Sandra‘s Closet

The second chapter of The Only One story. As though enveloped in a sensual red veil, The Only One 2 builds on the floriental legacy of The Only One line with an intoxicating new scent, suffused with fruity red notes. The Only One’s iconic signature of coffee and violet is reimagined with powdery red roses, the symbol of love and seduction.

Top Notes: Red Berries, Pear and Freesia
Middle Notes: Red Rose Superessence, Violet and Coffee
Base Notes: Tonka Bean and Patchouli

Sparkling like the gems adorning Dolce&Gabbana’s Alta Gioielleria collections, the flacon is reinvented with the hue and lustre of a faceted ruby. The bottle recalls the same iconic color of love and desire as the red ingredients of the fragrance within.

In the colorful campaign shot by the Morelli Brothers in an original trattoria in Trastevere in Rome, British actress Emilia Clarke embodies a modern, empowered woman.

CHF 81.00 (30ml), CHF 115.20 (50ml) and CHF 160.00 (100ml). Available in March 2019.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dolce & Gabbana
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PRADA presents a new range of options for the Made to Order Women’s Shoe collection, a project dedicated to giving customers the opportunity to create a unique, custom-made shoe.
Eighteen models of pumps, slingbacks, ballet flats, boots and sandals with or without platforms and with eight different heel heights are available in a wide range of materials and shades.

The range of iconic Prada prints on a patent leather base has been expanded, with the Lipstick, Barocco and Roses as well as the new Dahlia flames and Mermaids flames patterns: Prada’s iconic prints from various seasons are mixed for a totally new and striking result.

The pumps and slingbacks can now be customized with a detachable poplin bow that comes in nine different prints.

After choosing the model, material and colour, customers can select the colour of the sole (black, phard or light blue) and add their initials, charms or numbers. As an alternative, it will be possible to add the same elements – but in leather – on the exclusive satin dust bag.

The customization continues beyond the product: the packaging for the shoes will match the style chosen so either the classic blue box embellished with an elastic band and metal plaque or one of the Prada prints. The shoes will be delivered eight weeks from order.

 During the month of March PRADA is going to offer this service in Switzerland:
Zurich March 1 – 10, 2019
Lugano March 14 – 20, 2019
Geneva March 22 – 28, 2019

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada

At the moment, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos welcomes its global elite with only 22% female participants attending the event. Female empowerment starts in daily life. If we as women all supported each other like men do, we would be so much more powerful. Today’s look is dedicated to three amazing women that I am very lucky to call my girlfriends and that inspire me on a daily basis.

Nadya Shah – Mimi Mollerus – Annette Zierer

The cape I am wearing is by London-based designer Nadya Shah, a Central St Martins graduate who brings Victorian embellishment into the now with her fabulous collection of statement outerwear. Trophy jackets or ultra stylish capes are her signature pieces that you can find at Moda Operandi for example.

The shopper is by Maison Mollerus in collaboration with the artist Super250. My friend Mimi Mollerus took over the family business, that her father Ernst founded 30 years ago, in 2011. Since then, she further developed the well established bag brand into a modern company.

Thanks to my friend Annette Zierer, who has her own PR company Zierer Communications in Munich, I discovered Giulia and Romeo, a young German shoe label that is vegan and ethical. With the purchase of their faux leather footwear, you automatically support animals in need as the brand donates the complete net proceeds to animal welfare organizations and animal aid projects.

My look: Paisley victorian cape by Nadya Shah, dark blue ultra light cashmere turtleneck with personalized embroidery by Falconeri, high rise super skinny ankle length jeans by Abercrombie & Fitch, Vinerus lemon shopper by Super250 x Maison Mollerus, and high top trainers by Giulia and Romeo.

Make a friend happy. Isn’t a personalized sweater such a cool idea to surprise someone you like?!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

As promised here is the first post dedicated to a watch that was presented during SIHH 2019 last week. High jewellery, horology and design cues from nature have united in Audemars Piguet’s Haute Joaillerie collection also in past creations. This year’s unique piece pushes gem-setting craftsmanship to new heights. Named after the river that crosses Le Brassus, home of Audemars Piguet, Sapphire Orbe embodies a glittering river of diamonds and sapphires in graded hues of blue and orange, as night merges into day. Personally speaking, it is divine, I have rarely seen such a glamour in a contemporary design.

The outstanding piece features more than 12,000 stones, each rigorously selected, individually cut and set by hand. The central petal-shaped rings are entirely snow-set with diamonds and graded sapphires in 6 graded shades of blue and orange, each in 20 different diameters ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm in size. Multifaceted, this piece offers a play of colour and light that changes depending on the perspective from which it is seen. It took approximately 1,050 hours to gem-set this piece.

In the domed centre nestles the 2 cm dark blue sapphire-set globe which, when inverted, reveals the watch’s 18-carat white gold dial paved with graded orange sapphires. This spherical case houses a tiny quartz calibre. The bracelet is made of articulated diamond-set components, for maximum flexibility and comfort.

FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes
CASE
18-carat white gold case in shape of a sphere, entirely set with dark blue sapphires, surrounded by 18 carat white gold rings, set with diamonds, graded blue and orange sapphires, glareproofed sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 20 m
DIAL
18-carat white gold dial, entirely set with graded orange sapphires, white gold hands
SETTING
2,794 briliant-cut orange sapphires 15.14 carats
3,240 briliant-cut blue sapphires 23.03 carats
6,069 briliant-cut diamonds 27.93 carats
Total 12,103 stones 66.10 carats
BRACELET
Bracelet composed of 18-carat white gold elements, assembled together by hand and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, jewellery type clasp.
MOVEMENT
Quartz Calibre 2710
Total diameter 16.2 mm (7¼ lignes)
Total thickness 1.9 mm
Number of jewels 7
Frequency of the quartz 32.768 Hz

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Audemars Piguet

From sophisticated head pieces to over-the-top jewellery pieces and amazing raffia sun hats, these are the most important accessories trends you need to know about for S/S 2019.

LoL, Sandra

Fairy-tale whimsy, an ode to couture, spring’s plethora of veils speak all languages.

Larger-than-life shades for the ultimate eye protection and maximum style statement.

Headband game is now a thing, signalling a big move in the adornment game.

Bombastic raffia sun hats will elevate your summer looks to a new level, especially when combined with red lips.

Hats are ‘the’ accessory of the season and really stylish if they match your outfit.

With an ethnic or futurist edge, XXL jewellery shapes the season’s silhouettes.

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Championed by the likes of Princess Diana in the ’80s, the revival of cycling shorts is still going strong into S/S 2019, with slightly sexier styles like this Mugler or Dundas pair taking the lead. Those second-skin versions are made from mesh or delicate floral lace enhanced with plenty of stretch so you won’t feel restricted. In 2019, cycling shorts look great when peeking out from beneath oversized hoodies or a mini dress, as seen on the runway. Try wearing them under a blazer for your next business meeting to show trendsetting capacity.

Below you can find a great selection of those must-haves. Just click on the highlighted text to be transferred directly to the respective shop.

LoL, Sandra

Mesh cycling shorts by Mugler

Stretch-lace shorts by Dundas

Logo-patch technical cycling shorts by Versace

Life Is Short satin shorts by Maggie Marilyn

Cropped intarsia-trimmed stretch leggings by Palm Angels

Logo cycling shorts by Stella McCartney

Leather cycling shorts by Manokhi

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands / © Getty

In New York, London, Milan, and Paris, it was one the most diverse seasons of shoes yet. From sleek, functional walking sandals in sturdy black leather, to fantastical feather embellished heels for fairytale fantasies. Mules and platforms might help you overcome the sneaker trend as they are also very comfortable. Enjoy this new kind of glamour.

LoL, Sandra

If the Birkenstock was the shoe to wear of S/S 2018, a similarly lug-soled flat sandal will be the one of S/S 2019 – according to the runways at least.

Feathers, feathers everywhere. This season, the feather shoe is the stand-out buy.

The return of platforms to the runway had me truly beaming. Meet me this summer on the dance floor.

Don’t invest too much in sneakers. Pumps are about to get very, very interesting. At Calvin Klein, court shoes took on a scuba spirit, while Balenciaga outfitted its polka dot heels with a bulging triangular back.

With minimal effort required but maximum sophisticated achieved, you will surely be slipping into a barely-there mule this spring.

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Friday’s dress code «Parisian Chic – Je Ne Regrette Rien» for the amazing  ASW Winter Weekend in Gstaad was so much fun. I went through my closet and put together some vintage and new pieces for this Cancan-style outfit. The tights incorporated excessive glitz that you cannot see so well on the pictures. I hope that you like it as much as I do.

My look: Vintage bustier with a theatrical Parisian print of the late 19th century by Dolce & Gabbana, stretch-knit high-waisted panties by Prada, Cassandre small suede shoulder bag by Saint Laurent, burlesque can-can style boots by Louis Vuitton, feather boa by Dior, grape colored feather brooch by Christopher Kane, feather-embellished velvet headband by Prada, Jennifer glitter net tights by Wolford, Eiffel tower pearl earrings, multi-strand pearl body chain necklace and lace sleeves, all by Chanel, rose diamond ring by Piaget.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography

Personally speaking, SIHH in Geneva, the famous Swiss watch trade fair, is one of the most enjoyable events of my yearly must-dos. Nevertheless, a lot has changed during the past years. In 2020, the so-called Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie will take place in May right after Baselworld. It makes sense especially for all the visitors from abroad to come only once to Switzerland.

This year, Van Cleef & Arpels decided not to be exhibiting due to the little business the brand has with retailers and distributors. Two other luxury watch brands, Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet, are leaving next year for similar reasons. It seems that most of the prestigious watch companies are dealing more and more directly with their consumers.

Happy Sandra after seeing Audemars Piguet’s amazing high jewellery watch Sapphire Orbe (a detailed post to follow).

In the meantime others joined the exhibition for the first time, for example Bovet, known for their handmade watches with artistic finishes and highly complicated movements. In addition, Breitling and Bucherer recently became members of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), which manages SIHH. This might be the first step in replacing Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet for 2020.

Still trending: Colourful straps as seen at Piaget, Cartier and Audemars Piguet.

But most importantly what will we wear in 2019? Cuff watches, tourbillons, dial sets with miniature paintings, skeleton movements, shaped cases and still lots of celestial influences… Below are some of my favorite ladies’ watches revealed during the 29th Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie.

AUDEMARS PIGUET Royal Oak Frosted Gold Double Balance Wheel Openworked
A watch that is brilliant in every way.
White “frosted gold”, 37mm, manual winding manufacture skeleton movement with a rainbow magic of its 32 baguette-cut sapphires (2.24 carats). MY FAVORITE!

RICHARD MILLE RM 37-01 Kiwi
Fancy a little watchmaking sweetness to help you through the winter?
Colored Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT, 34.400 x 52.30mm, self-winding mechanical movement, limited edition (30 pieces)

ROGER DUBUIS Excalibur Shooting Star
The coolest booth for the fastest girls in the world.
Pink gold set with diamonds, 36mm, flying tourbillon, skeleton manual winding movement.

PIAGET Possession Cuff Watch
A booth filled with sand for a little time out at the beach – a perfect backdrop to show the expert application of gold-working, a skill for which the brand is historically famed.
Pink gold set with 162 diamonds, 29mm, gold Milanese mesh strap.

JAEGER-LECOULTRE Rendez-Vous Moon Jewellery
One the sky is the limited. Nature played an important role at Jaeger Le-Coultre.
White gold case with mother-of-pearl dial and polished rhodium-plated appliqués, diamonds ~168 (~3.43 carats), calibre : 925B/1.

CARTIER Baignoire Allongé
Women are in for a treat at Cartier. Part of the Maison since 1912, the Baignoire features an ellipsis-shaped dial and  earned its unusual name in the late 1950s thanks to its strong resemblance to a bathtub.
Extra-large model, pink gold, dial set with brilliant-cut diamonds (293 diamonds,~1.50 carats), dark alligator leather strap, manual movement 1917 MC.

During the next days, I will show you much more as the most distinguished models deserve their own post, don’t you think? Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Some Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

Today, I have some rather gorgeous newness to share with you from Cult Gaia.

You all loved her Ark clutch when they launched, (it broke the internet – for the previous post click here please) then then came the shoes, then the jewellery and accessories and now STOP-THE-PRESS!! there is ready-to-wear.

Ark Clutch

As if that wasn’t enough, we can now wear Cult Gaia head-to-toe and the full looks definitely don’t disappoint. Charming and understated, simple yet elegant, picture yourself wearing some of these looks on vacation or to a garden party for that ultimate desireable wardrobe.

TO SHOP CULT GAIA READY-TO-WEAR, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cult Gaia