Sandra‘s Closet

To all my Irish readers, Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2012!

When I lived in Chicago, one of my favourite days during the year was the 17th of March when the Chicago River was dyed green for this special occasion (see tiny photo to the left). It is a 50-year tradition in the American city where many Irish are living.

Did you know? It’s said that blue was originally the colour associated with the holiday but over time green took over in popularity due to Ireland’s nickname as “The Emerald Isle”, the green in the Irish flag and the clover that St. Patrick used in his teachings about Catholicism.
Thank God, it was changed to green as blue would have been such an ordinary colour for the Chicago river.

During my last trip to Ireland, it was raining pretty much all the time. This inspired me to style this fashionable outfit for the more humid days:

Star-print rain coat by Miu Miu, cable-knit cashmere sweater by Ralph Lauren Black Label, high-waisted cotton-canvas skirt by See by Chloé, 1970 small leather shoulder bag by Gucci and Wellington boots by Hunter.

LoL, Sandra

For the first time, there was a credit that no one has seen at a runway show before: One of Chanel’s famous Parisian ateliers, the legendary couture embroidery house Lesage, lend their skills to Peter Philips, Creative Director for Chanel Makeup, by creating the most stunning embroidered eyebrow pads for the models.

Lesage (embroidery) is along with 7 other ateliers part of Chanel’s subsidary dedicated to “Métiers d’ art”, Paraffection. These include Montex (embroidery), Desrues (costume jewelry), Lemarié (feather-maker), Maison Michel (hat-maker), Massaro (boot-maker), Goossens (goldsmith) and Guillet (fabric flowers-maker).

The emphasis of the runway makeup look is on the eyebrows by using those amazing Lesage pads which won’t be for sale unfortunately. The rest of the face is kept nude and simple.

But there are two new products that will be available in the fall that will make our hearts leap with joy. “Ombre Contraste” is a compact powder in a lavender-taupe shade, called “Notorious” specially created for this show that Peter Philips used for all the shading and sculpting of the face.

For the nails, the new It- shade will be “Frenzy”, a light taupe, which is totally colour coordinated with “Notorious”.

Here is your shopping list:
(the highlighted ones will be available this fall, the rest is in stores already):

Chanel F/W 2012 Ready-to-Wear Show
Makeup by Peter Philips

Skin prepared with HYDRA BEAUTY SERUM

The Complexion
MAT LUMIERE
POUDRE UNIVERSELLE LIBRE
ECLAT LUMIERE
CORRECTEUR PERFECTION

The Eyes
LE CRAYON KHOL « Clair » (N°69)
RECOURBE CILS DE CHANEL
Embroideries made by Maison Lesage specially for the show

The Eyes and the Cheeks
OMBRE CONTRASTE “Notorious” – Exclusive Creation available in specific point of sales in September 2012

The Lips
ROUGE COCO BAUME – Spring 2012 Collection

The Nails
LE VERNIS « Frenzy » (N°559)  – Fall 2012 Collection

Cannot wait to have “Frenzy” on my nails!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Chanel 2012, Vincent Lappartient

It was crystal clear last week in Paris that Karl Lagerfeld was once again breaking fresh ground with multi-facetted silhouettes and some unexpected pieces including a new suit: “The new three-piece, a jacket and little dress over trousers!” (This will be a huge trend for F/W 2012. Also Miuccia Prada had shown this look for Prada F/W 2012).
As well as a very long riding coat with large, rounded, sloping sleeves and the “pantacoat”, an all-in-one with legs that unzip to become a coat. Volumes are amplified by drawstrings or gathered belts, are highlighted by top-stitching – a reference to the same detail found on the Boy CHANEL handbag. There are jackets with sailor-smock collars and a fur-lined coat like the one worn by Stella Tennant at the start of the show (see photo above).

Needless to say, the decor at Chanel is always ouststanding. This time, the breathtaking ambiance was created by a brightly-lit mineral backdrop, beneath the glass roff of the Grand Palais. Giant blocks of uncut amethyst, clear rock crystal and opaque quartz erupted from a sparkling, white floor. “Nature’s the greatest designer,” said Lagerfeld to style.com, pointing at some of the more spectacular crystalline excrescences. “These shapes are millions of years old.”

The mineral rock setting extended into fabric metaphors with combinations of wool and more technical materials glinting with a subtle metallic shimmer. Subdued shades of hematite, azurite and obsidian are illuminated by a myriad of jewel-coloured splashes of sulphur, lapis-lazuli, emerald and amethyst. Stippled iridescent feathers, “softer to the touch than fur”, bring warmth to the outfits. Crystals and minerals reinterpreted in the style of Czech Cubism become prisms of gleaming vinyl.

I included some of the backstage photos for you to see the beautiful details of the clothes even better. Enjoy Chanel’s  new mineralogist silhouette!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Let me introduce you the Ombres Matelassées, the new eye palette from Peter Philips, Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, that offers a new interpretation of the iconic quilted effect so emblematic of Chanel.

Held in a black rectangular case, the five shades Pear, Pale Gold, Gold, Golden Khaki and Black Night are presented in a harmonious crisscross arrangement. Simply apply as desired to the eyelids, using the double-tipped foam applicators and brush.

Application tips:
– Use the foam applicator to apply the eyeshadows and the brush to gently blend them, for a makeup look that mixes different shades.
– The two darker shades can be used damp as an eyeliner. Simply apply with the tip of a foam applicator, along the base of the lashes.

Available in Switzerland at Chanel boutiques from the beginning of April for CHF 85.-.

In Paris, the Ombres Matelassées palette was pre-released at the re-opening of the Chanel boutique on 51, Avenue Montaigne last week.
This 600m2 boutique houses the unique world of Chanel and all of Karl Lagerfeld’s creations – Ready-to-Wear, handbags, shoes, jewellery and other accessories – as well as fine jewellery and watches.

The two floors of the new space were inspired by the finesse of Mademoiselle Chanel’s private apartment at 31 Rue Cambon.

The conception of this new address was entrusted to New York architect Peter Marino, who is responsible for all of the Chanel boutiques across the globe.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Today I would like to introduce you to the John Hardy brand. Canadian-born designer John Hardy founded his Bali-based eponymous jewelry line in 1989, working with skilled local artisans to handcraft each of his intricate tribal-inspired designs.

Truly impressive is the company’s environmental conservation activism, that shows particularly through the planting of bamboo to offset its carbon emissions, its use of recycled silver and its support of charities protecting endangered forests and wildlife.
Now under the creative leadership of Guy Bedarida, the company continues to follow Hardy’s strict policy of ‘sustainable luxury’, building on a successful production model without compromising the environment.

Famous model Angela Lindvall, muse and personal friend of Creative Director Guy Bebarida is the face of John Hardy.

I think that it is absolutely fabulous supporting such a brand by buying their products.
My personal favourites are the cuffs, bangles and bracelets (see above).

To shop, click on the banner below. John Hardy offers free shipping until March 31st, 2012. John Hardy is also available at net-à-porter.com.

LoL, Sandra

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Today, Sandra’s Closet hit 10.000 facebook likes which makes me very proud. If you are not a facebook fan yet, you can become one by clicking here.

Thank you for reading and following my blog that has taken me on a beautiful adventure and that makes me happy every day!

LoL, Sandra

In Paris, I went to the Longchamp showroom to explore the house’s newest creations for F/W 2012. In keeping with the motto “More is More”, Sophie Delafontaine indulged in luxurious fabrics, lots of fur and extravagant colours. This is a collection where more is definitely more. Please see my favourites below.

If you are interested, check out Longchamp’s recent collaboration with Mary Katrantzou which is in stores now.

LoL, Sandra

Sophie Delafontaine, Artistic Director of the Longchamp House, with me.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

This was my look at the Tommy Hilfiger F/W 2012 Women’s show:

Lurex-weave silk-crepe vest and plunge-neck stretch-jersey jumpsuit by Balmain, resin bead necklace by Marni, high boots by Gucci and Laurent studded bag by Yves Saint Laurent.

Hope that you like it!

LoL, Sandra

With the fashion week craziness and all my travelling, I am a little behind posting as I have so much to show you. Thank God, it is all about F/W 2012, so that we have plenty of time to prepare us for this season.

During New York Fashion Week, I went also to the Tommy Hilfiger F/W 2012 Women’s Show. The location and the ambiance was the same as for the men’s show but instead of little tables with chairs, there were the typical fashion show rows to be able to host more people. Among the famous guests were Uma Thurman, Elisa Sednaoui, Petra Nemcova and the Courtin-Clarins sisters.

The Courtin-Clarins sisters looking for their seats.

From left to right: Sisters Jenna and Prisca and their cousins Virginie and Claire.

Model Petra Nemcova

Enjoing the show front row: Tommy Hilfiger’s wife Dee Ocleppo, Elisa Sednaoui and Uma Thurman.

TOWN AND COUNTRY

“The women’s collection is inspired by the preppy sporting life reconsidered with city sophistication. She is as much at ease at the hunt club as she is on Park Avenue. Championing classic looks with a modern spirit, versatility is key with A-line, mod shapes in rich colours and fabrics.”

Coats are the season’s must-have. Pea coats and trench coats are renewed in printed shearling, bonded leather and Melton wool with a nod to a 60s military influence (as seen earlier at the men’s show). Menswear patterns are reinterpreted in silk dresses with riding and cable knit prints and pleated backs. Heritage colours – Burgundy, Midnight Navy and Caramel, carry throughout, as do penny loafer inspired riding boots.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger, © Sandra Bauknecht

Bring the ombre trend right down to your nails and try rocking something with a gradient! You have two options: Either you take two nail polish colours and apply both in a fading effect or you try the easier way by using five different hues from the same colour family (see below).

I created this ombre effect by choosing five different shades (307 Orange Fizz, 539 June, 535 May, 537 Riviera and 533 April), then I started at the darkest point on my thumb and gradually worked my way to my pinky. The key to making this manicure look not like a kindergardener’s paint-by-number project, is choosing the right colours. This pastel version looks pretty sophisticated, don’t you think? 
And now, we finally know what to do with all those nail polishes we have been collecting over the past years!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht