Sandra‘s Closet

Yesterday, Dolce & Gabbana showed their S/S 2017 haute couture «Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria» show at the Tokyo National Museum in Japan. It is cherry blossom, so-called sakura season at the moment and who has ever been during that time to Tokyo knows how beautiful it is to see this national icon of the Asian country. I have been there many years ago and love to indulge in those memories of pink petals plastering the streets.

Of course, there was an in-bloom cherry tree on the runway when the designer duo presented their almost 100 looks for both, men and women, to an audience of mostly local clients and other guests from all over the world.

Contrary to other shows that Dolce & Gabbana hosted, the models came mostly from Japan, a way of showing respect, which is the backbone of this Asian culture. After the show, the designers shook hands with their guests, another important gesture as for the Japanese, every person has a role to play towards the collective. It is always about «we», never about «me».

The collection was of course very much inspired by Japan, beautifully embellished and embroidered, something Dolce & Gabbana stands for. There were headpieces designed as branches of a cherry blossom tree or hand-painted floral motifs on lace. Just beautiful – have a look at the video below where you can get a great impression of this Italian artwork in Japan!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana, © Luke Leitch / Vogue

Are you still in preparation setting your Easter decoration? The hunt is over! These charming centerpieces and table settings will get your celebration hopping.

From blooming hydrangeas to delicate porcelain plates in cheery colors, all call for equally decorative ear-candy. And while the little ones run around hunting for treasures in the lawn, you may as well relish in the juvenile delight, too, by sitting back and enjoying the touch of spring you have brought to the table.

LoL, Sandra

Straight from the Garden
If your lilacs are still blooming, combine them with some pastel-coloured easter eggs.

Vintage Tea Tins
Using old tea tins can give your decoration such an interesting vintage twist. Make an eclectic group of bouquets to decorate your holiday table.

Twine Vase
Upgrade your empty glass vases or just a plain jar with twine to add a romantic touch to your Easter table.

Photo Vase
The secret to this stunning arrangement? A vase hidden within a vase. Give your clear vases a personal touch by attaching photos of your loved ones with clothespins.

Simple Bud Vases
My favorite flowers in my favorite vases. A simple thing that does the trick, just arrange some single peonies in bud vases down the length of the table.

Easy Easter Centerpiece
For the easiest DIY centerpiece of all time, use twine to wrap a doily around a Mason jar, and fill with tulips. Add some lemons for the ultimate color kick.

Daffodils and Easter Eggs
The low budget version that will leave your guests amazed. A single daffodil on the napkin for each guest adds a beautiful touch to hosting an Easter brunch.

Carrot Centerpiece
Full of vitamins and energy, those carrot centerpieces are absolutely adorable and easy to achieve.

Egg Crate Centerpiece
Hollowed out egg shells become tiny bud vases in this crafty centerpiece.

Photos: Via Country Living, Vogue, © Sandra Bauknecht

This Monday, I had the great honor as guest of Lindt to watch two world-class tennis players, Andy Murray and Roger Federer, competing against each other in the charity Match for Africa 3 at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, raising CHF 1.4 million for the Roger Federer Foundation.

Roger Federer with me before the match last Monday.

“I believe in the power of people. We know that a good education is a decisive factor to empower children by allowing them to take their future into their own hands,” said Roger Federer, who will play a fourth Match for Africa against John Isner on April 29 in Seattle, WA. “With my foundation, we want to provide one million children with the opportunity for a quality education by the end of 2018.”

Donations can be made online at match-for-africa.com.

My tennis-inspired look: Twill bomber jacket, matching jersey-trimmed pleated twill mini dress and silk twill scarf with pendant, all by Gucci, suede overknee boots by Roberto Cavalli, Betty Medium Chain leather shoulder bag by Saint Laurent and mirrored sunglasses by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For her S/S 2017 Fenty x Puma collection, Rihanna imagined what Marie Antoinette would wear to the gym. I mean it is bad news for the late queen that it took 223 years until someone finally made her a collection of sport clothes. Good news is that the collection is so stunning that it was definitely worth the wait and that we are happy to enjoy it now!

Last fall, Bad Gal Riri made her Paris Fashion Week debut with satin corsets, lace fans, sweatshirts and pearls, lace do-rags and just about everything else you could imagine the infamous Marie Antoinette wearing while working out. Royal athleisure it was!

Olive-hued, satin-bow slides

Her absolute know-how can be seen in the footwear that still manages to sell out at every drop as those olive-hued, satin-bow slides that debuted earlier this month.

Satin sneaker

Now, more Marie Antoinette-inspired Fenty x Puma will be coming soon afterwards, with more arrivals expected to drop on a monthly basis until June, starting on April 15, 2017.

TO SHOP FENTY X PUMA BY RIHANNA ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

Get ’em while they’re hot (and in stock)!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Fenty x Puma by Rihanna

This morning while I was working on another post, I got an e-mail from Louis Vuitton that made my heart leap with joy and that I wanted to share with you immediately. The French Maison is collaborating with Jeff Koons for a collection called «Masters» for which the famous American pop artist remixes the iconic artworks of the old masters and presents them in a way that encourages new interpretations.

Balloon Dog (Orange) © Jeff Koons
signed and dated ‘Jeff Koons 1994-2000’ (on the underside) , mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating , 121 x 143 x 45 in. (307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm)
Executed in 1994-2000. This work is one of five unique versions (Blue, Magenta, Orange, Red, Yellow).

With Jeff Koons in New York City in 2013 for the Balloon Venus launch event with Dom Pérignon.

Since Marc Jacobs enlisted Stephen Sprouse to create the now-iconic graffiti range in 2001, Louis Vuitton has led the way in the fashion/art collaboration stakes. Koons, whose Balloon Dog (Orange) holds the record for the most expensive art work by a living artist after it sold for $58.4 million at Christie’s New York in November 2013, follows in the footsteps of Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Daniel Buren and Damien Hirst by partnering with Louis Vuitton.

Gazing Ball (Ariadne), 2013, Plaster and Glass
112.6 x 238.4 x 93cm, Edition no. 3/3
Monsoon Art Collection, © Jeff Koons

For his collaboration with Louis Vuitton, Koons seeked inspiration from his Gazing Ball series that he started in 2013 as a series of plaster reproductions of famous ancient sculptures, each one set with a blue mirrored sphere. It’s these hand-painted Old Master reproductions that appear on the limited-edition Masters range of iconic Louis Vuitton handbags as well, from Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Titian’s Mars, Venus and Cupid, Fragonard’s Girl with a Dog, Van Gogh’s Wheat Fields and Cypresses to Rubens’ Tiger Hunt.

The beautiful interior of the Rubens Palm Springs backpack (more photos below…)

The name of each original artist is emblazoned across the front, and their biography and portrait are featured inside. Absolutely new for Louis Vuitton is that a collaborator features his own initials on the bags. A sign for the importance of his status.

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Fragonard Speedy 30

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Titian Neverfull MM

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Da Vinci Speedy 30 in Poppy

Fans of Koons’ Inflatables series get their money’s worth; each piece is finished with a leather tag in the shape of the inflatable rabbit that Koons famously cast in polished stainless steel in 1986.

My personal three favorites are:

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Rubens Palm Springs Backpack

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Rubens Keepall 50

Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters Collection
Van Gogh Montaigne MM

The Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Masters collection will be available from April 28 in stores and at louisvuitton.com. Below you can enjoy the beautiful teaser.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton, © Jeff Koons, © Sandra Bauknecht, Louis Vuitton Malletier/Melanie & Ramon

Last week, I had the chance to preview the upcoming H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection 2017 at the new showroom in Zurich which is a dream by the way. The Swedish fashion house knows how to amaze us when it comes to affordable fashion, but it’s the work the brand is doing with its latest sustainable line that will blow you away.

Natalia Vodianova is the face of the campaign and looks absolutely divine in my favorite dress of the collection: a dreamy, blush-pink gown that seems to float on air, made of the new material BIONIC® – a recycled polyester made from recovered plastic from shorelines, waterways and coastal communities.

It is the very same plastic that is constantly polluting our beach ecosystems that is used throughout the newest Conscious lineup. Have a look at the video at the end of this post explaining the new material further.

Launching in stores and online April 20, you can enjoy here the mind-blowing preview of the future of fashion.

The full assortment will also include of men’s and kids’ clothes and accessories as well for the first time a fragrance.

LoL, Sandra

My favorite dress on display in the Zurich showroom…

… along with more beautiful pieces from the collection.

Those tulle dresses are also absolutely beautiful.

Photos: Courtesy of © H&M and © Sandra Bauknecht

For twenty-five years, the absolute glamour of the iconic MUGLER fragrance ANGEL has captivated the senses into a unique olfactory vortex.

Nicolas Cloiseau, Creative Director of La Maison du Chocolat, has captured the deliciously surprising notes of this fragrance, blending bergamot, red fruits, praline, vanilla and patchouli, and interpreted its three accords to create three rare chocolates, vibrating with the legendary Angel notes.

CELESTIAL – First tasting note, top note.
A delicate fruit paste with a crisp acidulous attack of moist mandarin, followed by the citrus notes of elegant bergamot with lemon zest, gently tempered by a milk chocolate ganache.

DELICIOUS – Middle tasting note, heart note.
Nostalgic vanilla cotton candy with red fruits and slivers of moist cranberries rev up the delicate layer of praliné with notes of biscuits and nuts enrobed in a layer of dark chocolate.

VOLUPTUOUS – Final tasting note, base note.
An intense patchouli attack with woody and vanilla notes, almost smoky, in a warm sensual dark chocolate ganache with notes of honey and vanilla bourbon.

STAR – A nod to Angel…
A star with chocolate from Madagascar featuring acidulous notes of red fruits on the palate then notes of nuts persist.

Shelf-life: 10 to 26 days. Available to order from April 24, 2017 here.

For all Angel lovers, I recommend to also get the new ANGEL Eau Sucrée Limited Edition 2017, created by perfumer Dorothee Piot, that was first presented in 2014 and which is now back for a few summer months.

“ANGEL EAU SUCRÉE is an ode to sweet indulgence. Sensual and mischievous, EAU SUCRÉE concentrates the aromas of confectionery treats in a swirl of tangy freshness and tantalizingly sweet indulgence. The sugar-coated star glitters with the promise of tangy, decadent delight. “

ORIENTAL VANILLA
Top notes: Red Berries
Middle note: Meringue
Base notes: Patchouli and Vanilla

This year’s bottle is coated in a slightly shimmering cobalt blue glaze. The box is decorated with blue and silver stripes, inspired by the codes of traditional confections.

The limited edition Eau de Toilette is in stores now for CHF 69.00 (50ml, not refillable).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mugler and La Maison du Chocolat

Today I would like to introduce you to the ROSE COLOGNE COLLECTION –  three new fragrance expressions inspired by AERIN LAUDER‘s favorite flower. Those light and luxurious scents are perfect for every occasion and mood. I am already addicted to all three. Even that they are colognes, they last extremely well due to their distinguished ingredients and are great to be sprayed on your clothes, linens, and in a room. A lovely Easter gift for a loved one!

“I love long walks on the beach. The roses in my East Hampton garden seem to bloom effortlessly surrounded by the natural beauty of the dunes, water and sky.”
— Aerin Lauder

LINEN ROSE Eau de Cologne

A floral amber rose fragrance that evokes the joy of a relaxed, casual day at the beach, with cool white linen sundresses and sun-kissed roses. Its modern, effortless and free-spirited scent captures the pure simplicity of a rose touched by the salty-cool ocean breezes, open to the sea, sand and sky.

The energizing rush of sundrenched top notes scatter Orange Flower petals among Lemon Leaves to create a vivid burst of freshness. They flow through the enveloping warmth of the rose-filled heart of the fragrance: White Bulgarian Rose, exotic Ylang Ylang, refreshing Coconut Water, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Bulgarian Rose Oil and Rose Bouton. Like the sun upon the sand and sea, a golden glow emerges in the final notes of Vanilla and Amber. Sun-bleached Vetiver adds the final modern note of depth and refinement.

“In Asian gardens, serenity and sensuality balance each other. The roses are cultivated to bring out their seductive fragrance and the peaceful atmosphere is like a quiet meditation on beauty. ”
— Aerin Lauder

BAMBOO ROSE Eau de Cologne

A green floral rose scent blend that brings to mind the formal beauty and artful simplicity of an Asian garden. A scent that draws you irresistibly on as you follow the trail of roses deeper and deeper into the garden.

A refreshing top note of Sicilian Bergamot and Mandarin Blossom fuse effortlessly with dewy Green Leaves for an impression of delicate, elusive femininity. A profusion of White Bulgarian Rose, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Rose Infusion and Rose Centifolia is enhanced by the cool allure of Jasmine Petals. The final shimmering touch is a hint of Pink Pepper, Amber and Musk.

“There’s something so natural and free about the fragrance of an English garden rose. The exhilarating scent comes from its strength as much as its beauty. It’s like a rush of energy.”
— Aerin Lauder

GARDEN ROSE Eau de Cologne

This scent takes you into the English countryside, filled with the irrepressible scent of wild roses. Lively, lush and free spirited.

This fresh floral rose scent opens with the natural green notes of Geranium wrapped around the fresh floralcy of Rose Bouton Sauvage. Like a bud opening, the heart of the fragrance unfolds to reveal the uninhibited splendor and depth of White Bulgarian Rose, the rich, full-bodied Rose Bulgare and lush Rose Centifolia. Together, they capture the irresistible spirit of the English garden rose, blooming boldly in the sun, enhanced with the smooth warmth of Sandalwood and Amber and softened by Musk.

The Aerin Rose Cologne Collection is now in stores for CHF 200.00 (200ml) each. In Switzerland exclusively at Globus and esteelauder.ch.

TO SHOP THE NEW AERIN ROSE COLOGNE COLLECTION ONLINE WORLDWIDE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Aerin Lauder

Yesterday evening, I attended the long awaited opening of SEPHORA in Zurich as a shop-in-shop concept at Manor located at Bahnofstrasse 75.

Craziness a few seconds after the doors opened at Sephora Zurich.

Here are some facts:
Selling Space: 65 m² (small, but filled with great stuff)

Staff: 10 sales associates and one shop manager

Question: which Becca highlighter should I get…

Exclusive brands: Made In Sephora, Too Faced, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs,
Becca, Dr.Jart+, Tony Moly, Caolion, Skinfood, Too Cool for School

Other brands available: Nars, Benefit Make Up and Benefit Skincare

Services: Sephora Make Up Bar and Benefit Brow Bar
Thanks to Click & Collect at manor.ch/sephora customers can order all their favorite products online and get them delivered to their preferred  Manor department store in Switzerland.

A goody bag filled with so many amazing products… thank you, Sephora!

Founded in 1969, Sephora is today part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and present in 32 countries worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

With lovely Myriam Françoise at the opening yesterday.

Photos: © David Biedert Photography, © Andrea Monica Hug and © Sandra Bauknecht

When it comes to fashion, I am a Gucci lover at the moment! I absolutely adore the vibrant embellishments and playful juxtapositions. Blind for love – all said!

My look: Appliquéd denim jacket by Gucci, ruffled lace maxi dress by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, cloquet nappa leather bag Swarovski crystals and butterfly necklace with Swarovski stones and pearls, both by Miu Miu and stretch-knit ankle boots by Fendi.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht