Sandra‘s Closet

Art Basel is taking place, time to talk about art, my kind of art!

Fashion is art and you are the canvas – in my opinion it is a cultural good that should be remembered and that I want to preserve for generations to come. Therefore I am dreaming of and working on opening my museum one day. I like to call fashion as a form decorative or applied art. Just think of the amount of artistic expression that goes into clothes and the way you style a look.

I love to dress up, and I mean really dressing up. Jeremy Scott for Moschino is one of those designers who creates fashion as art for me, his designs are outstanding, different, you just want to look at them. When I add the crinoline to my pink leather dress, it becomes such piece of art for me. It is not practical, but looking at a sculpture, a painting or a fresco, who would say that art needs to be practical? It needs to be beautiful in the eye of the beholder. And in this case, it makes me happy, call me the doll!

My look: Pink belted leather dress (Look 26 F/W 2020) with crinoline underskirt (exclusively produced for me), cake slice clutch bag, pearl-embellished belt, and peace pearl-embellished pendant earrings, all by Moschino, tiara headband by Miu Miu, and leather over-the-knee boots by Alexander McQueen.

The photos were taken inside Galerie Gmurzynska‘s Zaha Hadid exhibition.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
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As the history of Louis Vuitton has been defined by innovation in travel, the Maison advances its Rolling Luggage series with the launch of Pégase, newly reimagined by Marc Newson. Among the most influential industrial designers of his generation, Newson has collaborated with Louis Vuitton on two previous designs since 2016: Horizon followed by the Horizon Soft duffle. With each chapter of Rolling Luggage, emblematic Louis Vuitton features combine with superior functionality.

Since the debut of his collaboration with Louis Vuitton, Newson reveals how savoir-faire, the hallmark of Louis Vuitton, benefits from a precise, forward-minded vision. «The objective for all three luggage collections was to have a consistent vocabulary between them and to share the same innovations,» says the designer.

Already, the Horizon and the Horizon Soft duffle stand out within the category. Beyond the recognisable Monogram or Damier canvas, the hard case and duffle shapes are both supported by an exterior trolley system and extra flat interior. For Pégase, Newson once again applied his expertise in materials and engineering, testing aluminium alloys used in aerospace to arrive at tubes of an unparalleled slimness. By reducing their interior protrusions, internal space is optimised throughout. Topped with an ergonomic handle, this latest trolley system excels in strength and manoeuvrability.

«This was one of the very first elements I wanted to address for the interior,» Newson explains. «You could say I approached this product from the inside out.» Meanwhile, in keeping with the spirit of Louis Vuitton himself, the option of packing cubes continues to offer a modular approach to the art of packing, compatible across the luggage collection.

In revisiting Pégase, Newson expands the Maison’s Rolling Luggage through rigorous and highly technical standards. The streamlined exterior is outlined with metallic zip hardware along the main compartment and an ample front compartment. The latter, newly sized for storing and protecting computers and tablets, is both an organisational and aesthetic feature that enhances overall convenience whether travelling for business or leisure. Two carrying handles are located on top and at the side for comfort of use, while two wheels offer an optimised interior volume. An integrated TSA combination lock and a removable TSA combination padlock keep belongings secured. The Pégase requires 28 operations to assemble its 89 distinct pieces and has been conceived so that components may be easily repaired and replaced accordingly.

True to the visual language of Louis Vuitton, the Pégase is offered in timeless Monogram, Monogram Eclipse, Damier Graphite and Taiga Leather. Underneath, the shell ensures that Pégase is at once lightweight and ultra-resistant. In this way, frequent travellers will appreciate that Newson has given equal consideration to exterior and interior.

As travel for any purpose becomes essential and exciting once again, Louis Vuitton Rolling Luggage collection delivers an elevated statement through design that is built to last.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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This year, for the 20th anniversary of Art in the Park at the Baur au Lac in Zurich, Hauser & Wirth presents five bronze sculptures by celebrated artist Camille Henrot, one of the most influential voices in contemporary art today. The outdoor installation of major bronze works is organized in partnership with the Baur au Lac and Gigi Kracht, curator, collector, writer and founder of the Art in the Park.

With Gigi Kracht 

Born in 1978 in Paris, France, Camille Henrot lives and works between Berlin and New York City. She is married and has two little sons that are 4 and 1 year old. The practice of the French artist moves seamlessly between film, painting, drawing, bronze, sculpture, and installation. Henrot draws upon references from literature, psychoanalysis, social media, cultural anthropology, self-help, and the banality of everyday life in order to question what it means to be both a private individual and a global subject.

With Camille Henrot during the lunch.

A 2013 fellowship at the Smithsonian Institute resulted in her film «Grosse Fatigue,» for which she was awarded the Silver Lion at the 55th Venice Biennale and that was also on show at the Gucci Museo in Florence in 2014. She elaborated ideas from «Grosse Fatigue» to conceive her acclaimed 2014 installation »The Pale Fox» at Chisenhale Gallery in London. The exhibit, which displayed the breadth of her diverse output, went on to travel to institutions including Kunsthal Charlottenburg, Copenhagen; Bétonsalon – Centre for art and research, Paris; Westfälischer Kunstverein, Münster, Germany; and Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Japan. In 2017, Henrot was given carte blanche at Palais de Tokyo in Paris – a beloved location for fashion shoes – , where she presented the major exhibition »Days Are Dogs,» She is the recipient of the 2014 Nam June Paik Award and the 2015 Edvard Munch Award, and has participated in the Lyon, Berlin, Sydney and Liverpool Biennials, among others.

Next to «Mon Corps de Femme» (2019) displayed in the Baur au Lac gardens

Henrot has had numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, including the New Museum, New York; Schinkel Pavilion, Berlin; New Orleans Museum of Art; Fondazione Memmo, Rome; Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Japan, among others.

«Undelivered Message» (2016)

In the Baur au Lac gardens, three sculptures from Henry’s Monday series (2016-2017) are on display, as well as the impressive «Mon Corps de Femme» sculpture (2019) from the Attachment series (2018-2022) that is a resembling a body caught between two opposite forces; the rising flames reminiscent of Flamboyant Gothic architecture and the meting, heaviness of a sagging belly.

«Retreat From Investment» (2025)

As every year, Gigi Kracht invited us to her wonderful Art in the Park luncheon in the two Michelin star Pavillon restaurant during which we could talk to the artist. Before the lunch, we had the chance to stroll through the wonderful gardens and preview the pieces beforehand.

With Kenny Schachter, artist, critic and curator based in New York City, at lunch.

The show can be enjoyed at the Baur au Lac garden until July 17, 2022.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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June 9th marks the official opening date for Zurich’s new pop-up restaurant «WOODLAND». Only open until June 25th, guests can enjoy some real culinary treasures. Located in Zurich West, the gastro entrepreneur Nenad Mlinarevic and the watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen are creating a place for unique enjoyment where guests can embark on a very special journey. At the beginning of the project is the new IWC TOP GUN pilot’s watch collection with its striking three colors. These can be experienced comprehensively on Zurich’s Löwenbräu site – from the interior to the cuisine to the sound: a unique experience appealing to all senses awaits you in the temporary restaurant.

Science and emotion come together with IWC’s new TOP GUN collection in partnership with Pantone Color Institute.

Our evening started at 6m with a cocktail reception at the Woodland Bar.

At 7pm we enjoyed the seated diner at the Ceratanium Dinner Space.

From 8.15pm we changed location and had dessert, drinks and listened to the sounds of the DJ in the Mojave Desert Lounge.

LÖWENBRÄU AREA
Limmatstrasse 254, 8005 Zurich
dining@woodland-zuerich.ch

4-course menu including aperitif CHF 120.-
A vegetarian option is available. Two seatings. 6pm and 8pm.

For reservations, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

With Nenad Mlinarevic

Always having the best time with Jacqueline Krause-Blouin

Tanja Bulatovic with Nenad

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography /IWC, Rian Davidson 
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@iwcwatches_ch @nenadmlinarevic #IWCWoodland #IWCPopUpDining #IWCxNenad

I will be off to the Salon del Mobile in Milano this week. As I am in the process of furbishing our new home, this is something very exciting and fun for me. Something that has caught my eye are the 20 limited-edition pieces from Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors, the so-called QUEEN OF CAVALLI CHAIRS, designed by my lovely Fausto Puglisi, the Italian brand’s Creative Director.

Fausto Puglisi with me at the Cavalli Club in Milan a few years ago.

The chair’s neoclassical structure is sculpted out of carved wood with a matt black finish and upholstered in fabrics printed with the artwork, focus on recent collections.

Animal print motifs representt the United States of Cavalli, celebrating the brand’s DNA alongside prints that explode with bright hues of sunshine yellow, fiery red, deep purple, the indispensable black and white, and a striking emerald.

Behind the backrest, a metal plaque with a brushed gold finish carries the name and series number of the chair, marking an extraordinary item that straddles the boundaries between art and design. The limited edition brings the synthesis of classic rigor and irreverence to the finest in Italian furniture, conveying the maximalist yet multifaceted style that disguises the brand collections.

The QUEEN OF CAVALLI CHAIRS will be officially presented as part of the Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors stand at the Milan Salon del Mobile. The limited edition may also be admired at the Roberto Cavalli Boutique in Via Montenapoleone, where it will star sth the centerpiece of a special installation.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Roberto Cavalli, © Sandra Bauknecht
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Here is the outfit I wore to the dinner with Brunello Cucinelli in Solomeo last week. As seen on the S/S 2022 runway, Valentino’s three piece ensemble was inspired by Valentino Garavani’s all-white collection from 1968. I love the monochrome colourway that gives the garment a timeless feel, whilst the 3D detailing adds a creative and contemporary edge.

My look: Cropped appliquéd wool and silk-blend jacket, appliquéd wool and silk-blend bralette, embroidered appliquéd wool and silk-blend crepe mini skirt, Tan-Go platform pumps, and One Stud nappa bag with chain in ultra marine green, all by Valentino, classic large Impatiens earrings by Oscar de la Renta.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Are you looking to lighten up the mood at your office or home? Then look no further than to this playful doorstop from Loewe which is designed to look like a cactus, complete with colorful handcrafted textured flowers. Weighted with a stone at the center, it’s wrapped in woven leather and has a braided handle at the top so you can move it around easily. It makes a fun housewarming gift and is definitely a conversation starter.

To shop the cactus woven leather doorstop by Loewe, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

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

The second instalment to the sell-out collaboration, Manolo Blahnik for BIRKENSTOCK issues a new collection of boundary-pushing icons.

The ultra-modern sensibility of the Arizona and the Boston are once again included in this collection, comprising of four new styles reinterpreted through Manolo Blahnik’s absolute and archetypal flair. The second drop introduces a newly designed style Rodra delivering eye-catching new editions in polka dot and PVC.

Rodra polka dot
The Rodra sandal in all-over polka dot is a new style created for BIRKENSTOCK by Manolo Blahnik, reflecting the playful attitude of the house. An elegant cross between the creativity of both brands, and a nod to the robust function of BIRKENSTOCK’s footbeds, the Rodra elevates the sandal for a new era.

Boston polka dot
Manolo Blahnik makes a bold statement with the polka dot print adorning calf hair Boston styles. This timeless polka dot is a signature of the collaboration and has featured across many of Blahnik’s past collections. The round-toed Boston slide has legendary status now amplified by the all-out ostentation of this new print.

Arizona pvc black & pvc white
The iconic PVC style of celebrated shoemaker Manolo Blahnik harks back to his classic 1970 designs, embodying a lightness in a structural and tactile sense. Now, Manolo Blahnik combines his transparent designs with a see-through spin on the Birkenstock Arizona sandal, arriving in two black and white PVC styles.

Presenting their most striking designs to date, the new styles in the Manolo Blahnik for BIRKENSTOCK collection will be available June 23rd at 1774.com, manoloblahnik.com, all Manolo Blahnik retail locations, as well as selected retailers worldwide.

Prices will range between € 345 and € 395.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Birkenstock / Manolo Blahnik
#manoloblahnikxbirkenstock
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There is so much hype about the release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike «Air Force 1» designed by Virgil Abloh. Now, finally in June 2022, 9 editions of the sneaker – first presented as part of the S/S 2022 Men’s Collection – will be launched globally through an inclusive digital activation, with members of the Maison’s community offered early access to order the shoes.

Until May 31, 2022, the 47 editions of the «Air Force 1» imagined by Virgil Abloh were exhibited to the public in the showcase Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh in New York City. This event coincided with a number of corresponding art installations around the city. Manufactured in the Maison’s Manufacture in Fiesso d’Artico, Venice, Italy, each design fuses the sneaker’s original codes with the Maison’s finest leather, materials and insignia of Louis Vuitton, and the distinctive visual grammar of Virgil Abloh.

Celebrating its 40th year, the classic Nike «Air Force 1» was designed in 1982 and is one of the most successful shoes ever created. A cultural symbol in its own right, Virgil Abloh viewed the sneaker as an objet d’art emblematic of self-generated cultural provenance. The 47 expressions of the Nike «Air Force 1»  were created for a Louis Vuitton collection rooted in the Amen Break, a little-known drum break of a B-side created by the funk-soul group The Winstons in 1969, which would be sampled and go on to underpin the hip-hop and jungle genres, and splinter into thousands of the pop tracks most familiar to us today.

In June 2021, Virgil Abloh explained his approach: «The Air Force 1 is a sample like the Amen Break. A t-shirt is an ‘Amen Break’, a suit is an ‘Amen Break’. We’re all iterating on the same ideas. But, in my canon, the Air Force 1 puts the edge on the blade. This object happened way before me, but to get to a context where it’s adjacent to the t-shirt and the suit, its logic has been forty years in the making,» he said.

In February 2022, 200 pairs of the sneaker designs were sold at auction, to benefit The Virgil Abloh™ «Post-Modern» Scholarship Fund.

The 9 editions selected for Louis Vuitton in-store release cover mid-tops (EUR 2,500) and low-tops (EUR 2,000), and will be made available in Nike sizes ranging from 3.5 to 18. The launch includes the classic all-white sneaker embossed with the Louis Vuitton Monogram, and a riff on the same design in black suede. Two-tone editions in white with either green, red or blue detailing nod at the rainbow motif key to the work of Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton. Likewise, a metallic gold sneaker pays homage to the designer’s debut collection for the Maison, while patchworked multi-colour renditions celebrate his distinct graphic language.

Finally, a Damier edition is adorned with a «Louis Vuitton» graffiti motif created by the artist Ghusto Leone. The full launch includes:

• White mid-top in Monogram embossed plain calf leather.
• White low-top in Monogram embossed plain calf leather.
• Black low-top in Monogram embossed calf suede.
• White and Gym Green low-top in a trompe-l’oeil canvas executed in printed Monogram leather and Monogram embossed calf leather.
• White and Comet Red low-top in a trompe-l’oeil canvas executed in printed Monogram leather and Monogram embossed calf leather
• White and Team Royal Blue low-top in a trompe-l’oeil canvas executed in printed Monogram leather and Monogram embossed calf leather
• Gold low-top in Monogram embossed metallic canvas.
• Silver and multi-colour patchwork low-top in Monogram embossed calf suede and monogram embossed metallic canvas.
• Sail and Multicolor mid-top in Damier leather with an Azur graffiti print (available in sizes 5-18)

As a way of building bridges between countries and cultures, the late Virgil Abloh merged the worlds of high fashion and streetwear. The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh can be seen as another unifying motif. Hard to get your hands on, but absolutely worth it! It is a piece of fashion history. I attached for you the making of the sneakers. So interesting to experience the craftsmanship going into the shoes.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton / Nike
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For Resort 2022, Maria Grazia Chiuri looked for sportswear as an inspiration and introduced a special sportswear line along the Dior Vibe sneaker. For the best shopping experience, Dior has been launching a series of pop-up stores around the world, which also present the new amazing Dior and Technogym Limited Edition series of home wellness products.

Within this new project Technogym and Dior have joined forces to devise these unique pieces, some of the most iconic of the brand – Technogym MyRun connected treadmill, Technogym multifunctional workout bench and Technogym exercise ball – reinterpreted in a white version enhanced with a Dior star, the founding couturier’s lucky charm, and the name «Christian Dior», the House’s emblematic signature, highlighted by five horizontal stripes in contrasting colors. Working out has just become so much more fun and stylish, don’t you think?!

The new Dior and Technogym Limited Edition products are available in Dior pop-up stores in Shanghai, Sanya, Beijing, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, London, Beverly Hills, Soho, and Tokyo, as well as in a selection of pop-ins – in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York and Seoul.

Please find below more information about the Dior and Technogym Limited Edition series:

TECHNOGYM MY RUN FOR DIOR

This stylish, compact and quiet treadmill connects to your tablet and offers a wide range of on-demand running and walking workouts. By simply placing a tablet on the MYRUN console users can choose the on-demand workout by their favorite trainer.

TECHNOGYM BENCH FOR DIOR

This innovative bench offers a maximum variety of exercises options in a small space. Its innovative design includes a series of dumbbells, elastics and knuckles that allow to perform over 200 exercises thanks to an extensive library of on-demand workouts available on the Technogym App. 

TECHNOGYM BALL FOR DIOR

Designed to keep you on the move even while sitting, Technogym Ball is both a seat and a wellness tool, with a complete exercise program for flexibility, toning and balance.

Produced in Italy at the Technogym Village, these special creations reflect a mutual commitment of inspiring a lifestyle that combines physical exercise and style to motivate people living a happier and healthier life.

LoL, Sandra

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