Sandra‘s Closet

In January 2013, CHANEL opened at Hysan Place, the new luxury temple located at the centre of the island, its largest boutique in Hong Kong. To celebrate the event, CHANEL presents the exclusive limited edition HONG KONG COLLECTION. The uniquely modern elegance and glittering beauty of the Chinese metropole inspire a luminous colour palette. Exclusive creations for eyes and nails are infused with a metallic glow, evoking the lights of the city as they reflect in the waters of the China Sea.

OMBRES MATELASSÉES
The elegant rectangular case reveals an original combination of five shadows embossed with the iconic quilted motif of CHANEL. Like the shimmering light on water, the PEARL RIVER palette offers a harmony of golden white, a vintage gold nuance and intense peach for a soft, radiant effect on eyelids. Ideal for sculpting the eyes in a natural or more sophisticated makeup look, intense brown is paired with a very luminous silver white shade that makes eyes look bigger and illuminates the entire face.

LE VERNIS
Two contrasting nail colours echo the extremes of the eye palette. Elegant and modern EASTERN LIGHT is a luminous, very opaque white enamel. Deep and intense WESTERN LIGHT is a chocolate brown glowing with a pearly red heart.

Like a city combining multiple influences, the two nail colours can be worn together for an original effect. To reinterpret the elegance of a French manicure, apply the light colour to the bottom edge of the nail and apply the dark colour from the centre to the tip of the nail.

Great news for my Swiss readers, the collection is now available exclusively in Switzerland at Jelmoli in Zurich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Any clue what those icons have in common? They all have their birthday today!

I have been truly amazed when I stumbled upon this fact. Marc Jacobs for example is celebrating his 50th and Jean Paul Belmondo his 80th birthday. Any astrologist among my readers who can explain me this phenomena please? Being born under the sign of aries, they are all creative and fashionable…

1 Jean-Paul Belmondo, French actor; 1933
2 Martin Margiela, Belgian fashion designer; 1957
3 Anna dello Russo, Italian style icon; 1962
4 Marc Jacobs, American fashion designer; 1963
5 Paulina Porizkova, Czech model; 1965
6 Leighton Meester, American actress; 1986
7 Sara Blomqvist, Swedish model; 1989
8 Kristen Stewart, American actress; 1990
9 Elle Fanning, American actress and Rodarte muse; 1998

Happy Birthday, also to Hugh Hefner (1922) and Dennis Quaid (1954)!

LoL, Sandra

This was my look that I wore to the Omega press conference with Nicole Kidman in Vienna for the launch of their new Ladymatic models:

Stretch-jersey crepe top by Alexander McQueen, pleated brocade mini skirt and tiger-embroidered leather shoulder bag, both by Kenzo, suede ankle boots by Saint Laurent and black velvet deluxe tights by Wolford.

I am very much in love with this Kenzo bag as I still adore the tiger embroidery but had seen too many of the iconic sweaters on the streets recently…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld joined forces to curate ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited’, which presented stunning photographs of stylish celebrities boasting their interpretation of Chanel‘s timeless and iconic black jacket. Over the last year, the book and exhibition were celebrated in cities across the globe.

Some of those photos were even the inspiration for Karl Lagerfeld’s artwork Fire Etchings, presented at Galerie Gmurzynska in February 2013 in St. Moritz.

This year, a new expanded edition of the book will go on sale (Steidl, Göttingen, 2013, 280 pages. Available in selected bookstores, €78).

For this occasion, Karl Lagerfeld has once again focused his lens on twenty or so international celebrities and close friends of the House, including Keira Knightley, Diane Kruger, Carla Bruni and Carole Bouquet. The photo shoot took place in Paris in the couturier’s studio in January 2013. Taking time out from their busy schedules, the celebrities all enthusiastically reinterpreted the little black jacket in their own inimitable style. Once more Karl Lagerfeld illustrates the universality of the Chanel jacket, one of fashion’s most legendary and timeless pieces.

Here is a sneak preview of how stunning Diane Kruger looks in it:

The exhibition is at the moment in Milan and opening next in Dubai on April 27, 2013. For more information, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Sorry for bringing you bad news twice today, first we have heard that Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau’s passed away at 81 yesterday and it has been announced that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died this morning peacefully following a stroke. She was 87 years old.

The Iron Lady was not only an outstanding politician, but also a fashion icon. On both sides of the Atlantic, Maggie Thatcher is being considered as the originator of the power look for women. She opted for tailored skirt suits and pussycat bows. One of her clever tricks to show power was funnily enough that she never wore pants. Her signature pearls, shoulder pads (to stand literally “shoulder to shoulder” with men), handbags, and royal blue hues were a sign of control. Throughout her career, she turned her looks into POWER DRESSING!

Let’s honour her with this look inspired by her: Iris wool-twill blazer and matching Alyssa pencil skirt, both by Stella McCartney, polka-dot silk-twill pussy-bow blouse by Saint Laurent, Amelia patent-leather pumps by Jimmy Choo, croc-effect and textured-leather bag by Lanvin and multi-strand pearl necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane.

R.I.P. Maggie Thatcher!

LoL, Sandra

“She’s a rose with thorns, don’t mess with her. She’s a girl who goes to extremes. When she can, she soothes; and when she wants … ! Her fragrance lifts you higher, she rocks and shocks.” – Serge Lutens

Inspired by Marlene Dietrich, a German-American actress from Berlin’s ‘Golden Twenties‘, Serge Lutens’ newest fragrance launch pays a poetic tribute to a woman who is beautiful and delicate on the surface but strong, independent and mysterious underneath. The Eau de Parfum is a concentrate of red roses: subtle and powdery yet spicy and extremely long-lasting.

LA FILLE DE BERLIN (A Girl from Berlin) by Serge Lutens
Oriental Floral

Top notes: Red rose and black pepper
Middle notes: Violet
Base notes: Musk, amber and woody notes

In stores now for €82.00 (50ml).

Lutens is a very intellectual perfumer. His ideas and inspirations seem mostly abstract and highly fascinating. If you are interested to read an interview with him, click here please.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Serge Lutens, © GDW

According to an announcement on the company’s official Facebook page, iconic fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau died Sunday in Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 81, surrounded by her family. “Lilly has been a true inspiration to us and we will miss her,” the statement said. “In the days and weeks ahead we will celebrate all that Lilly meant to us. Lilly was a true original who has brought together generations through her bright and happy mark on the world.”

It all started with a juice stand. When 21-year-old Lilly married Peter Pulitzer, they moved soon from NYC to Palm Beach where the newly married wife opened a juice stand next to her husband’s citrus groves. To hide the stains from the juice, she wore a sleeveless dress in colourful printed cotton.

Lilly Pulitzer – the clothing label was born. The “classic shift dress” shot to international fame and demand when Lilly’s old schoolmate Jacqueline Kennedy née Bouvier, now the First Lady, was photographed wearing a “Lilly” while on vacation. “Jackie wore one of my dresses – it was made from kitchen curtain material – and people went crazy. They took off like zingo. Everybody loved them, and I went into the dress business.” (From the book: Essentially Lilly, A Guide to Colorful Entertaining). And the rest is history.

Lilly Pulitzer is not as known in Europe than it is in the US. When I lived in Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, I spotted those colourful prints for the first time. I have to admit that I never really warmed up to them but somehow they always remind me of the great time I had living there and I have a great respect for the company the iconic fashion designer built up. I even mentioned it once in my column.

R.I.P. Lilly! My thoughts are with the Pulitzer Rousseau family.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lilly Pulitzer

When I presented you the first photos of the Dior Iconic event in February, I wasn’t allowed to show you all. But it is time to reveal the missing pictures. The new DIORSHOW ICONIC OVERCURL mascara is gorgeous and this month, DIOR is adding some fabulous lip glosses and nail polishes to their line. I felt so honoured to be photographed for this new launch as well.

The official photos by Dior are in the collage above. Moreover, you can enjoy some behind the scenes photos below.

As Christian Dior said: “Colour is indispensable for beauty. Lipstick is a fashion accessory”.

Let me introduce you to the indispensable beauty manifesto. DIOR ADDICT GLOSS is the new magic touch for shine and fashion. A creative, addictive accessory for experimenting with this season’s trends.

Ultimate shine, playing with effects, turning heads: all eyes are on DIOR ADDICT GLOSS. And needless to say, the spot is on nails as well with the matching DIOR VERNIS. Have fun experimenting and mix and match your new sparkling must-haves!
Here are all the details:

DIOR ADDICT GLOSS
With the help of its magic formula, it provides lips with incredible shine and complete comfort. Its secret: the Mirror Shine Complex, an unrivalled procedure perfected by the Dior Research team. Each color has its own fashion effect, making it beautiful and unique, addictive, and as sexy as a pair of stilettos. Available in 24 different shades for CHF 45.00 each.

The stars of the shoot: “SHIMMER” SHADES
A fun, sensual collection for lips that do as they please, both night and day. Meticulously dosed glitter is carefully chosen to match the gloss, for a spectacular shimmering effect. Stylish, tailored shine for your lips and inspired by that, the magic goes right down to your fingertips.
DIOR VERNIS gets also some “shimmer” with 4, new, star shades:

Diablotine, Spring Ball, Princess and Délice.
DIOR ADDICT GLOSS – CHF 45.00 each
DIOR VERNIS – CHF 37.00 each

To finish off your manicure, try the new DIOR GEL COAT.
This visionary topcoat produces the perfect, ultra-shine finish of a professional style, gel-effect manicure. Smooth and elegantly curved, nails are lacquered with exceptional, long wear shine that dramatizes their glittering sparkle.
DIOR GEL COAT – One Shot – CHF 37.00

What a gorgeous idea, for the shoot, I got a special Dior Cannage manicure.

Thank you to the whole Dior team for letting me be part of this amazing event!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior and © Sandra Bauknecht

Amazing news this Sunday! For three days, you have the chance to pre-order before all other customers this softly looped black silk-mousseline bow tie by Saint Laurent – one of my favourite accessories for S/S 2013 which has sold out everywhere.

The neat leather band can be adjusted for the perfect fit. Wear yours with white to pay homage to the label’s iconic heritage. It will surely transform every outfit into a complete new look. Hurry as this must-have will sell out extremely fast.

TO SHOP THE SILK-MOUSSELINE BOW TIE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Saint Laurent and via Vogue

Pin down your perfect wardrobe essentials with my list of cute tees for less money. Spell it out in slogan t-shirts or give it the cold shoulder with cut-away designs. Prints go big and bold, take it up a notch with cool cuts and a ’90s allure.

1 Vest with peeking kitten by ASOS
2 Top with zip cold shoulder by ASOS
3 Running Sucks T-shirt by Nike
4 Universal Heart T-shirt by Wildfox
5 Shopping Is My Cardio T-shirt by Wildfox
6 Born Original T-shirt by Wrangler
7 Star Lovers T-shirt by Wildfox
8 Barbie T-shirt by Voodoo Girl
9 1980 wide neck T-shirt by Stussy

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via asos.com