Sandra‘s Closet

I am not a fan of those typical costumes for Halloween, poorly produced, made out of horrible materials, they create waste and are bad for the environment. Luckily, many Halloween costumes can be easily created just from the clothes in your closet and common household items.

Think of one of your favorite iconic movie characters and dress like them. If you have a lot of pink in your closet, then you can probably pull off an Elle Woods or become a Barbie girl (think of the latest Valentino Pink PP collection). Or be a «Queen of Hearts». Put on a long preferably red dress and find your household deck of cards for this easy DIY costume. Just attach some cards with safety pins and off you go. The easiest way is to play with make-up and accessories such as a pair of funky boots and stockings, top it off with a little flour in your hair to make it wiry and wild, and carry around your kitchen broom or your Dyson.

Personally speaking, I always put together costumes with pieces from my own closet. However, I know that my wardrobe is huge and I have many items that scream «dress up» already. Here some of my designer outfits that would be perfect for Halloween! Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana along with Prada are the brands that offer the easiest take on fashion with humor. For all details of the looks, click on the highlighted texts.

LoL, Sandra

Frankenstein’s Wife

Trick or Chic

Queen of Hearts

Old Hollywood Glamour

Pulp Fiction

Marie Antoinette

Great Gatsby

Racer Girl

Desperate Housewife

Barbie Girl

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography / Andrea Monica Hug
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Anticipation is the greatest joy and what a better way to indulge in the holiday season than getting a luxurious advent calendar that will get you even more excited for Christmas.

As usual, click on the highlighted product description to be transferred to the shop directly.

Forte Beads 18-karat gold and multi-stone advent calendar by Carolina Bucci

This advent calendar is my winner this year. How cool is that? Thanks to Carolina Bucci’s advent calendar, you’ll have a completed bracelet by Christmas day – every drawer is nestled with two beads that you can arrange on the Lurex cord with 18-karat gold charms. Each one has been hand-carved from unique gemstones for a joyful play of colors.

25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar by NET-A-PORTER

The NET-A-PORTER Advent Calendar might be in your letter to Santa, but don’t leave it in your Wish List – the annual set sells out notoriously fast. Carefully edited by the beauty buying team, 2022’s round-up showcases the year’s heroes: a mix of team favorites and best-sellers to power through a season of parties and pamper nights. Expect plenty of industry stalwarts and new discoveries for 2023’s top shelf.

Advent Calendar 2022 by Dr. Barbara Sturm

Including an extensive array of full sizes and minis from her coveted range of skin and haircare, Dr. Barbara Sturm’s advent calendar ensures you step into 2023 at your most radiant. Regenerative Purslane – the aesthetic specialist’s hero active – features across many, and they’re house in an elegant box inspired by jewelry cases.

Holiday 2022 Advent Calendar by Acqua di Parma

Twenty-five gifts of colours and joy in an explosion of hues and radiance, only with Acqua di Parma’s Advent Calendar, the star of the Holiday Collection dressed in a visual symphony of the Maison’s golden shades of yellow with seasonal accents of red and green. The one-of-a-kind print is inspired by a Florentine artisanal technique by Italian craftsmen. The countdown to the Holidays begins as every window unveils a daily surprise to immerse in the complete Acqua di Parma universe, from Colonia and Blu Mediterraneo to Signatures of the Sun and the Home Collection. The hatbox is inspired by a luminous Italian home and makes for a stunning addition to your space.

Women 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar and
Men 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar, both by Clarins

This is a must for all love birds. There’s no better way to countdown to the festive season than with two advent calendars, one for her and one for him. Each has 12 drawers filled with an array of the brand’s must-have products. For her, it reveals make-up, skincare and body surprises to pamper and indulge in ahead of the big day, with favourites such as the brand’s bestselling Double Serum – a guaranteed favourite for healthy skin. More treats come in the form of the SOS Pure Mask, the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector and the Cleansing Micellar Water. For him, he will find everything for an ultra-refreshing skincare routine, including the ClarinsMen Energising Eye Gel, Active Face Wash, Super Moisture Lotion and Fresh Face Scrub. The small sized products are all so great for travelling!

Advent Calendar 2022 by Dior

Upgrade on the advent calendars of Christmases past for Dior’s spectacular iteration. Housed in a smart navy box, it’ll open to reveal 24 windows just waiting to be opened, overlaid with a delicate illustration of the brand’s Parisian Maison surrounded by celestial figures and constellations – the perfect depiction of this magical time of year. As the days roll by, you’ll discover a number of Dior delights, from perfume and lipstick to luxurious skincare and even mini candles.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
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The Artycapucines Collection sees six leading contemporary artists bring their unique visions to Louis Vuitton’s timeless and feminine classic: the Capucines bag.

This fourth chapter of the collection is further proof of how the iconic bag can inspire unbridled creativity. Six international artists – Amélie Bertrand, Daniel Buren, Peter Marino, Park Seo-Bo, Ugo Rondinone, and Kennedy Yanko – have transformed the blank canvas of the bag named after Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, the Parisian street on which Louis Vuitton opened his first store in 1854.

Each bag in the 2022 Artycapucines Collection will be released in a limited edition of 200 and available in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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You can never have enough lipsticks… therefore meet GIVENCHY‘s new LE ROUGE INTERDIT INTENSE SILK. Housed in a rechargeable leather case, this timeless and elegant fashion accessory comes with a modern texture that glides effortlessly over the lips like silk, while delivering a luminous, semi-matte finish. And, thanks to its formula enriched in hyaluronic acid spheres and Acmella Oleracea extract, lips are instantly smoothed and the inner water is locked for up to 24 hours, for absolute comfort. The intense color is impressively long-lasting, staying vibrant for up to 12 hours.

A lipstick inspired by Givenchy’s iconic scent L’Interdit. 

«There is a power of just wearing a red lipstick, it always suits everybody, always looks amazing and GIVENCHY offers a red for everyone. With red lipstick you can also use it on the cheeks, it’s the perfect weapon.» – Thom Walker, Creative Director of Givenchy Makeup

THE MASTER OF REDS
Available in 25 silky shades (all refillable), Le Rouge Interdit Intense Silk’s highly-pigmented color palette includes the most iconic and the most fashionable reds. Discover Givenchy’s signature brown-toned red Rouge Graine (N°37), the ultimate suits-all neutral red L’Interdit (N°333), and the most luminous red with a hint of yellow Carmin Escarpin (N°306).

In Switzerland available at SEPHORA at Manor Geneva, Vevey, Chavannes, Lausanne, Vésenaz, Basel, Lugano, Zurich main station, Bern, and Sihlcity as well as online at manor.ch.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: #LeRougeInterdit @givenchybeauty
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Prada announces the sixth drop in its Timecapsule NFT Collection and invites members of its Timecapsule community to register for the exclusive upcoming Prada Mode event to be held in Dubai and Prada Extends event at Art Basel Miami.

On November 3, Prada will launch a further exclusive drop of new limited-edition shirts crafted using upcycled materials from Prada’s archive. This time, Prada has taken style inspiration from the 1970s: November’s shirt is a Prada reinterpretation of typical 70s-style patchwork shirts revised in a modern key with upcycled denim from the Prada Archives.

Each fabric has been pre-washed and treated separately to achieve different shades before assembling. Once assembled, the shirt was washed again to amalgamate the different treatments and complete the finished look. The shirt features characteristics typically used in denim clothes, including a hazelnut color yarn and cuts that fray with washing, alongside modern Prada details such as metal snap buttons and the classic triangle logo. While all are made in the same way, the various treatments in combination with the denim aging process over time give further rarity to the garment.

The shirt features a transfer on the back with the words «NOVEMBER» and the «UPCYCLE» patch. Each shirt comes accompanied by its own gifted NFT, which serves as an invitation to join Prada’s exclusive Crypted NFT community.

Following the unique Giveaway Experience to one lucky Timecapsule NFT holder at the Prada S/S 2023 Show in Milan in September, Prada is pleased to announce upcoming experiences of which Timecapsule NFT holders will be invited to attend.

On November 9 and 10, 2022, Prada will host in Dubai the eighth iteration of Prada Mode, featuring an installation by artist Damien Hirst – an exclusive event open to Prada Timecapsule community members. A traveling social club with a focus on contemporary culture, Prada Mode provides members with a unique art experience along with music, dining, and conversations.

On December 1, Prada Extends moves to the much-anticipated Art Basel in Miami where Timecapsule NFT Holders will be given the opportunity to attend the exclusive live event. Curated by British-born, Canadian-raised electronic musician and Prada collaborator Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman, Prada Extends is focused on and designed for creatives in different hubs around the world and interconnects like-minded figures, encapsulating the identity of each locale and its creative community.

Registration for both events will be available within the «Experiences» section inside the Prada Discord Channel. All information on the RSVP process is shared with community members on the Prada Discord Channel.

The Timecapsule opens for 24 hours on the first Thursday of every month. During the sale, a limited number of Timecapsule Collection items are available in selected markets on prada.com. Prior to delivery, Prada gives each item a unique serial number before wrapping the item in custom packaging. Upon receipt, the customers can redeem their NFT using their unique serial number.

The NFT features details of the drop, including the serial number for the accompanying physical item, establishing a connection between the digital and the physical products. Therefore, Prada customers can be assured that the rarity of their NFT corresponds to the exclusivity of their Timecapsule purchase. Timecapsule Collection NFT owners are part of a new group of Prada customers eligible to participate in exclusive activities and experiences. Prada Timecapsule NFTs are created using Ethereum blockchain infrastructure, meaning they are secure and accessible. Prada collaborates with the Aura Blockchain Consortium, which provides the underlying technology.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©Prada
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On November 9 and 10, 2022 Prada will present the eighth iteration of Prada Mode in Dubai featuring an installation by artist Damien Hirst. A traveling social club with a focus on contemporary culture, Prada Mode provides members with a unique art experience along with music, dining, and conversations.

In Dubai, Prada Mode will feature a new edition of Pharmacy by Damien Hirst, following the iteration presented at Prada Mode Moscow in 2021. Hirst created the Pharmacy restaurant in Notting Hill, London in 1998, six years after the inaugural installation of the same name at the Cohen Gallery New York. Pharmacy was conceived as a fully functioning restaurant and bar in an installation of Hirst’s floor- to-ceiling medicine cabinets, and specially made butterfly paintings. Hirst designed furniture, architectural details such as a huge molecular model in its window, light boxes, and a wallpaper design taken from a catalogue of prescription medicine. It is fitting for this to be made especially for Prada Mode: the artist’s long-time friend Miuccia Prada designed the staff uniforms for the original restaurant.

«I’m thrilled and honoured to be invited by Miuccia Prada to recreate Pharmacy for Prada Mode in Dubai after our successful collaboration in Moscow,» said the Damien Hirst. «I’m working really hard with a complicated but beautiful space, ICD Brookfield Place, to create harmony between the inside and outside of the new building. Once again, Prada have found a space that will provide the perfect place for it.
I’m so excited to be doing this! I’ve always thought great restaurants can be seen as art, and art without the evidence as we always remember great meals on great evenings with great people in great places and in this way Pharmacy is definitely a kinetic artwork, that works best filled with people and art existing and living and breathing and eating and drinking and enjoying themselves as one.»

For Prada Mode Dubai, Damien Hirst will transform a dedicated space at the landmark ICD Brookfield Place, the newest landmark building in Dubai designed by Foster + Partners. The building has become a lifestyle and business destination and home to some of the world’s leading corporations and an array of high-end restaurants and bars, representing the development of a cultural epicentre in the heart of Dubai International Financial Centre district (DIFC).
On November 9 and 10, early access to the club will be available for members to participate in morning and afternoon panels and discussions as well as nightly events, sampling specialty cocktails and dining throughout.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©Prada
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OPI kicks off Holiday 2022, inviting us to the most decadent dinner party of the year with the Jewel Be Bold Collection. An opulent, elevated jewel tone palette is inspired by an extravagant tablescape berried in jewels and served with bubbly. The guests are as extra as what’s being served, with each shade evoking an over-the-top persona. So, get Rhinestone Red-y and Decked to the Pines to Pop the Baubles and be Merry & Ice with 12 limited edition shades plus three limited edition glitters!

Bling on an edgy new look with gilded metals and icy tones. Deck nails in futuristic greens with metallic and shimmer finishes that pair festively with dark cherry and crimson red hues. The year’s number one trend hue, purple, gets a glamorous upgrade with pearl, shimmer and crème orchid shades. Jewel Be Bold also includes three glitters in classic gold with silver flecks, hot pink and charcoal black, designed to give nails a celebratory touch.

«During the holidays, perhaps now more than ever before, time with friends and family feels precious,» remarks OPI Co- Founder and Brand Ambassador Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. «Consumers are focusing on embracing positivity and enjoying small luxuries, like sparkly manicures, which have the power to change your look and your outlook. Hero shade Rhinestone Red-y, a bold pearlescent ruby red, is my top pick, for a color that’s versatile, powerful and sophisticated.”

Jewel Be Bold Collection shades will be available in GelColor, Infinite Shine and Nail Lacquer formulas, including:

Go Big or Go Chrome
Go cryst-all out in this metallic silver.
The Pearl of Your Dreams
Be the blue of the ball in this baby blue pearl.
Tealing Festive
Yule teal festive in this bold blue shimmer.
Decked to the Pines
Upstage the tree in a metallic green.

Rhinestone Red-y
Get red-y to sleigh in a bold pearlescent red.
Feelin’ Berry Glam
Berry yourself in gemstones with this deep red crème.
Charmed, I’m Sure
Be dazzling in a rich fuschia shimmer.
Pink, Bling, and Be Merry
Topaz the hors d’oeuvres in a pearlescent hot pink.

Merry & Ice
Put all ice on you in a pale pink shimmer.
Snow Holding Back
Snow for it with a sheer white shimmer.
Sleigh Bells Bling
Bling on a new attitude with a metallic gold.
Bring Out the Big Gems
Jewel be bold in this red-brown shimmer.

Pop the Baubles
Toast to the most extra look in a gold and silver glitter.
OPI’m a Gem
Spread jewel-tide cheer in a sparkling black glitter.
I Pink It’s Snowing
Frost your nails in a hot pink glitter.

Available now as Infinite Shine 15 ml for 24.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers), and as Nail Lacquer 15 ml: for 19.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers).
Professional nail service is available here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: @OPI_SWISS |#OPISwitzerland #OPIHoliday
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Finally, here is my full report about the amazing private party hosted by KILIAN PARIS at Hôtel Plaza Athénée to close out Paris Fashion Week and celebrate its 15th anniversary. The evening was absolutely magical.

With my colleague outside at the bar, Armenia’s 1st blogger, @kamotovmasyan. 

KILIAN PARIS reimagined its festive and ultra-luxurious universe inside the iconic Parisian palace by taking over the bar. An impressive showcase was staging, allowing the guests to rediscover the brand most iconic creations of the past 15 years.

My girls: @annanooshin, @carasantana, and @ms_kuan.

Detailed outfit post coming soon… this is one of my favorite outfits of the season.

From the bar we moved to the party location inside the hotel where a photo call was waiting for us.

Founder Kilian Hennessy and my humble self in the photo booth.

Having fun with my dear friends, super stars from Malaysia @schaalyahya.

Friends of the brand were immersed into KILIAN PARIS’ world by perfectly embodying the brand’s motto «Don’t be shy!» at the red neon content corner while enjoying cocktails inspired by KILIAN PARIS fragrances.

My favorite KILIAN PARIS fragrances on display: Woman in Gold, Good Girl Gone Bad, Love and Rolling in Love.

Lena Mahfouf, the number 1 influencer in France, wrote a message on the mirror.

We could also leave our their best anniversary wishes on a giant mirror with Le Rouge Parfum scented lipsticks as pencils, and the celebration turned out to be beyond expectations.

We danced all night long to DJ Kiddy Smile’s set, who certainly had the perfect recipe to light the dance floor on fire.

With notable guests including Kilian Hennessy, Lena Mahfouf, Natasha Poly, Coco Rocha, Ashley Park, Sir John, Maria Borges, Maye Musk, Ellen von Unwerth, Brooklyn Beckham, Nicola Peltz, Bilal Hassani, Alison Toby, Leonie Hanne, Xenia Adonts and others.

Girls gang: @carasantana, @jessicakroy, @whoiscaitbailey, @xeniaadonts and my humble self @sandrascloset.

Shooting the beautiful anniversary packaging in between for KILIAN PARIS …

KILIAN PARIS family kicked-off this year full of celebrations and surprises around the world. 15 years, 15 locations! Stay tuned for more…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / KILIAN PARIS / GETTY IMAGES
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Lady Gaga is a woman of the 21st century – boldly speaking her mind, and driving change through her art, her commitments, her actions. She is not only bubbly, she also love the bubbly. The collaboration of Dom Pérignon and Lady Gaga opens its second chapter and brings together a common ambition to discover harmony in tensions, and create by juxtaposing polarities and dualities with the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2008 x Lady Gaga Limited Edition. When Dom Pérignon chooses to be rosé, it is a radical declaration of freedom. Freedom to explore. Freedom to cast aside conventions and push the boundaries of creation. And who else could be more suitable to incorporate this way of living than Lady Gaga.

Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2008 bears witness to an exceptional year in a decade of brazenly generous sun. Gray, overcast skies dominated spring and summer in 2008, resulting in a deficit of both light and warmth. The maturity of the grapes surpassed all expectations, revealing exceptional high-toned balance. The bouquet instantly opens with raspberries, rapidly joined by notes of violet. Greener nuances then arrive, evoking angelica.

Dom Pérignon Rosé springs from this desire to dare, seizing the red of the pinot noir grape in its primal radiance, capturing its vital power in a bold, assertive assemblage. Tempered by a slow, masterful transformation during nearly 12 years in the cellar, Dom Pérignon Rosé is untamed and carnal, both light and dark, magnetic. Its vibration embraces the thrill of the unknown and is an invitation to explore.

Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2008 x Lady Gaga Limited Edition its available at Globus for CHF 480 and at Mister Champagne for CHF 450.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dom Pérignon – DRINK RESPONSIBLY
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Yesterday, I drove to Outletcity Metzingen to attend the VIP Luxury Night at Europe’s largest outlet center. My avid readers might remember when I went there the first time with German Vogue in 2018 or to attend the opening of the Boss flagship outlet store in 2019.

This time, I was invited by Outlicity Metzingen together with Taglierè to the big opening event of the new champagne bar Bollicine in the heart of the luxury area. At 4:30 p.m. the red carpet was rolled out and welcomed prominent special guests Michelle Hunziker and Frauke Ludowig among many others.

Two Swiss aquarius women: Michelle Hunziker with me

The new bar’s menu offers from the Italian breakfast to an all-day meal and snack menu. There is also a large selection of coffee specialties and cold drinks as well as an exquisite selection of champagne and champagne cocktails. «Bollicine» – which means sparkling bubbles in German – leaves nothing to be desired.

Besides a special show act and a tombola, the luxury shops were also open until 10pm. Needless to say, I took the opportunity to spend my shopping voucher to the fullest. At Bottega Veneta for example, certain pieces were marked down 90%. So amazing!

I can absolutely recommend visiting Outletcity Metzingen. It is a shopping haven with many luxury brands, such as Gucci, Prada, Versace and many more, having huge flagship stores filled with collections from previous seasons at great prices. And who doesn’t like a good deal?!

LoL, Sandra

With German entertainer Frauke Ludowig

Together with Petra Dieners, Leonie Hanne, Frauke Ludowig, and Violeta Prtenjaca.

Outfit post coming up soon…

Swiss media power … with Stefan Berger (Faces)

Talented twins: Tarkan and Luka Cidic

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Sage Press, Getty Images for Outletcity Metzingen / VIP Luxury Night
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