna-Karin Karlsson
7 Chiara metallic patent-leather platform sandals by Sophia Webster
A piece of art: the embroidered cotton coat by Valentino.
I am literally dying for those appliquéd stretch-suede over-the-knee boots by Valentino, aren’t they to die for?
Many designers have seeked inspiration from the beautiful world of the butterflies for pre-fall 2016, from left to right: Gucci, Giamba, Valentino and Philipp Plein.
Are you having butterflies in your tummy now like me?
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
