Sandra‘s Closet

Now, that we just got our fingers on the highly anticipated Prabal Gurung collection for MAC Cosmetics, we have something else to look forward to: Giambattista Valli is the next designer to collaborate with the beauty brand. To celebrate the French fashion house’s 10th anniversary, Valli is bringing his signature florals to a limited edition lipstick collection.

The lineup features five shades, that are done with a matte finish and encased in a colourful version of MAC’s traditional black bullet tube. The collection will launch in stores worldwide in Summer 2015. OMG!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

This is my daily mantra: I try to go with all my heart wherever I go. Putting effort and passion into my daily work is absolutely rewarding for me. Here you see me recently in a jovial mood on my way to interview Tommy Hilfiger who was in town for the Zurich Film Festival. He adored my cape (one of the biggest F/W 2014 trends) and looked at it with an expert eye. Stay tuned for some amazing travel tips on Capri he shared with me.

My look: Hooded crocheted wool-blend cape, sequin-embellished metallic tweed mini dress and ‘Babies’ mid-calf boots in silver, all by Saint Laurent, Cara Delevingne studded leather backpack by Mulberry, (for more infos on the Cara Delevingne x Mulberry bag collection, please click here), diamond ring by Vainard Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

Tommy Hilfiger with me

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Mads Kornerup is the mastermind behind Shamballa Jewels. The Creative Director of the Danish brand creates jewelry that encourages you to find your inner Shamballa – the mythical Himalayan kingdom of wisdom and compassion. Worn by celebrities such as Karl Lagerfeld, Jennifer Aniston and Leonardo di Caprio, those exclusive pieces are reminiscent of places near and far, of spiritual stories ancient and new, Shamballa jewels are designed to trigger curiosity and inspire conversation. I met Mads last week in Zurich for the opening celebration of his first store in Switzerland on Bahnhoftstrasse 25 in collaboration with La Serlas.
(Shamballa Jewels are also available at TROIS POMMES Store, VIA SERLAS 29, 7500 St. Moritz and Palacestrasse 1, 7800 Gstaad.)

Your favourite city?
COPENHAGEN. I live here. It has all the comfort of a big city and also the charm of a small village with beautiful lakes and buildings. It is a very safe city to raise my children in.

Your favourite hotel?
D’ANGLETERRE HOTEL in the center of Copenhagen. It has is a beautiful building with a great deal of history. It is the oldest and finest grand hotel in Copenhagen.
34, Kongens Nytorv, 1050 København K, +45 33 12 00 95

Your favourite restaurant?
CAFE VICTOR – one of Copenhagen’s oldest cafes. I eat lunch there twice a week, great vibe and great meeting point for all copenhageners. RESTAURANT GEIST for fine food when you can’t get a reservation at NOMA. RESTAURANT PLUTO for casual meals. They have a cosy concept of small plates that can be shared by the whole table.
Café Victor, Ny Østergade 8, 1101 København K, +45 33 13 36 13
Restaurant Geist, Kongens Nytorv 8, 1050 København, +45 33 13 37 13
Restaurant Noma, Strandgade 93, 1401 København K, +45 32 96 32 97
Restaurant Pluto, Borgergade 16, 1300 København K, +45 3316 0016

Your favourite bar or nightclub?
RUBY COCKTAIL BAR on Nybrogade. They have the best cocktails in Copenhagen.
Nybrogade 10, 1203 København K, +45 33 93 12 03

Your favourite sightseeing spot?
The PARLIAMENT (FOLKETINGET). It houses the Royal Stables as well.
Rigsdagsgården, 1240 København K, +45 33 37 55 00

Your favourite park?
KING’S GARDEN. It is a beautifully planned park with an view of the imposing Rosemborg castle. I love walking there and cycle through the park on my way to work .
Øster Voldgade 4 1350 København K, ++45 33 92 63 00

Your favourite beach?
TISVILDE BEACH in North Copenhagen. We have our summer house there and spend lots of time on the beach. The beaches are clean and not too many tourists.

Your favourite shop?
SHAMBALLA JEWELS! But of course. The flagship store has been a long dream and we have an amazing space unlike any other jewellery store.
Ny Østergade 7, 1101 København, +45 33 36 59 59

Your must-have accessory?
The SHAMBALLA BRACELET. One of the most iconic designs to have come out of Denmark.

The best soundtrack for this destination?
Any music by LUKAS GRAHAM. He captures the young, new soul of Copenhagen perfectly.

The best book to read while being on vacation there?
SHAMBHALA – THE SACRED PATH OF THE WARRIOR by Chogyam Thrungpa. Copenhagen is an idyllic city that offers space for reflection and this book is a beautiful study in the search for inner and outer peace.

Thank you, Mads, for sharing your insider scoop on Copenhagen with us!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Mads Kornerup, Shamballa Jewels, © Morton Bjarnhof and © Sandra Bauknecht

One of my favorite designers is Alessandra Rich. Her take on evening wear is exceptional. This season, she launched a limited edition capsule collection with Net-à-porter of western style dresses. Those 70’s-inspired pieces are the perfect contemporary approach to the next season’s trend. Howdy!

My look: Chambray and lace maxi dress by Alessandra Rich, Janis leather platform pumps with chains and Betty chain red leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, western necklace by Chanel (Paris-Dallas collection), diamond ring by Vainard Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Each year EVIAN releases a new collectible water bottle in time for the holiday season and this time the famous brand has teamed up with no other than the house of KENZO to create a one-of-a kind design.

Previous collaborations (from right to left): Christian Lacroix (2008), Jean Paul Gaultier (2009), Paul Smith (2010), Issey Miyake (2011), Courrèges (2012), Diane von Furstenberg (2013), Elie Saab (2014) and now Kenzo (2015).

Kenzo F/W 2014 ad campaign

KENZO’s Creative Directors, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, were influenced for their F/W 2014 collection for both men and women by the work of artist and director David Lynch and it is in this vein that the bottle’s motif features a broken floor pattern, toying with the idea of shifting the elements. Offering a magnifying glass effect when full, the bottle’s purple fragmented pattern is penetrated by a sole lime zig-zag, giving the holder a distorted and skewed view of its ultra-pure contents.

The Evian + Kenzo Limited Edition Collector’s Bottle is available for CHF 3.50 at Globus and Manor in Switzerland while supplies last. Great news is that five of my Swiss readers can win such a collector’s bottle.

To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Evian + Kenzo” to . All entries must be received until December 5, 2014. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules. The winner has to have a Swiss address.

Stay tuned for many more raffles to follow during the next 24 days until X-mas.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Evian and Kenzo

Happy first Sunday in Advent, my dear readers! While you are hopefully enjoying a cozy day at home or with friends, I am on my way to Salzburg with CHANEL to attend the French house’s extravagant Métiers d’Art show. I shared with you the first visuals a few days ago and you might imagine my excitement to be invited. Seeing Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams in those amazing outfits just got my imagination going how amazing the collection will be.

On December 1, the movie Reincarnation will be revealed during a dinner party and on December 2, the show will take place at 10.30 am at Schloss Leopoldskron, an 18th-century lakeside rococo palace. Follow me on instagram @sandrascloset for live updates. But Karl Lagerfeld isn’t the only one who looked to Austria for inspiration – Tyrolean references have shown up at previous collections from the likes of Givenchy, Emilio Pucci, Olympia Le-Tan, and more. See the trend’s full evolution below.

According to Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel derived her original inspiration for the Little Black Jacket from the Tyrolean uniform she spotted on a bellhop at Schloss Mittersill, a castle-cum-hotel in Salzburg, Austria.

Rock ‘n’ Tyrol at the recent Givenchy S/S 2015 show during Paris Fashion Week.

For Emilio Pucci’s F/W 2011 offering, Peter Dundas channeled Tyrolean folklore and two Austrian beauties: Romy Schneider (specifically her turn in Sissi) and the nation’s opulent palaces.

My look: Pucci Goes Wies’n

My look: Tyrolean Love

The aforementioned Romy Schneider in Sissi, a 1955 film based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri‘s darling take on Hansel & Gretel for Red Valentino’s F/W 2013 offering.

Milliner extraordinaire Stephen Jones whipped up this Tyrolean topper for John Galliano‘s F/W 2003 spectacular.

My look: Dirndl Time

Delicate alpine flowers scattered across a frock at Valentino’s F/W 2012 show.

These are a few of our favorite things: a luxe take on lederhosen, as spotted in the lookbook for Olympia Le-Tan’s F/W 2013 Schnitzel With Noodles collection.

Hello, cowgirl in the sand. Or, in this case, the Alps. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana went north for inspiration for their F/W 2002 D&G secondary line and came back with a Tyrolean-themed collection—just the thing for a sexy, young Heidi with a great figure and a good sense of humor.

My look: Greetings from Kitzbuehel in Austria

Whether you’re taking the Givenchy route or going full-on alpine, this trend is surely on the rise.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue and Style.com, Alessandro Garofalo / Indigitalimages.com, Michele Morosi / Gorunway.com, Monica Feudi / Feudiguaineri.com; Gianni Pucci / GoRunway.com, Mondadori Portfolio, Don Ashby, Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com, Courtesy of Red Valentino and © Sandra Bauknecht

OMG! This week had been so busy, that I have almost forgotten a very special day. On November 23, five years ago, the probably biggest adventure of my life has started, I published my first post and Sandra’s Closet was born. I am so grateful for all the amazing things that have happened since then. I travelled to the most distinguished places, met many celebrities and fashion designers (click here to see most of them) and appeared in many publications (check out the press section here).

Below I put together some of my personal highlights over the last five years:

Being the face of the Closed F/W 2011 campaign.

Walking a runway show during New York Fashion Week F/W 2012.

I designed this limited edition “Zurich” tee in collaboration with Closed.

The launch of Sandra Berry, my very own bespoke limited edition ink by Montblanc.

I went with Montblanc for the ultimate Oscar experience to Los Angeles in February 2013.

I became the ambassador for Piaget.

Being at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles with Piaget was an amazing experience.

In August 2013, we shot a fun social media campaign with MCM in Berlin to celebrate the limited edition collection: Craig & Karl – EYES ON THE HORIZON.

I hosted a fun event with MCM to celebrate the launch of their new backpacks in November 2013 in Zurich.

In December 2013, I hosted the Goldenized event at Patrizia Pepe‘s Zurich store.

Before becoming the editor in chief of L’Officiel Switzerland, I had for three years, from 2011-2014, a monthly column in SI Style magazine.

Being invited by Omega for a dinner with George Clooney in Shanghai in May 2014 (post coming up soon).

Hosting a lunch with IWC and star guest top model Karolina Kurkova during the Zurich Film Festival 2014 (post coming up soon).

Being an ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger’s BHI campaign in October 2014 made me very proud.

Designing a Samsung tablet during the Mercedez-Benz Fashion Days Zurich 2014 that we will be raffled off soon here on my blog was an extremely fun project.

And last but not least something I am really proud of: I am in a book that was launched recently in German during Berlin Fashion Week and in English during London Fashion Week (a detailed post will be published shortly). Fashion Germany, the new coffee-table 208-page tome presents the country’s most important people in the world of fashion.

My blog has taken me on such a beautiful adventure and I would like to thank you all for following me and supporting my work. Without you, the success wouldn’t have been possible. Stay tuned during the next weeks as some amazing raffles will be coming up to thank you for all your time that you are spending on Sandra’s Closet.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, © David Biedert Photography, © Christoph Schemel and © Sandra Bauknecht

Classic woolens have had a runway makeover. Silhouettes in XL sizes; long cardigans paired with even chunkier scarves; and as a surprise mixed with a chiffon skirt. Sound toasty? Yes, it will be. But it’s also an ultra-stylish approach to layering up this season.

My look: High-low intarsia cardigan, matching wool-blend scarf and silk-chiffon and satin mini skirt, all by Prabal Gurung, white cady top and patent-leather ankle rain boots, both by Miu Miu, hat by Louis Vuitton and small ‘Ricky’ tote in nude pink by Ralph Lauren.
On my lips: Carmine Rouge clean true red (matte) by Prabal Gurung x MAC.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

After seasons of backstage-to-runway beauty partnerships, M·A·C and Prabal Gurung debut their highly anticipated makeup collaboration. The modern glamour and immaculate style of the designer comes to life with M·A·C in an exclusive colour collection featuring smoky, gilded hues for eyes, lips and cheeks in ultra-luxurious, custom gold packaging.

Lipstick CHF 38.00 and Lipglass CHF 36.00
Light English Red sheer beige nude (lustre)
Carmine Rouge clean true red (matte)
Ultramarine Pink mid-tone dirty violet (satin)

Cream Colour Base CHF 89.00
Coral Lumineux vivid coral crème

Eyeshadow Duo CHF 58.00  
Satin Ochre soft pale white gold (frost)/coral orange (matte)
Terre shimmering neutral beige (veluxe pearl)/mid-tone warm brown (satin)
Cinder smoky cool grey (lustre)/dark charcoal (matte)

Kohl Power Eye Pencil CHF 28.00
Feline rich black

Chromagraphic Pencil CHF 28.00
NW25/NC30

Bronzing Powder CHF 89.00
Matte Bronze bare shouldered bronze

Square Handled Buffer CHF 89.00

The 14-piece collection is available now in MAC stores in the U.S. and online – and in December in all of the brand’s international stores (except China). In Switzerland exclusively at MAC store Lucerne and at maccosmetics.ch.

ABOUT PRABAL GURUNG
Singapore-born designer Prabal Gurung is one of the hottest names in eveningwear. Gurung’s talent for directional yet feminine silhouettes can be seen in his dreamlike prints, hot-hued gowns and sleek flared pants that add a cool new dimension to after-dark dressing.

TO SHOP PRABAL GURUNG PRET-A-PORTER ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s outfit post featuring an amazing Prabal Gurung look.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics, WWD, Style.com and © Sandra Bauknecht

This was my outfit I wore to the opening night of the Cabinet of Curiosities by Thomas Erber in Bangkok. The photos were taken in front of one of my favorite pieces of the exhibition, for which Thai silk company Jim Thompson has teamed up with renowned French graffiti artist Olivier Burel, aka Ogreoner.

If you are tired of your black dresses in your closet, shock everyone and add a splash of color that could be best achieved with some vibrant accessories.

My look: Stretch-silk crepe and lace gown by Alessandra Rich, Paris leopard-print leather pumps and Classic Monogramme printed leather clutch, both by Saint Laurent, gold-plated glass pearl cameo clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, Limelight Gala watch by Piaget, diamond bracelet and ring by Vainard Fine Jewellery.

LoL, Sandra

French graffiti artist Olivier Burel, aka Ogreoner, with me in front of his work.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht