Sandra‘s Closet

«A reflection on contemporary women»

Do you remember when I flew to Florence in the end of 2016 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of AUDEMARS PIGUET’s Royal Oak (for the previous post click here please)? It was love at first sight when I spotted the outcome of the creative collaboration between the Swiss watch manufacturer and my beloved Italian jewellery designer Carolina Bucci who was enlisted to reinvent the iconic watch model while paying tribute to its rich heritage. The Royal Oak Frosted Gold, which has been available in pink or white god so far, is absolutely divine and is still on top of my wish list.

This fall, they deliver another surprise with this eponymous 37mm limited edition Royal Oak in yellow gold. The shiny, silver-toned mirror, framed with the shimmering sparkle of a Frosted Gold case and bracelet, replaces the trademark «Tapisserie» Royal Oak dial. Described by its designer as «rebellious» in character, this is an attention-grabbing piece, made in the image of a contemporary woman: spontaneous, true-to-life and totally unapologetic.

Carolina Bucci’s original 2016 Frosted Gold design celebrated 40 years of Royal Oak for women. With this limited edition of 300 pieces, her design evolves in new directions. For the first time, the «diamond dust» finish appears in yellow gold – the designer’s favourite version of this precious metal. There’s novelty in the packaging as well, with a mirrored box bearing a Frosted Gold AP insignia. This mirrored box is also designed by Carolina Bucci, who believes in pulling out luxury watch packaging from the back of the closet to put it on display.

“For me, Royal Oak is the watch. I wear it all the time; it’s part of my style, my signature.”
Above all, being almost without precedent in the annals of the Manufacture, this mirrored dial is stunning. Carolina Bucci explains her inspiration with a certain, yet unexpected, creative logic: “With the first Frosted Gold design, I took the perfection of the Royal Oak case and bracelet and ‘roughed them up’ a little, juxtaposing the perfectly imperfect Florentine finish with Swiss watchmaking precision. Now I’m doing the opposite, taking the textured surface of the ‘Tapisserie’ dial and flattening it out into a perfectly smooth mirror. The motive for both is to create something interesting and unpredictable. It’s a fresh take on an icon made in the image of a contemporary woman. I know women with a great eye for keynote accessories who are going to love this. The mirror is always interacting with its environment, ever-changing according to what clothes you’re wearing, the décor of the room, the lighting, the time of day, the weather.”

“I designed the Royal Oak Frosted Gold in response to a challenge from Audemars Piguet.”

It’s a creation that has come with technical challenges. The mirrored dial is the most unforgiving component; only perfection will do. Carolina’s complete satisfaction with the result, which, has surpassed her own expectations, is testament to the Manufacture’s rigorous quality control, Carolina being known for her eagle eye and uncompromising standards.

Chairwoman of Audemars Piguet’s Board of Directors, Jasmine Audemars is an established fan of Frosted Gold and has been wearing the first edition 37mm selfwinding model since 2016. For her, “the creativity behind the Frosted Gold watch is simply amazing. It is both art and a very high level of technology. With Carolina Bucci, we created a kind of masterpiece.” She sees the new limited edition with its mirrored dial as «the final touch:» “It’s unique and fun. Who needs a selfie when you can look at yourself in your watch?”

This new limited edition ROYAL OAK FROSTED GOLD in yellow gold is in stores now for CHF 53’900.-.

Personally speaking, one of the most beautiful watches I have ever seen! Bravo Carolina for your creativity and bravo Audemars Piguet for this collaboration.

TO SHOP CAROLINA BUCCI’S JEWELRY DESIGNS SHE IS WEARING IN THE PICTURES, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©Audemars Piguet 2018

Gabriela Hearst believes in «honest luxury» – pieces that are beautifully made and don’t compromise her ethics and values. «There is a purpose to every piece,» says the former model of her eponymous label which is inspired by the ranch she grew up on in Uruguay and her current life in New York City. From the beautiful gowns to the impeccable tailoring, each garment is thoughtfully designed and crafted using the most luxurious fabrics. But really exclusive are her bags (for a previous post, click here please) as you cannot buy them in a store or online besides now.

For a limited time period of two-weeks only, Net-à-Porter is launching a pop-up boutique of Gabriela Hearst bags, which includes the exclusive «Patsy» and the new «Diana» styles along with the iconic «Nina» and «Demi» totes.

My favorite: Diana leather tote
It’s pretty much a given that every new bag Gabriela Hearst releases will become a hit in no time, but this ‘Diana’ bag that’s shaped like an accordion really strikes all the right notes. Made in Italy, it’s detailed with polished rose gold hardware and opens to reveal a striking red lining.

Another must-have: Patsy textured-leather tote
Inspired by vanity cases, this ‘Patsy’ tote has been made in Italy from pristine textured-leather with rose gold hardware. Be sure to snap it up quickly – the designer’s sought-after bags will only be available for a limited period of time.

Iconic: Nina leather tote
The unique round shape of this highly coveted tote is inspired by the exaggerated and voluminous designs of Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero. Known for its origami-like silhouette, this structured tote has been crafted from buttery leather and punctuated with gleaming rose gold hardware.

Me with my beloved Nina tote in cognac, click here for the outfit post.

TO SHOP GABRIELA HEARST BAGS FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst, Net-à-Porter and © Sandra Bauknecht

As Gabrielle Chanel’s astrological sign and the emblem of her favourite city, Venice, the lion is part of her symbolic language. It’s one of her sources of inspiration and she would use it in her creations, to embellish the buttons of her suits or the clasps of her handbags.

Since 2013 the lion, reinterpreted by the Jewelry Studio of Creation, has given rise to 3 majestic high jewelry collections.

In 2018, the SOUS LE SIGNE DU LION jewelry collection opens a new chapter and presents 8 pieces inspired by the lion of Venice. The lapis blue and astral white medallions refer to the lion in St Mark’s Square and the sculptural lion, in yellow gold and rock crystal, evokes a Venetian baroque style.

Really really beautiful…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of CHANEL

Yesterday, fashion’s second most anticipated show took place, Hedi Slimane’s debut for Céline. Ups, first mistake. He took the «accent aigu» (acute accent) away and Céline is now Celine. The looks, personally speaking, were very much Saint Laurent at his time, as if he just continued where he left off. For me absolutely boring.

The Celine S/S 2019 show invite

I loved when he started at Saint Laurent and went crazy for his looks. But after some seasons, I had enough in my closet of his rock’n roll chic. Of course, the collection for Celine is good, very ’80s and sexy. It is also ok to stay to true to yourself. But as a designer, I find it important to go with time and to value a brand’s heritage. Hedi just repeated what he did for Dior and Saint Laurent. Instead of taking the Yves away, he went for the accent aigu. Instead of applying his aesthetics to the French Maison in a new creative way, he just did copy and paste. Boring.

Copy and paste

To be honest, for LVMH it would have been the smartest move to give Hedi Slimane his own label.

ABOUT CÉLINE

Céline was founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana and her husband, Richard, as one of the first luxury brands in the industry to make a made-to-measure children’s shoe business. The couple opened a first boutique at 52 rue Malte in Paris. The brand was recognised by its logo, the red elephant created by Raymont Peynet.

Céline Vipiana

In 1960, the brand decided to change its positioning by focusing its business on a ready-to-wear fashion brand for women with a sportswear approach. Henceforth, the brand offered a range of leather goods such as bags, loafers, gloves and clothes. The trench became the iconic product of the house. In 1973, Céline, who remained at the helmet until 1997, redesigned its logo with the intertwined “C” Sulky canvas, linked to the Arc-de-Triomphe, which appeared as a symbol for Parisians. At that time, Céline began its expansion in the world with the opening of various boutiques in Monte Carlo, Geneva, Hong Kong, Lausanne, Toronto and Beverly Hills.

In 1987, Bernard Arnault decided to buy into Céline’s capital. However, it was only in 1996 that the brand was integrated into the LVMH group for 2.7 billion French francs ($540 million). LVMH propelled the brand to fame with the opening of a boutique at 36 avenue Montaigne in Paris.
American fashion designer Michael Kors was named the first ever women’s ready-to-wear designer and creative director for Céline in 1997. During his tenure at Céline, Kors brought modern femininity with a luxurious spirit. In 2004, he left the fashion luxury house to focus his career on his own brand. In 2005, Italian designer Roberto Menichetti was named creative director. A year later, Croatian designer Ivana Omazic directed the design studio. Omazic was a former consultant for the brand and previously worked with Romeo Gigli, Prada, Jil Sander and Miu Miu. Omazic designed for Céline until 2008, after further disappointments for the brand.

Phoebe Philo’s Céline changed your wardrobe (even if you didn’t realise it)…  she managed to predict what you want six months before you know you do.

On September 4, 2008, the fashion portal Women’s Wear Daily announced that Bernard Arnault, president of LVMH, had appointed Phoebe Philo as the new creative director of Céline. Her tenure began in October 2008, and she presented her first ready-to-wear collection for S/S 2010 at Paris Fashion Week. Pierre-Yves Roussel, chief executive officer of LVMH’s fashion division, said that recruiting Philo was giving her the opportunity to express her vision. Philo brought a new touch to the brand creating functional clothes with a focus on materials and tailoring. In 2009, Vogue Magazine defined her style as the “cool minimal trend”. Philo studied at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in London. Prior to Céline, Philo held the position of Design Director at Chloé. In 2010, she received the Designer of the Year award from British Fashion Council. In 2011, she was awarded International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Both prizes were awarded for her work at Céline.

We all wanted it! Céline’s Boston bag – first seen on the S/S 2010 runway.

In December 2017, following increasing rumors in the press, Philo announced her departure from Céline after finishing the F/W 2018 collection, which is to presented in March of that same year. Thanking her team, Phoebe Philo stated “Working with Céline has been an exceptional experience for me these last 10 years. I am grateful to have worked with an incredibly talented and committed team and I would like to thank everyone along the way who has been part of the collaborations and conversations…it’s been amazing.”

Hedi Slimane

On January 21, 2018, LVMH announced the appointment of Hedi Slimane as Artistic, Creative and Image Director, set to join the house on February 1. He is to direct all Céline collections, extending the brand’s offering with the launch of men’s fashion, couture and fragrances.

Great news for me, I can dress next summer in my former Saint Laurent pieces and will look like wearing new Celine. Money saved for other things…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Céline, © Sandra Bauknecht

For Tara Ghazanfar dreams of quitting her day job became a reality in 2016 when the London-based, US-born designer launched her handbag line, Tara Zadeh – named, in part, for her mother’s maiden name. ‘Zadeh’ is a Persian suffix meaning ‘born of’ – a fitting label for the realisation of Tara’s long-imagined dream.

Her bags reflect her Iranian heritage – the geometric shapes and vibrant mosaics in the palaces and mosques of Tehran and Shiraz influence each collection. After her first designs were loved by friends and family, Ghazanfar began bringing her creations to life, using a factory in the small town of Ubrique, Spain to produce the handmade leather and brass accessories.

Before launching her brand, she graduated from Parsons the New School with a degree in graphic design, and worked as Art Director of The Gentleman’s Journal, a London based luxury magazine for men. She spent years sketching designs based on pieces gathered from souks and markets around the world.

Her signature piece, the Azar clutch, is easily recognisable thanks to its round silhouette and geometric brass fixtures and has certainly awakened our desire being featured all over Instagram.

TO SHOP TARA ZADEH ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Net-à-Porter, Browns, Tara Zadeh
@tarazadeh

Looking for the perfect luxurious resort wear? Than meet my friend Nadine Arton. The German born designer launched her first collection, which was previously called GlamOnYou in 2008. She draws inspiration from her travels and immersion in other cultures which has a great influence on her styles. Conveying a timeless sense of elegance and sophistication, her beautiful collections are characterized by beautifully flowing fabrics, colorful prints and exquisite draping.

My look during a cruise from Ibiza to Formentera: Coron embroidered caftan by Nadine Arton, floral bikini by Wikini and aviator sunglasses by Warby Parker.
Necklaces from a market in Bali.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Do what you love and do it often! I love blogging and do it daily. I love travelling and try to see the world as much as I can. I love fashion and enjoy showing you my favourite looks. Life is good, when you do things you are passionate about.

My look: Guipure lace top and matching Guipure lace flared pants, both by Anna Sui, grosgrain-trimmed straw hat by Gucci, leather platform sandals by Saint Laurent, cartoon print scarf with red mink and Cahier raffia crossbody bag, both by Prada, jeweled clip on butterfly metal sunglasses by Valentino, Possession 18-karat rose gold diamond ring and Possession 18-karat rose gold ring, both by Piaget, gold- and silver-tone bangle set by Fendi and cream white bangle set by Chanel, and Tonda 1950 Galaxy watch by Parmigiani Fleurier.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Mosaic. The very name conjures up images of art and light, the meticulous assembly of multi-coloured fragments of which the combination forms an artistic motif. In a 41 mm-diameter Arceau rose gold watch, 2,200 tiny juxtaposed leather squares form a horse profile inspired by the HERMÈS «Robe du Soir» silk scarf designed by Florence Manlik in 2018.

HERMÈS «Robe du Soir» silk scarf designed by Florence Manlik in 2018.

Set against an electric blue backdrop and matching strap, the colourful fragments are lit up by the rose gold glow of the round case with its asymmetrical lugs and slim leaf-type hands. The slender hours and minutes hands are driven by a self-winding Manufacture Hermès movement that can be admired through the sapphire crystal case-back. This horological creation imbued with the HERMÈS saddle- and leather-making heritage is issued in a 12-piece limited numbered edition.

It’s all there in a notebook kept safely under lock and key, harbouring the secrets of the Hermès artisan who imagined and developed this exclusive technique. A full year and a half of R&D was devoted to devising a process that her touch alone is capable of mastering. For several weeks, she patiently fashions a miniature work of art composed of thousands of variously coloured leather squares. First of all, no less than 3,500 tesserae are finely cut out from carefully selected full-grain calfskin. Subsequently, to fit inside the even smaller space afforded by the dial,
2,200 leather fragments compose an equestrian motif.

Such a piece of art.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hermès

Last Wednesday, I was invited to the opening of FRED SEGAL at GLOBUS in Zurich. The iconic store, founded in 1961 on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles (click here for a previous post about shopping in the City of Angels), that became the heart of L.A. pop culture celebrated its debut in Switzerland and Europe. Now the famous mix of fashion, design, lifestyle and art is available at Lintheschergasse 7 and online. No need to fly to the States or Japan anymore. Let yourself be inspired and check out the young and contemporary selection from designers like CLUT GAIA, EACH x OTHER, BAN.DO, TATA HARPER or ROCHAS.

My look: Leopard-print jumpsuit with peplum detail by Stella McCartney, Ark small acrylic clutch by Cult Gaia, patent-leather pumps by Miu Miu, and tasseled clip-on earrings by Oscar de la Renta, rose diamond necklace and rose diamond ring, both by Piaget, cuff by Chanel, and «So Real» sunglasses by Dior.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Globus and © Sandra Bauknecht
#GlobusLovesFredSegal

After Patrick Starrr’s floral madness last spring, it is time to pack your bags for Destination Diva with his newest fall collection with M·A·C! Enjoy first-class colour as you jet-set away with sultry, smoky eye palettes and two très chic hues of Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour.

This collection is for the Ultimate Diva and will make anyone feel like the Primo Donna they were meant to be.

PATRICKSTARRR / Oh No She Beta Don’t Kit
Ultimate Diva Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour: cool nude
Sugah Mama / Eye Shadow x 4
Sugah Stick: soft caramel
Deception: cool medium brown
First Class: blackened brown
Damn She Olive: deep blackened olive
CHF 59.00

PATRICKSTARRR / Boy About Town Kit
Pattypout Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour: deep burgundy
Overpacked / Eye Shadow x 4
Primo Donna: golden bronze
Head Over Heels: mid-tone warm brown
Dance in the Dark: deep blackened brown
I’m Into It: dark red brown
CHF 59.00

This beautiful limited edition sets are exclusively available online now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics 
#MACPATRICKSTARRR @patrickstarrr @maccosmetics