Sandra‘s Closet

It is always a pleasure to be invited by Montblanc to one of their special events. This summer, it was Florence calling for the launch of the new 1926 Montblanc Heritage Collection which takes its inspiration from safari travel and exploration.

With this beautiful vegetable-tanned leather collection that is finished with vintage gold hardware for the modern adventurer, Montblanc continues their story of innovation.
So gentlemen, whether you plan an excursion to the sandy dunes of Sahara or a safari to the plains of East Africa, this line is for you.

If you are rather an urban nomad, you will love those 1926 Montblanc Heritage piece as well as they offer an extremely chic and stylish way to carry personal items or technology around the city.

Ladies adventurers: Divine Bonga, PR Montblanc, and my humble self, exploring the launch event.

I am absolutely convinced that many ladies will fall for its vintage feel and the earthy, easy to combine desert hues, too. At the latest, when they spot the bright red printed lining that is inspired by the vibrant fabrics worn by the regal Maasai tribe.

Dubbed the Heritage 1926 collection in recognition of the year Montblanc added leather goods to its business with a small collection of pen cases, the new range features backpacks of different sizes, portfolios, document holders and brief cases, as well as a mid-size weekender and some fine stationery.

Hugh Jackman with me

The launch party took place at Europe’s largest private garden. Italian hospitality at its best with great music, fine food, beautiful displays to create a whole world around the new collection and a special guest that is a true adventurer: Montblanc ambassador Hugh Jackman who had flown in for this special occasion.

An Italian worker explaining how the tanning process of the leather works.

Montblanc’s Creative Director, Zaim Kamal explained to me that for the first time, Montblanc has been using traditional Tuscan vegetable-tanned leather that will take on a patina with age. An early trend for next summer has been spotted at Pitti Uomo, the biannual menswear and accessories trade fair in Florence: Seventies-style bohemianism that plays exactly with that vintage feel that makes the products genuinely personal.

At Montblanc’s manufacture in Tuscany where the leather goods are produced.

The morning after the launch party, I visited the Montblanc manufacture in Tuscany and saw with my own eyes the leather craftsmanship that goes into each of those pieces. I was extremely impressed by the different steps that have to be applied in order to achieve the antique gold color finishing of the metal fittings or the bridge and clasp closing systems.

I am sure that the new 1926 Montblanc Heritage Collection will be a full success among all gentlemen and ladies adventurers. Below you can enjoy some more of my impressions of this fantastic event in Florence …

LoL, Sandra

At the launch event in Florence dressed in Gucci.

The evening started with a cocktail reception in the largest private garden in Europe.

Every little detail was perfect.

Mr Hugh Jackman had fun as we did!

On our way inside the tent where dinner was served, we felt like adventurers on a safari.

You could feel the mood behind the collection perfectly.

Seated dinner

Beautiful ambiance

Pieces from the 1926 Montblanc Heritage Collection on display.

Photos in Collage/Still: © Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Montblanc
All other photos from the event: © Sandra Bauknecht

Hot off the runway, these glitter must-haves are the absolute cult boots this season!

Saint Laurent‘s latest Creative Director, Anthony Vaccarello, created those slouchy, knee-high boots covered in sparkle, that catch the light in all the right ways and grounded most of the looks on the fashion house’s F/W 2017 runway.

Like a disco ball for your feet, the ultimate show-stopper, they have been handcrafted in Italy and encrusted with 3000 Swarovski crystals that cover even the signature cone heel. Needless to say, they’ve taken over social media since they first appeared and dominated many Instagram feeds.

TO SHOP THE NIKI CRYSTAL-EMBELLISHED BOOTS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.
Hurry up, despite their expensive price tag, they are selling out like crazy…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Vogue.com and Saint Laurent

Cherish the last days of summer, soon it will be time for tights and knitwear again, which of course can be fun as well. Stripes are still trending, make sure you are not putting those away. This is your first step to great fall style.

My look: Belted suede jacket by Gucci, striped knit top and matching striped skirt, both by Salvatore Ferragamo, metallic-trimmed leather clutch and Paris ankle boots, both by Saint Laurent, leather and suede waist belt by Balmain and floral sunglasses by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Around 5 years ago, I had the chance to meet and interview perfume genius ​Serge Lutens (for the previous post click here please). He is a true gentleman, an inspiring soul, a very special human being with an aura that captures you in an instant.

For the launch of the House’s newest scent, DENT DE LAIT (milk tooth – think about it who in the world but Serge Lutens would name a perfume like this – you must already love him), which joins the Collection Noire, Serge Lutens wrote a poem-like story as he usually does.

The fragrance, inspired by childhood, includes notes of milk, metallic notes, incense, heliotrope and almond. And now I invite you to indulge in his words…

DENT DE LAIT

«The leather of my wristwatch encircles my left wrist. In the centre of the watch face turn two hands, an integral part of the mechanism, one indicating the hours and the longer one the minutes. They demonstrate the existence of time, a concept as elusive as God. Each day I descend a little further into it. But a child appears in my deepest slumber, asking me to go to take a look. What does it want me to see?

Myself as a pupil in the playground, back against the wall, alarmed at my fear provoked by the violence I saw in others? It was the age when you were supposed to be able to distinguish between Good and Evil. To recognise the male and the female in these faces. To know your friends from your enemies. The onset of a danger when, panicked, you see abandoned sections of the dental arch.

I am knocked off kilter by the incisors, canines, molars and premolars on the roof of my mouth, each loosened in turn by the bottom teeth growing out of the sockets.
By dint of explanation, I manage to live with it.

Now weary of the tongue’s games which have for weeks on end been loosening its tooth, a young wolf is anxious to move on from milk to blood. If to one end of a thread, at least two meters long, he ties the wobbly tooth and attaches the other end to a door handle, this is not merely to wait for the wind to swing the door, but through this text to release him from his childhood alienations. The nails of the middle finger and thumb now embed the tooth. Persistent suction on the cavernous empty space evacuates the “bad”. What will become of the relic?

At best, after a night under the pillow, it will become a coin or a wrapped sweet…
or, we might find it so beautiful that we attach it to a chain to carry it with us. I have loved you for so long I will never forget you.
The youth, still innocent, must tear himself away from the calming, albeit tenacious, comfort of these years. He has for many years been gagged by that which must not be said. Now he wants to find his voice. There may be 42 faces of the Quran, but only one will prevail: be it the genius or the madman, the dictator or the sage, in each of them, he will find himself again.»

Serge Lutens

Black collection
Dent de Lait 100 ml ($230/€180/CHF225)
Available now at the Palais Royal – Serge Lutens and on www.sergelutens.com.
From September 2017, in selective perfumeries and department stores.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Serge Lutens and © Sandra Bauknecht

With just enough room for your phone, keys and cards, mini bags are a fuss-free day-to-night option. Perfect for traveling light, these compact bags are just as stylish as their regular and oversized versions. From shoulder bags to cross-body, clutch and tote styles, mini bags come in a range of colorways and designs.

Look out for Givenchy‘s Antigona, Dolce & Gabbana‘s Sicily, Fendi‘s Peekaboo, Stella McCartney‘s Falabella and many more, for scaled-down versions of iconic bags.

Trend alert! Wear two or three at a time! Below are some of the best options to choose from.

LoL, Sandra

The Falabella tiny faux brushed-leather shoulder bag by Stella McCartney

Galleria Baby textured-leather tote by Prada

Peekaboo mini whipstitched leather shoulder bag by Fendi

Lock small leather shoulder bag by Valentino

Sac De Jour Nano textured-leather tote by Saint Laurent

Antigona Mini leather shoulder bag by Givenchy

Sylvie mini chain-embellished leather shoulder bag by Gucci

The Marcie mini textured-leather shoulder bag by Chloé

Sicily small embellished textured-leather tote by Dolce & Gabbana

Paloma nano spiked matte and patent-leather tote by Christian Louboutin

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, via Pinterest, Fashionjunkiie, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar

Last Saturday, I drove back from my detox week in Baden-Baden to arrive punctually for Street Parade in Zurich. Time to retox…! I always love to enjoy the most attended technoparade in Europe in the safe surroundings of the beautiful garden of the Hotel Baur au Lac.

My look: Embellished striped wool and linen-blend and leather bomber jacket, Candy embellished suede and leather platform sandals and metallic patchwork camera bag, all by Saint Laurent, Cayleigh flared-sleeve cutout jumpsuit by Hervé Léger, «Blow in Case of Fashion Emergency» necklace by Chanel and round sunglasses with hearts by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos Streetparade at Baur au Lac: © David Biedert Photography
All other pictures: © Sandra Bauknecht

My avid reader know how much I love Sisley‘s So Intense Mascara. But I have to admit, it has gotten competition.

«Brazen. Bold. Bad, bad, bad.» A new way to give your lashes the attention they deserve thanks to M∙A∙C Bold & Bad Lash. This revolutionary mascara is the ultimate product to create a 360-degree lash look from top to bottom. The dual-chamber package contains a brush for upper lashes, a brush for lower lashes AND different formulas in each. The larger brush delivers customized volume to the top, while the smaller brush creates smudge-proof definition to the bottom. Start a lash revolution!

Available online and in stores now for CHF 31.00!
LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics
@MACCosmetics #MACBoldnBAD #MACCosmetics

Dolce & Gabbana‘s new Ortensia Collection for Pre-fall 2017 evokes an English garden in Sicily, with hydrangea petals in varying colors that come to life on beautiful dresses and accessories. I have fallen in love with the print immediately.

Looking for the perfect background to photograph this look, I came across the Meggenhorn Castle near Lucerne. Built in 1868/70, it is surrounded by vine yards and has Switzerland’s largest hydrangea collection that is open to the public throughout the entire year. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance and absolutely worth the visit. Also a great spot to get married.

My look: Hydrangea-print sleeveless cotton-poplin dress and floral sunglasses, both by Dolce & Gabbana, emerald green satin mules and Shopper Bistrot Panier S straw tote, both by Balenciaga and choker with evil eye symbol by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

«Everyone deserves a bit of glamour.» – Jonathan Adler

Your summer is about to get a whole lot brighter, thanks to CLINIQUE’s new limited-edition collection with interior designer Jonathan Adler. The just-launched Clinique x Jonathan Adler Collection includes many of Clinique’s best-selling makeup products (including its Lip Pops, Lid Pops and Cheek Pops), in a rainbow of bold, vibrant hues and captures the jet-set glam of his favorite seaside destinations: Palm Beach, Capri, Santorini.

Who is Jonathan Adler?

Born in 1966, Jonathan Adler is an American potter, designer, and author who launched his first ceramic collection in 1993 at Barneys New York. Five years later he expanded into home furnishings, opening his first namesake boutique in Soho, Manhattan. He now has 30 stores and runs an eponymous design business. Adler lives and works in New York City together with his partner Simon Doonan, Barney’s Creative Director Ambassador at Large .

Enjoy this little talk with Jonathan Adler about the collection he created in collaboration with Clinique.

What inspired this collection?
Jet-set glamour. I always think about iconic destinations. Places where women look like their most glamorous selves. I wanted to capture that in makeup. I thought about diving into the Aegean Sea, and being in fabulous places: Palm Beach, Florida. Capri, Italy. Santorini, Greece.

How would you describe your design style?
I call my style modern American glamour. I always try to keep things fresh and new and modern. One of the lines in my manifesto is “We believe in irreverent luxury” and that captures a lot of what I’m about.

What do interior design and makeup have in common?
Good design has the power to transform your mood, like a big squishy sofa you plop into. Makeup is like that, too. It can transform a woman’s day.

What does Clinique mean to you?
Clinique is a classic, iconic brand. It’s always been in my life. I grew up with it in my mother’s and sister’s cabinets. That’s why I was so thrilled when this collaboration came about. My brand is very similar. We’re both about being classic, chic and refreshing.

If this collection had emotions, how would it feel?
It feels fresh! It feels like a trip to Capri. It feels like jumping into the Mediterranean Sea.

What do you love most about this collection?
This collection shows that tiny treasures can bring big pleasures. It’s very chic, very classic, very Clinique. I hope everyone enjoys using it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Thank you, Mr Adler, for giving us your insider scoop on this beautiful collection!

TO SHOP THE CLINIQUE x JONATHAN ADLER COLLECTION, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Clinique, © Jonathan Adler and © Sandra Bauknecht

A zipped clutch with a minimal and modern twist, this is the new T pouch by Loewe that makes the big difference as all eyes are on the fun slogan «See u later». Together with some of my other favorite things at the moment I had a lot of fun exploring the gadgets Villa Stéphanie in Baden-Baden offers to their guests.

My look: Knit coat with golden flip-lock closures by Altuzarra, bow-embellished cotton Oxford and poplin shirt by Jacquemus, Rockabilly cropped jeans by Balenciaga, T printed textured-leather pouch by Loewe, Amstel fur clogs and crystal-embellished sunglasses, both by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht