Sandra‘s Closet

You know how much I love iconic hotels, such as Gstaad Palace or the Byblos in St. Tropez. After last weekend, I can add another one to my list. From its idyllic setting in Barbados, overlooking a tranquil coral sand beach, to its fleet of Rolls Royce Phantoms, Sandy Lane is widely acclaimed the premier and most iconic luxurious address in the Caribbean. The first glimpse of the sea through the marbled lobby is one you won’t soon forget, especially now with its beautiful Christmas decoration in sophisticated colors.

I went there this weekend and was blown away by its ambiance and colors. Set on white powdery coral sands and turquoise waters within an ancient mahogany grove, elegant Palladian buildings, 113 rooms and suites and a stunning private villa stud the property. Here you’ll find exceptional golf, exquisite gourmet dining, an outstanding spa, a gorgeous pool area and endless recreation all alongside authentic and magically warm Barbadian hospitality.

For more than sixty years, discerning travellers have chosen this distinguished address as their Caribbean ‘home’ to experience decadent relaxation, exclusive privacy, and unrivalled leisure…

I recommend having lunch at the hotel’s casual Bajan Blue restaurant that features Caribbean, European and Asian-influenced cuisine served beachside. This informal restaurant offers all-day dining, a famous, elaborate Sunday Brunch and spectacular themed buffet evenings. Features include a modern wine bar – ideal for pre-dinner drinks – a sushi station and state-of-the-art grill.

The color combination of hot pink and turquoise add so much sophistication to the ambiance. Love, love, love it!

LoL, Sandra

Welcome to the amazing shop inside the hotel that carries high end brands such as Zimmermann and Melissa Odabash, along personalized De Siena shoes, a brand from Switzerland.

The pool area of the hotel is just insane.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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At this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, Louis Vuitton will present a selection of the works that legendary Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry has produced during his wide-ranging and longstanding collaboration with the Maison. The specially designed booth in which the works will be presented embodies his trademark aesthetic and his constant experimentation with forms. Wood and cardboard models that have always been central to the architect’s design process find their form in the scenography, while five enveloping sail-like mesh structures nod to Gehry’s 2014 window displays for the Maison. Organized into four themes dear to Frank Gehry – Architecture and Form, Material Exploration, Animals, and his Twisted Box creation for «Celebrating Monogram»– the objects on display include handbags, trunks, perfume bottles, original artworks, preparatory sketches, and architectural models.

The stand will notably showcase the world premiere of Louis Vuitton x Frank Gehry, a limited-edition handbag collection. The collaborative capsule is based around three themes key to Frank Gehry’s long career – Architecture and Form, Material Exploration, and Animals – and features designs based upon the Maison’s iconic Capucines bags, the Twisted Box Trunk, and a remarkable Bear With Us Clutch, based upon Gehry’s 2014 Bear with Us sculpture.

Each bag exemplifies the unique combination of Frank Gehry’s design prowess and Louis Vuitton’s remarkable craft and savoir-faire, such as a Capucines Mini Blossom with its glass-like resin petals inspired by perfume bottles and hammered LV recalling the logo he created for the Fondation Louis Vuitton, the iconic building he designed in Paris; a Capucines MM Floating Fish with painstakingly worked leather marquetry inspired by the piscine lamps on display at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, and a Capucines MM Concrete Pockets whose innovative 3D cement-effect screen-printing gives the bag’s calfskin exterior the varied textures of Frank Gehry constructions.

Another highlight of the Maison’s Art Basel Miami Beach stand is the «A Tea Party for Louis» Trunk, the architect’s distinctive creation for the 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries exhibition that celebrated Louis Vuitton’s 200th birthday. Based upon Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, his striking sculpture-trunk is a collection of eight arrestingly inventive figurines, each one resembling both a character in the book and the model of an imaginary Frank Gehry building. When brought together, the characters form what the architect describes as a tea party for the Maison’s founder.

Other Frank Gehry projects and artworks for Louis Vuitton on show include his Les Extraits perfume bottles and their unique stoppers handcrafted in Murano, Italy, and the Flaconnier Les Extraits designed to transport them, as well as a selection of sketches and models, such as preparatory drawings for his work on the «Celebrating Monogram» project and maquettes exploring his design for the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. These are accompanied by videos illustrating Gehry’s most famous collaborations with Louis Vuitton, and a painted portrait of the architect by French artist Jean-Philippe Delhomme.

Following its successful initial presence at Art Basel in Basel, Paris and Miami Beach in 2022, Louis Vuitton has become a global Associate Partner of the prestigious fair this year. This additional support further confirms the Maison’s close and committed relationship to the arts, one that began nearly a century ago when Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the founder’s grandson, began commissioning artists to collaborate with Louis Vuitton on advertisements and perfume bottles.

Since 1988, Louis Vuitton has continued this legacy by collaborating with some of the biggest names in modern art and design, including Sol LeWitt, James Rosenquist, Cesar, and Olafur Eliasson. It has curated exhibitions by artists such as Sophie Calle, Dan Flavin, Alberto Giacometti and Gerhard Richter in its Espaces Louis Vuitton, instore contemporary art spaces, and has also created innovative large-scale global art projects, such as the 2022 collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, and a capsule collection of bags, shoes, accessories, luggage, and fragrances. The Fondation Louis Vuitton, which opened in October 2014 in Paris, embodies the commitment of LVMH – and Louis Vuitton in particular – to corporate philanthropy in support of the arts and creative endeavours. The building, commissioned from Frank Gehry, is already recognised as an emblematic example of 21st-century architecture and has already welcomed millions of visitors from the entire world.

Louis Vuitton will be present at Art Basel Miami Beach in the West Lobby of the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA. Public opening from 8th – 10th December 2023.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Dark blue is such an elegant color and it is THE color to wear right now if you want to look on-trend. I choose it for the beautiful cocktail party with Gianvito Rossi in London.

My look: Asymmetric draped stretch-jersey turtleneck jumpsuit by Alaïa, dark blue 105 suede pumps by Gianvito Rossi, crystal chandelier earrings by CHANEL (S/S 2023), and crystal-embellished Hourglass tote bag by Balenciaga.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @georgiashane
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What if believing in mysterious signs, keeping talismans close, or projecting your desires onto superstitions was a reliable way to ensure that luck is on your side? Gabrielle Chanel believed it wholeheartedly, shaping her destiny based on symbols that have since become iconic.

Lions, wheat, comets, camellias, numbers… Mademoiselle was as talented as she was superstitious, and she surrounded herself with objects and symbols. These talismans gave her the freedom to achieve her dreams; inspiration for the designs in her collections; strokes of genius that led to her most iconic signature styles; and the strength to embrace her destiny. With the LES SYMBOLES DE CHANEL collection, the CHANEL Makeup Creation Studio has reimagined 5 iconic symbols as precious highlighters. Le Lion, La Comète, Le Camélia, Les Perles, and Les Chaînes become 3 subtle and sophisticated shades: Warm Gold, Precious Coral, and Pearly White, offering sparkling shimmer designed to illuminate and enhance the complexion. And your future…

THE LION
A symbol of strength

The animal representing Gabrielle Chanel’s zodiac sign is a mirror image of her radiant, untameable personality. It also recalls the Lion of Venice, an iconic city that fascinated Mademoiselle. The lion is a true inspiration, lending strength and pride to those who choose it.

LA COMÈTE
A symbol of luck

“ I wanted to cover women in constellations ”, said Gabrielle Chanel in 1932, while presenting her first and only high jewelry collection, which is filled with celestial motifs. Superstitious, she put her faith in the stars and loved surrounding herself with comets. The comet gives off incandescent light, promising eternal luck to its owners.

LES PERLES
A symbol of radiance

Gabrielle Chanel played with strings of pearls boldly and freely, wearing them close to or draped around her neck, during the day as well as in the evening, in the city and even at the beach. Pearls, which capture both warmth and light, illuminate the complexion and reveal the radiance of those who wear them.

LE CAMÉLIA
A symbol of harmony

Typically worn by dandies on the lapels of their jackets, the camellia became Gabrielle Chanel’s emblem in 1913. It has been featured in many of her creations, where it continues to flourish, still today. Perfectly symmetrical, it never loses its leaves; it embodies steadfast beauty—harmonious and serene. An oasis of calm that soothes and provides peace of mind to those who treasure it.

LES CHAÎNES
A symbol of style

Gabrielle Chanel, an avant-gardist, broke with the rules of her era when she added a chain to her bags. Tucked into the lining of CHANEL jackets, chains are also the secret to creating their structure and ensuring that they fit perfectly. Symbolizing a unique style, chains reveal the allure of those who wear them proudly.

LES SYMBOLES DE CHANEL
Maxi Poudre Illuminatrice
WARM GOLD: a champagne
PRECIOUS CORAL: a soft, satin coral
PEARLY WHITE: a sparkling white
Available for CHF 77.00 each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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Experience the holiday magic by my dear friend Finnish artist Jani Leinonen at Dolder Grand Hotel, who has for the second time portrayed his idea of Christmas in a colossal art project for the Dolder Grand. For last year’s installation, click here please. Yesterday, I went to lunch with him in Zurich and heard all about this beautiful artwork.

Leinonen, who was born in Finland, has created a lighting installation consisting of stained glass windows, which will be on display in the Canvas Bar & Lounge from 1 December 2023, transforming the space into an arena of colours and patterns. «It’s probably the most beautiful work of art I’ve ever created», he says. And the most elaborate. «The making of stained glass windows is based on a complex technique that uses light to change the appearance of the space and can have a calming effect on the observer – both physically and emotionally. The history of stained glass windows is full of elaborated meanings that not only illustrate fundamental concepts of life – such as death, birth and the meaning of life – but also reflect the belief systems and power structures in our society.»

24 MESSAGES – 24 CUBES

To give his pieces deeper meaning, Leinonen asked 24 people from around the world – including artists, authors, mothers and children – to write a personal letter to Father Christmas. «The letters lend each light cube a special meaning that encompasses not only joy, but also grief, loss and the hope for a better world», he adds. «We received letters from all over the world, including one from an Egyptian poet who has been in prison since 2018 because of his poems. There is also a letter from a Ukrainian artist called Olena, who had to leave her home because of the war. And a letter from Basil, who has been living in the Za’atari refugee camp in the Jordanian desert since war broke out in Syria in 2011.»

Got a very special message from Jani in the book.

All the letters have been compiled in a book, created in collaboration with designer Riikka Kuukka, the aim being to reflect what Santa Claus really means to us. But they also show how different people’s wishes or messages are. Jenni from the Arctic, for instance, wants winter to return. Ten-year-old Maya wants some money for piano lessons. Gina wants her brother back. «The letters are not at all what I was expecting», states Leinonen. «But they do show that, for many, this has not been an easy year – or decade.»

Jani Leinonen has assigned a letter to each of the cubes he has created. A new light cube illuminates every day, symbolising that this particular wish is to be fulfilled. To fulfil the wishes of people in need, the Dolder Grand sends Christmas greetings to its guests, customers and partners by digital means, donating the saved production and Christmas postage costs to Winterhilfe Schweiz. This aid organisation assists families, couples and individuals affected by – often invisible – poverty.

I absolutely recommend the pumpkin soup at the Canvas Bar & Lounge at the Dolder Grand.

The light show will be celebrated at 6 p.m. every day from 1 to 24 December 2023, accompanied by music and a Christmas aperitif for all those gathered in the Canvas Bar & Lounge.

And what does the artist himself want for Christmas? «On 24 December, I’d like all the light cubes to be lighting up the Dolder Grand in radiant colours, and for the wishes of those who have written the letters and read the book to come true. That’s my Christmas wish.»

Hyvää Joulua Maailmam upeimalle Sandralle!
Merry Christmas to the world’s most wonderful Sandra!

Thank you, Jani!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of The Dolder Grand #doldermoments
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Fun times ahead! Back to London next week, I packed my beloved Fendi boots and this super practical cashmere coat that actually feels like a cardigan. The dress is from Valentino’s Black Tie F/W 2023 collection and one of my season favorites.

My look: Leisure belted cable-knit wool and cashmere-blend cardigan by Max Mara, wool and silk-blend halterneck mini dress by Valentino, logo-embellished leather biker boots by Fendi, grooved cabochon clip earrings by Saint Laurent, My LV chain pilot sunglasses by Louis Vuitton, and Kelly Cut clutch in black Swift leather with gold hardware by Hermès.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @georgiashane
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The 2023 edition of Louis Vuitton’s Artycapucines Collection sees five leading contemporary artists – Billie Zangewa, Ewa Juszkiewic, Liza Lou, Tursic & Mille and Ziping Wang – bring their unique visions to the timeless and classic Capucines bag.

Billie Zangewa

Since the first collection in 2019, the Capucines bag – named after Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, the Parisian street where Louis Vuitton opened his first store in 1854 – has provided a perfect blank canvas for 29 contemporary artists to create an Artycapucines, including Alex Israel, Beatriz Milhazes, Daniel Buren, Henry Taylor, Paola Pivi, Park Seo-Bo, Tschabalala Seif, Ugo Rondinone, Urs Fischer, Vik Muniz and Zhao Zhao.

Ewa Juszkiewicz

Each special bag is further proof of how for over a century Louis Vuitton has continuously placed its innovative spirit and artisanal expertise at the service of artists and their creativity, from Louis Vuitton’s grandson Gaston-Louis commissioning work back in the 1920s to collaborations with legends such as Sol LeWitt, Yayoi Kusama, Richard Prince, and Takashi Murakami, to the opening of the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Vuitton in 2014. The Artycapucines Collection reveals the quintessence of that commitment to artistic creativity, savoir-faire and craft, while affirming the Capucines as the ultimate expression of femininity.

Liza Lou

They five latest designs pay testament to the collection’s ability to unite the artists’ talent and invention with the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Maison’s masterful artisans. All bags in the 2023 Artycapucines Collection, presented in specially designed boxes, will be available in limited editions of 200, with a worldwide reveal on 12th October 2023.

My favorite: Tursic & Mille

Since I am a big fan of these collaborations, I will spotlight each artist with small interviews in the next posts. Seeing the craftsmanship that goes into these pieces is truly captivating and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do.

LoL, Sandra

Ziping Wang

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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An ode to joy and movement. A dial where time dances and gives life to the mischievous, colourful Arceau Belles du Mexique.

There are two core elements in any dance: movement and rhythm. The Arceau Belles du Mexique watch pays tribute to the men and women who perpetuate the tradition of the hat dance. Originally from Jalisco, the central Mexican region on the shores of the Pacific, it features these dancers, renowned for the relative immobility of their torsos contrasting with frantic footwork. They are depicted from above on a Hermès silk scarf released in 2017. The virtuoso design celebrates dance, movement and exhilaration.

The Arceau Belles du Mexique watch places this motif inside in a round, 38 mm-diameter white gold case. The dancers’ agility is showcased, as seven of them arranged around the hours and minutes are mobile and whirl freely in step with wrist movements. Watchmakerchoreographer Hermès thus stages a show combining body movement mastery with total freedom of expression – the very def inition of a choreography whose gestures are codif ied and that each dancer executes according to his or her own sensitivity. This free, colourful circle dance is performed around a ring of 23 diamonds surrounding the central hours and minutes hands. Like the seven others surrounding them, these dancers are entirely hand-crafted. Their relief is created by successive individual layers of paint. All fourteen dancers are then applied to the base of a painted dial.

The seven central figures are mounted on a free axis that makes them twirl at the slightest movement. The other seven catch and hold the light emanating from a bezel set with 82 diamonds. They are the motionless spectators of a central scene where the hat dance vies with the dance of time for the privilege of ticking off the hours and minutes. Beneath the stage beats a selfwinding movement that perpetually charges the watch with new energy. The poet Virgil was so right when he wrote that spirit endows matter with movement.

Numbered limited edition of 12.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of HERMÈS
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Do you remember my dear friend Nina? I have been writing several times about her in the past (for a previous post click here). Well I have great news for my Zurich based followers. Nina and the City (former Kids and the City) will be part at Amatista’s (a luxury concierge service) first Christmas Market at the Ballroom of the Dolder Grand on Saturday Dec 2nd, 2023 (from 2pm-9pm). Nina will be presenting as always fashion, accessories and lovely Christmas gift ideas.

The Amatista Christmas market will have tons of highlights, from specially curated art pieces, a caviar tasting, a champagne lounge, a pianist, a cigar stand (aka hubby parking spot) and much more. All in all 17 partners will be presenting their goodies at several booths.

However the top highlight will be the fashion show by Nina and the City presenting exclusively for Switzerland the first F/W 2023 collection from Nimo with Love. Behind Nimo with Love is Nicole Mohrmann, whom I have known for many years also from my time in Munich. She has spent years building lasting and trusting relationships with small workshops in India who embrace her vision of Nimo as becoming one big, global family, that creates beautiful things. The brand is committed to a culture and environment that is respectful, caring, nurturing and encouraging – and values creativity in all aspects.

Hand-sewn details, such as beads and embroidery, as opposed to glued-on, perfectly aligned stitches, made with thread that integrates perfectly in the design … The attention to detail asks for high-end craftsmanship. Nimo With Love works with small businesses who sew a heritage of artisanal expertise into each and every piece of the collection. Each garment is hand-made with passion. It takes a whole village to turn a beautiful fabric into a beautiful wearable textile!

Hope to see you all there … I’ll definitely be. I am also excited to see the newest holiday installation by my favorite Finish artist Jani Leinonen, that will be revealed on December 1, 2023.

RSVP on .
The Dolder Grand
Kurhausstrasse 65
8032 Zürich

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Nina and the City, © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
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Right now, I am in Florence as guest of Farfetch and Gucci for an outstanding private client experience. I will share many amazing moments with you, starting with an amazing dinner at the Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura restaurant headed by the Italian three-Michelin-star chef.

The restaurant is part of Gucci Garden, that is also home to the brand’s gallery space. Opened in 2018 , it is situated in Florence’s central Piazza della Signoria, that also neighbors the Gucci Giardino 25 café and cocktail bar.

With lovely Liz Parmar from the Frafetch team.

One of the key figures in the new Italian cultural Renaissance is Massimo Bottura of three Michelin star Osteria Francescana in Modena. He inspired Karime Lopez, who is ist the helm of Gucci Osteria in Florence, to free her creativity and evolve her cuisine beyond tradition: to be more imaginative, more open and more inventive. From Mexico City, to travelling the world and now Florence, she cooks Italy through her experience, full of travel, discovery and dazzling insights.

I was blown away by this amazing culinary experience in this beautiful location that comes with a contemporary spirit of an historic space. Karime Lopez creates her own culinary universe by interlacing the colours and flavours of Italy and beyond, with irreverent and poetic surprises.

Purple Corn Tostada
Purple Corn Tostada with Adriatic Marinated Bonito, a hint of spice & citrus

Taka’s Bun
Steamed Bun & Pork Belly of Cinta Senese

Memories of a Summer in Versilia
Crispy cod & Mediterranean flavors

Shining Through
Panettone, Clouds & Zacapa Rum

Still Hungry
Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream

I personally adored that the pasta dish was enjoyed after the dessert. That is a specialty of Massiomo Bottura.

In case I vetted your appetite, please find herewith the details of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura:

Piazza Della Signoria, 10
50122 . Firenze . Italy
T. +39 05575927038
M. gucciosteria.

More to come from Florence.
TO SHOP GUCCI X FARFETCH, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!