Sandra‘s Closet

Guerlain introduces its exclusive fall 2013 VOILETTE DE MADAME makeup line, composed to make every woman irresistible, expressing her seduction and personality with style and femininity. Madame’s ultimate accessory, the veil, is the inspiration for this season’s collection. Like the seductress herself, this delicate fabric gives only small glimpses into a woman’s mysterious world. And as Madame unveils herself, her secrets come to light. It is all about “being beautiful and playing the game of seduction,” Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director, describes his inspiration.

Let’s have a closer look at one of my favourite makeup collections of the season. Two luxurious collector’s items adorned in Swiss dot: her precious ROUGE G and the unique 4-COLOUR BLUSH, a delicately violet-scented pressed powder which brings colour to her cheeks, are among my must-haves.

Rouge G de Guerlain (Limited Edition)
860 Madame Batifole – a vibrant fuchsia
861 Madame Flirte – a fruity red
862 Madame Rêve – a voluptuous pink
CHF 64.00

Madame Rougit
4-Colours Blush (Limited Edition)
CHF 85.00

Her GLOSS D’ENFER, with three new shades to die for, and her COLOUR LACQUER complement the look perfectly.

Gloss d’Enfer (Limited Edition)
860 Madame Batifole – an electric sparkling fuchsia (middle)
861 Madame Flirte – a gourmand sparkling red (left)
863 Madame Fascine – a sparkling deep purple for a bitten lips effect (right)
CHF 43.00

Colour Lacquer (Limited Edition)
860 Madame Batifole – an intense fuchsia
CHF 37.00

The new It-accessories for the eyes: two colours, two textures: L’ECRIN 2 COULEURS. Guerlain’s new duo eye shadows are the perfect tool for creating statement looks.

L’Ecrin 2 Couleurs
01 Two Rock – mysterious green & dazzling black
02 Two Stylish – deep blue & metallic grey
03 Two Extravagant – chocolat brown & zesty green
04 Two Gossip – stirring plum & baroque gold
05 Two Candy – soft white & sparkling pink
06 Two Parisian – intense black & powder pink
07 Two Lovely – soft grey & aquamarine
08 Two Spicy- ebony brown & spicy casual
CHF 62.00

The collection is in stores now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Guerlain

She’s elegant, chic, superb and totally effortless. The Lancôme Fall 2013 L’ABSOLU DESIR Collection is a tribute to the Parisian woman – always sophisticated and never overstated. Kate Winslet is the face for this beautiful makeup look that is in stores now.

L’ABSOLU ROUGE
Rose Nu (06), Rouge Rayonnant (07), Caprice (132), Rouge Désir (186), Rose Désir (322) and Prune Désir (386) – CHF 45.00

The signature of Parisian elegance: timelessly red lips. To celebrate this symbol of French beauty, Lancôme pays homage to its cult lipstick, L’Absolu Rouge. Which is your colour for the week?

BLUSH DESIR
A Kiss from Paris (01) – CHF 65.00

I love this product! A precious powder with orange and pink-toned shades, specially crafted to bring out your skin’s radiance. Like a postcard from Paris, the gold-embossed black case features the Eiffel Tower, roses and lipstick kisses… a real collectible!

VERNIS IN LOVE
Purple Fiction (185), Black Sepia (385) and Grey Lumière (485) – CHF 26.00

For fall, Lancôme brings to you black, reinvented! Discover the 3 new Vernis in Love limited edition shades – enlivened with captivating colour and pigments in intense plum, brown and grey!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lancôme

This weekend close friends of mine got married. It was a very romantic and beautiful private wedding celebration with lots of tears of joy and laughter. The bride looked breathtakingly stunning and so thought the handsome groom. One detail that I truly loved was that each guest had a little heart with his name on the table filled with a personalized quote.

My look: Stretch-cady peplum-hem gown by Alessandra Rich, bow-embellished patent-leather pumps by Saint Laurent, satin clutch bag by Prada, statement necklace by Lanvin and diamond rose ring by Piaget.

I am wishing the newlyweds a happy married life full of love and magic moments!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The Moto Jacket (aka fall’s must-have item) should be in your closet right now.

Just when I thought it had gone to biker heaven, this topper pops up on most of the major F/W 2013 runways in every way possible, floral at Givenchy, classic at Saint Laurent and sexy at Jason Wu. The biker jacket is a super-easy way to work this season’s grunge trend and to add some edge to any outfit. Try one of these amazing ones below:

1 Leather biker jacket by Balmain
2 Cracked-leather biker jacket by Proenza Schouler
3 Two-tone textured-leather biker jacket by Faith Connexion
4 Hyde paneled leather biker jacket by IRO
5 Jovanna neon stretch-denim biker jacket by Karl Lagerfeld
6 Herringbone wool-blend biker jacket by Junya Watanabe
7 Karle leather biker jacket by J Brand
8 Leopard-print ribbed leather jacket by 3.1 Phillip Lim
9 Trompe l’oeil leather biker jacket by Alexander Wang

Classic leather biker jacket by Saint Laurent (my favourite one as you can see above)

Royal blue nubuck biker jacket by Alexander McQueen (now on my wish list)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via style.com, © Sandra Bauknecht

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Hugo Boss has launched an interesting art project with an exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery, that will run through September 2013, under the name “Red Never Follows” that showcases different art works by 20 international creatives, inspired by HUGO. To highlight the German brand’s history, the word “Follows” on the key visuals is spelled as “Fol20ws,” and Berlin based artist Steffen Seeger has painted the one line drawing, that stands for the house’s last 20 years.

Last night, he was in Zurich for an interactive art show at the store on Bahnhofstrasse. It was a pleasure to meet Steffen and I was very excited to get my own art work done by him. We partied on the shop’s terrace, while enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

My look: Two-tone stretch-jersey contour dress by Stella McCartney, coral shape heels and patchwork bag, both by Chanel, bracelet by Hermès.

In addition to the exhibition, the brand has launched a line of 20 celebratory fashion items that are  available online and in store.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hugo Boss and © Sandra Bauknecht

Between my recent trips to China and Iceland, I flew for one day to Berlin to shoot MCM‘ s amazing new collaboration with Craig & Karl: EYES ON THE HORIZON. I love the German capital (and that is not only because I was born in this country), it’s one of the most vibrant, energetic cities in Europe. It’s the combination of two facts that can be felt everywhere: its present anything-goes-and-anything’s-possible vibe and its somber past.

Let me take you on a tour around Berlin. I had so much fun with my very talented photographer Christoph Schemel. See for yourselves:

First stop: THE KURFÜRSTENDAMM
Known locally as the Ku’damm, one of the most famous avenues in the city is home to many shops, such as the MCM boutique, hotels and restaurants. It’s often considered the Champs-Élysées of Berlin.

Second stop: DAS STUE
Located right next to the Tiergarten (central park of Berlin), the stylish design hotel Das Stue offers all the comforts of a quiet urban refuge within the heart of Berlin.

Third stop: CAFE AM NEUEN SEE
Christoph and I had a fabulous lunch at this fun place outside in the garden area with waiter service (there is also a self-service beer garden part directly by the lake) and planned the rest of our shoot. I had a piece of very yummy cheesecake (German cheesecake is the best) that went so fast I forgot to take a picture.

Fourth stop: SIEGESSÄULE
Berlin’s “Victory Column” is a famous monument and probably one of the best known symbols of the city. The “Golden Lizzie,” as it is known in local slang, was originally built around 1864 to celebrate Prussia’s victory in the German-Danish war.

Fifth stop: BRANDENBURGER TOR
Located at the heart of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate is standing at the western end of the avenue Unter den Linden. It has been a symbol for both, the divided Cold War city and the country’s reunification. Today, it is one of the metropole’s most-visited landmarks.

Last stop: GRILL ROYAL
Before I flew back to Zurich, we went to Grill Royal for drinks. This see-and-be-seen restaurant is still, after opening a couple of years ago, the place-to-dine and very popular with the celebrity crowd. Below you see me before the entrance on Friedrichstrasse.

I hope that you have enjoyed my day in Berlin! Cannot wait to be back soon…

My look: Ivory blazer, cropped metallic leather motocross pants, both by Balmain, black top by Tom Ford, Audrey wayfarer sunglasses by Céline, shoes by Gucci, key ring, clutch and backpack, all from the MCM x Craig & Karl Eyes on the Horizon collection. Rose necklace and ring, both by Piaget.

LoL, Sandra

Photos by Christoph Schemel

Gosh, it feels so good to be back in Zurich and to dress up again. One week in Iceland with no makeup and fancy clothes has been enough for me. Now, I am ready to bring back some glamour into my life! For a start, I had a fabulous girls’ lunch yesterday in the city…

My look: Striped stretch-silk chiffon top, printed cotton-blend brocade skirt, filigrane embellished gold-plated necklace, bucket bag featuring a floral and face print and matching heels, all by Dolce & Gabbana, ring “Mitzah” by Dior Haute Joaillerie and bangles by Chanel and Rasoir sunglasses by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

When creating new nail polishes (remember the Sequined Manicure), U.K. brand Ciaté, helmed by Charlotte Knight, always surprises us. Imagine my excitement when I got the news about their upcoming launch this September: the FEATHER MANICURE.

Knight took inspiration from the runways when formulating this eye-catching trend, which involves gluing an actual feather on your tips.

Here’s how it works: Apply two thin coats of the nail polish, followed by a layer of Speed Coat Pro, and lay the feather on your nail before it dries. Seal in the plume with a second top coat and clip any excess feather overhang. One final top coat layer, and you’re done!

The three different kits will be available in September 2013.
In the U.K. and US: Sephora – In Germany: Douglas (Snow Owl- What a hoot) and Karstadt – In Switzerland, Austria and other countries: www.ciate.co.uk.

LoL, Sandra

All a Flutter

What a Hoot

Ruffle my Feathers

Photos: Courtesy of Ciaté

When I received the new Chanel skincare range, I have been without doubt all over the moon to try it. I can assure you that you will be blown away by this amazing trio!

According to the French Maison, our skin is programmed to know when it’s day and night, or even when it’s weekend time. Inspired by this fact, this new weekly wardrobe helps you to get radiance back, restore balance and to achieve a gorgeous glow. Within the first fifteen days, I have already felt a difference. This trio makes your skin look great and also your bathroom shelf – so worth the investment.

FOR DAY Le Jour de Chanel contains jasmine to energize and salicylic acid to exfoliate and brighten. CHF 105.00
FOR NIGHT La Nuit de Chanel. Its frankincense extract soothes the skin while hyaluronic acid plumps. CHF 105.00
FOR THE WEEKEND Le Weekend de Chanel is infused with rose water to comfort and soften, plus glycolic acid to smooth skin. (This product is a secret weapon. I like to use it when I need an instant boost.) CHF 130.00

In Switzerland available end of August 2013.
TO SHOP ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel – Photographer: Benjamin Henon

After I had visited Iceland’s Golden Triangle in the beginning of last week, I went all around the island and drove over 2000 kilometers. I passed the most stunning sceneries and experienced breathtaking natural phenomenons, which have truly inspired me. Europe’s most sparsely populated country is so untouched with a population of about 320,000 of which two-thirds are living in the Reykjavík area. The creatures you see most are sheeps and the famous Icelandic horses. Let me show you my journey around the island:

Skaftafell has been one of the most rewarding spots for me. I hiked along the trail that leads to the glacial tongue Skaftafellsjökull where you can witness this stunning natural phenomenon.

Fjallsárlón is a glacier lake near Vatnajökull that has some floating icebergs, very similiar but smaller than Jökulsárlón, which was my next stop:

Personally speaking, the large glacial lake Jökulsárlón in southeast Iceland was my favourite sightseeing spot on my trip. One of the natural wonders of the country, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

The stunning scenery has been the setting for different Hollywood movies, such as Die Another Day, Tomb Raider and Batman Begins. I could have stayed there forever watching the icebergs floating towards the sea.

I passed some very cute fishing towns such as Höfn in the south-eastern part of the country.

Driving further east, I saw the mountain Búlandstindur that is truly breathtaking due to its pyramid-shaped stack of basaltic strata.

Dettifoss, located on the Diamond Circle, around Húsavík and Lake Mývatn in North Iceland, is an amazing waterfall. I even spotted a beautiful rainbow above its spray.

Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to North Iceland. In fact, the cute town of Húsavík offers those excursions.

Being in the Lake Mývatn area, I decided spontaneously to hike to the top of the Hverfjall volcanic cone. Walking along the rim of the crater was pretty impressive.

My last stop before heading back to Reykjavík, was the waterfall of the gods, Goðafoss. The photo was taken around midnight. Isn’t it amazing how light it still was?!

Iceland has been an amazing experience, so different from what I had seen before in my life.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht