Sandra‘s Closet

With enchanting shades that are off the charts, the new OPI Big Zodiac Energy Collection for Fall 2023 offers a colorscope of hues channeling earth, air, fire, and water tones. Featuring a palette of 12 elemental hues with one-of-a-kind pearls, celestial shimmers, and even a holographic effect, these multidimensional shades will make nails glisten from hand to toe.

Mesmerizing sage, mint, and gold capture Earth signs’ tranquil nature, while water signs make a splash with a dreamy baby blue, cobalt, and holographic silver. Fire signs light the way with a fierce red, burgundy, and gold, while air signs give off pearlescent white, navy blue, and violet.

«Each shade represents an individual zodiac sign, and consumers can choose the colors that match their sun, moon, and rising signs, or mix and match shades to create other looks with more ruling planets and signs in their birth chart,« says OPI Global Director of Color Equity Jill Bartoshevich. «The season’s top trend shade Scorpio Seduction is a shimmering cobalt blue that’s bold and has hidden depths, just like its namesake sign.»

OPI has partnered with astrology app Sanctuary to develop horoscopes for each shade in the Big Zodiac Energy Collection. Astrologically, each color has a different meaning. Each zodiac sign is associated with a specific color that reflects its personality traits and energies. Consumers can choose a shade based on the zodiac season or their personal connection to the cosmos. In support of the Big Zodiac Energy collection, Sanctuary’s color horoscopes will be paired with custom content on their social media channels to help consumers connect to the shades that speak to the season or their stars.

Big Zodiac Energy Collection shades will be available in Infinite Shine, Nail Lacquer, and GelColor formulas.
GelColor provides a salon-perfect finish with up to three-week wear, while Infinite Shine offers a high- shine finish and traditional lacquer application. Nail Lacquer features a highly-pigmented, rich formula for even application without streaking.

#Virgoals
A bronze pearl that’s nothin’ but perfection.
Taurus-t Me
A mint green shimmer that’s the most loyal.
Feelin’ Capricorn-y
A sage green shimmer that’ll bring the wit.
Pisces the Future
A light blue pearl that’s totally psychic.

I Cancer-tainly Shine
A holographic silver that’s giving intuition.
Scorpio Seduction
A cobalt pearl that’s mysterious AF.
Kiss My Aries*
A fiery red shimmer that doesn’t hold back.
Big Sagittarius Energy
A burgundy pearl that’s pure fire.

The Leo-nly One
A bold gold pearl that’s the center of attention.
Gemini and I*
A soft white shimmer that has mani sides.
Aquarius Renegade
A navy blue pearl that doesn’t follow the rules.
Feelin’ Libra-ted*
A shimmery violet that’s beyond balanced.

• Launch date Switzerland: 14th August 2023
• Recommended retail price per Infinite Shine 15 ml: 24.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers)
• Recommended retail price per Nail Lacquer 15 ml: 19.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © OPI #OPISwitzerland #OPIBigZodiacEnergy
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Being on a boat can be a positive influence on your life. It is said that the mere sight and sound of water promote wellness by lowering cortisol, increasing serotonin, and inducing relaxation. Personally speaking, it is this feeling of freedom that boosts my energy levels and elevates my mood. Here you see me on board of Christina O this summer happy as a bug.

Zimmermann’s High Tide collection boasts all sorts of anker and sailing elements. The perfect outfit for a day on the yacht in combination with the Prada raffia accessories.

My look: High Tide polka dot cropped top, High Tide polka dot bralette cropped top, and High Tide cropped high-waisted wide-leg jeans, all by Zimmermann, raffia small striped logo tote in tan and yellow, and matching striped raffia bucket hat, both by Prada, interlocking G canvas espadrille wedges, and white vintage sunglasses, both by Gucci, choker with colorful stones and matching long earrings with logo charm, both by CHANEL (Pre-collection summer 2023).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Rian Davidson 
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Being still every influencer’s favourites, Prada’s S/S 2023 raffia accessories are a must. There’s rarely a piece such as an It-bag that makes it past the three-year mark, but Prada just set an the exception. Since its launch back three years ago, as part of the brand’s S/S 2020 collection, the raffia tote has won every social media feed, and adorned many arms of different celebrities. The reason is clear. Lightweight and so easy to pack, they are the perfect companions for your beach holidays. I couldn’t resist the raffia small striped logo tote in tan and yellow and matching striped raffia bucket hat.

The verity is huge as the accessories come in all sorts of colors to choose from.

TO SHOP THE PRADA SHOPPERS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.
TO SHOP THE PRADA RAFFIA BUCKET HATS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

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

CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE charmed the world with its joyous, lively, and sparkling scent. Now, CHANEL presents a new, dazzling and elegant interpretation of it. A new chance is within reach.

VIBRANT ENERGY 2002: CHANEL unveils CHANCE, a gleeful and optimistic floral fragrance creation. A name redolent of success and achievement. «Chance is a way of being», said Gabrielle Chanel. It is no coincidence; it must be created, honed, sought out. It is the product of effort and passion.
Four interpretations of this now-iconic scent emerged, including CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE Eau de Toilette, a floral-sparkling fragrance with a modern, sophisticated, and decidedly light trail that features notes of jasmine and zesty citron paired with a teak wood accord. An invigorating composition with charming optimism.

BOLD DUALITY 2023: CHANEL reinterprets CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE Eau de Toilette, creating a version that combines the density of an Eau de Parfum with the brightness of the Eau de Toilette. For this unique composition, CHANEL Perfumer-Creator Olivier Polge amplified the intensity without overpowering its freshness—a challenge he met with great success. CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE Eau de Parfum has the same spontaneous, lively nature as the Eau de Toilette, but leaves behind a more intense trail. Rather than merely adjust the concentration, the perfumer composed something completely new, a fragrance in its own right. The citron accord has become exhilarating without losing its original juiciness; the jasmine is richer and more intense; and the teak wood accord reveals a more ambery facet, giving it a certain elegance.

CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE EAU DE PARFUM Vaporisateur 50 ml CHF 135.-
CHANCE EAU FRAÎCHE EAU DE PARFUM Vaporisateur 100 ml CHF 192.-

Available from Mid August 2023.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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As part of Valentino’s Pre-fall 2023 collection, the French house spotlights its signature Rockstud accessories in the new «I mean…it’s Rockstud!» campaign featuring a pair of must-have Rockstud ballerinas that I don ‘t want you to miss and that might have already spotted in yesterday’s outfit post.

These flats come with the statement studs lining the exterior, balancing style and wearability while being ultra stylish. Available in different colourways and an alternative model with a strap running up the mid-calf, which I also couldn’t resist, the design highlights Valentino’s seamless ability to inject classic items with a bold twist.

This is your chance to chime in nicely with the current balletcore trend.
TO SHOP THE NEW VALENTINO ROCKSTUD BALLERINAS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Valentino
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For summer, Jonathan W. Anderson seeked inspiration for its Loewe collection from Spanish surrealist painter Maruja Mallo, an artist of the Generation of 1927 within the Spanish avant-garde movement. I love her her ‘Living Nature’ series and sported the print on the streets of Mykonos.

My look: Maruja Mallo-print cotton-blend jersey maxi dress, and font mini embellished embroidered raffia tote, both by Loewe, hot pink Rockstud ballerinas by Valentino, crystal bead embellished earrings by Oscar de la Renta, and Dynasty oversized geometric-frame sunglasses by Balenciaga.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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From a coffee bean, Cartier has created a solar collection of absolute elegance. Yellow gold creations that combine the glamour of the 1950s French Riviera with the radiant beauty of Grace Kelly. Inspiration drawn from the heart of the Maison’s stylistic vocabulary, based on two cherished elements at Cartier: flora crafted in yellow gold and the ordinary made precious.

The creations in the Grain de Café collection—rings, pendants, earrings and brooches—enhance the skin like summer heat. Arranged in clusters, the coffee beans stir with the slightest movement in a precious rustle. Their sensual curves, studded with fiery diamonds set in white gold, radiate infinite delicacy.

In a luscious interpretation, Cartier studs a ring and a bracelet with rubellite beads. Half-flower, half-fruit, these scattered berries studded with a gold nail or a diamond appear in an assortment of beans, engraved gold hemispheres and diamonds set in platinum. Even more radical, Cartier pulls out all the stops with a necklace made up of two rows of gold beads topped with coffee beans and gold-studded rubellites.

This year, the Maison is also reissuing a necklace originally dating from 1955, in homage to the creative history of Grain de Café and the world of Jeanne Toussaint.

«Grain de Café creates a new preciousness by playing with light, finishes and volumes… The result is a versatile collection with added spirit. A symbol of the creative freedom of the Maison, Grain de Café transcends a literal translation of nature and results in a multi- sensory design.»
Marie-Laure Cérède, Creative Director of Jewellery and Watchmaking.

Playing with the pendants, multiplying radiance and shimmer: for the jewellers, the objective was to combine mobility and sensuality. The movement of endlessly sparkling clusters. The sensuality of materials that are an invitation to touch. The jewellers have created hollow grains composed of two parts, assembled to avoid impact between them: one part is curved and the other is arched, while the surface is smooth or gadrooned. All the elements are polished one by one thanks to a steel brush that enhances the finish. 30 craftsmen participated in the creation of this collection and more than 60 prototypes were required.

The «coffee bean» motif, which first appeared at Cartier in 1938, was a huge hit in the 1950s and 1960s. Two extraordinary women contributed to its fame: Jeanne Toussaint and Grace Kelly.

Jeanne Toussaint, Creative Director from 1933, was a woman of style. Her intuition was unfailing, and she saw in this motif the wealth of a universe to be explored. Most often made of yellow gold, or sculpted from a noble material such as coral, the first coffee beans were sometimes studded with diamonds or coloured stones.

Grace Kelly, the actress turned Princess with a truly charismatic aura, could not resist this inspiration. It was for her wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco that she received a Grain de Café set, which she embraced with the same ease as other Cartier creations, from the most intimate to the most prestigious. She remains the most alluring expression of this creation that links Monaco, the French Riviera and the chic opulence of the 1950s.

To pay tribute to Grace Kelly, the iconic Hollywood star, Cartier turned to American director Alex Prager whose sensitivity resonates with the codes of the collection. Thanks to her work with light, she was able to bring a decisively contemporary tone to the glamorous spirit of the 1950s.

The result? A 45-second trailer in which we follow an elegant and mysterious woman through a sequence of shots. It is the same woman we find at the end of a screening in a cinema, suspended in time where past and present become one.

To play the part of this woman, the Maison called upon the American actress Elle Fanning, whose starring role in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere earned a Critics’ Choice nomination and launched a career that continues to span genres through both independent and blockbuster productions. A Global Ambassador of the Maison, she is now the face of the Grain de Café collection.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier
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NARS released their new limited-edition Laguna Collection for Summer 2023 and I fell immediately in love. The collection is available now featuring some amazing products.

LAGUNA EYESHADOW QUADS CHF 72.00

Light up lids with striking Quad Eyeshadow palettes, inspired by bestselling shade Laguna. Pure pigments suspended in an innovative liquid binding system create rich, high-impact color in just one stroke. Create a sultry gaze with bronzed neutrals, ignite eyes with brightening shimmers, and sweep on deep browns for smoldering intensity. Featuring matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes. Available in two versions, Laguna and Laguna Sunset.

LAGUNA AFTERGLOW BALM  CHF 42.00

Indulge lips in inviting shine with tinted Afterglow Lip Balm, featuring Monoï Hydrating Complex for smooth, supple comfort and a blend of antioxidants to help protect lips. Swipe on a hint of tint. Saturate with a surge of hydration.

AFTERGLOW SENSUAL SHINE LIPSTICK  CHF 49.00

A color-meets-care hybrid lipstick with dimensional shine and 8-hour hydration. Available in 10 different shades.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Rian Davidson 
DISCLOSURE: I received the products complimentary. We may also earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Gucci presents new Horsebit jewelry and watches, as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of this iconic emblem. Bold designs feature classic Horsebit motifs intertwined with minimalist links to create striking geometric chains with seamlessly integrated closures.

First conceived by Aldo Gucci as a loafer embellishment in 1953, the Horsebit reflects the House’s historical links with the equestrian world. A stylized version in miniature of the double ring and bar metal clamp in a horse’s bridle, it has been a signature symbol for Gucci ever since. As a signifier of the community embodied by the House, it has been interpreted over seven decades in hardware and motifs across accessories, jewelry and ready-to-wear.

In this occasion, the House presents several new jewelry pieces, entirely crafted in yellow gold, including a ring, a necklace and two bracelets – one single row and one double row. The contemporary chain design alternates the classical Horsebit signature with a more minimalist pattern, creating a captivating contrast.

A necklace and two bracelets in single and three-row designs, with diamond baguettes and vivid green enamel embellishment, complete the collection. Two new watches also highlight the iconic Horsebit. One has a delicate double row chain with a multifaceted lozenge case; the other has a bolder, three-row chain. Both designs feature a yellow gold case, bracelet and a golden-colored brushed dial.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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This was my outfit that I wore to the beautiful soiree with Hublot in Monaco. Before leaving the the event, we took these pictures at my hotel Hermitage on my private terrace. Here comes the summer! As the world’s most popular colour, blue symbolises new horizons, kindles a desire to get away and inspires new avenues for exploration. Sporting the new BIG BANG UNICO SKY BLUE, I love its summery feel in combination with this beautiful dress and hope you will like it, too.

My look: Tama asymmetric cutout printed linen and silk-blend organza maxi dress by Zimmermann, Triple Heart crystal-embellished satin pumps by Mach & Mach, crystal-embellished heart-shaped earrings by Alessandra Rich, green mini flap bag with straps (Pre-fall 2022), and 23P mini top handle classic flap retangular in emerald green and navy blue lambskin leather, both by CHANEL, and Big Bang Unico Sky Blue watch by Hublot.

LoL, Sandra

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