Sandra‘s Closet

This month, CHANEL‘s S/S 2012 Haute Couture makeup collection BLUE ILLUSION will hit the stores.
As free as the air itself, blue has always been an invitation to travel, from inky nights and clear lagoons. In a design-forward fashion show setting recreating a long-haul flight in midair, Karl Lagerfeld‘s designs were presented with the clouds and moon floating above the audience last January. In a halo of light and strong lines around the eye, blue eyeshadows caressed the eyelids to echo jewel dresses, accompany tomboy postures and soften rebellious hairstyles with a new chic look.

Peter Philips, Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup, borrows the intangible hues of summer blue. Like a cloud-strewn sky, eyes take up shimmering reflections that change with the light.

The juvenile grace of an almost nude face showcases eyes with marine depths, mellowed by the radiance of blue tones.

On eyelids, ILLUSION D’OMBRE takes on a scintillating and satiny effect that makes eye makeup glow with each bat of the lashes. Two airy shades of grey blue, one pale, DESTINATION, and the other more intense, APPARITION, adapt to all faces. Eyeshadows are applied according to inspiration: in sheer washes or deep colour blocks, in mono­chrome or gradations.

Mascara-laden lashes accentuate the graphic tracing of the eye contour with a sophisti­cated note. LE CRAYON YEUX BLEU AÉRIEN borders the eyelids with an intense stroke, like a horizon line over the ocean. The effect can be optimized with LE CRAYON KHÔL and LE STYLO YEUX WATERPROOF, chosen in the MARINE shade, perfect to intensify the depth of the eyes or create evening makeup.

The natural complexion is simply dressed in a tender pink blush with JOUES CONTRASTE ROSE ÉCRIN.

LE CRAYON LÈVRES NATURAL becomes one with a subtle shade of ROUGE COCO SUPERSTITION, a golden beige, the favorite colour of Mademoiselle.

For the final step of this chromatic journey, LE VERNIS SKY LINE sweeps nails with a delicate shade of pearly blue that captures and softens the light in its pearly reflections.

Don’t miss those limited edition must-haves:

Illusion d’Ombre (Apparition/Destination) – CHF 47.-
Le Vernis (Skyline) – CHF 38.-
Le Crayon Yeux (Bleu Aérien) – CHF 33.-

Available this month in Chanel stores worldwide and at Jemoli in Zurich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

Last week, the Haute Couture presentations for F/W 2012 took place in Paris and they have brought along some adorable and stunning looks. From Christian Dior to Stéphane Rolland, from Versace to Valentino, enjoy the best of the best.

GIVENCHY HAUTE COUTURE:

Personally speaking, Givenchy Haute Couture F/W 2012 is my favourite. It is so modern, edgy and cool. This fringed top above or the long embellished cape with fur details are both to die for! If I could wear couture every day, how I would long for it to be Givenchy Haute Couture…

STÉPHANE ROLLAND HAUTE COUTURE:

Stéphane Rolland is always one of the highly anticipated presentations during Haute Couture fashion week in Paris, and this time was no exception. His couture designs are modern and sexy, more of a “Hot Couture”.

Do you remember when supermodel Yasmin Le Bon closed the show in a gigantic red gown last season? Click here for the previous post. This time, it was actress Fan Bingbing, whom I had met at the Trophée Chopard party in Cannes in May, who wowed the guests in a striking sleeveless gown with a cape that took over the entire runway.

CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE:

Two contradictory words on the invitation: “New Vintage”. At Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld returned to the essence of the fashion house and delved into the past with a collection of bouclé jackets and feather-trimmed gowns. His bridal look left me speechless.

ZUHAIR MURAD HAUTE COUTURE:

Opulence is what Zuhair Murad is all about. Haute Couture how you imagine it.

VALENTINO HAUTE COUTURE:

Valentino‘s embroidered and hand-painted looks were proof that couture’s artistry and craftsmanship are higher than ever. Absolutely breathtaking!

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, who have been helming the famous label since 2008 following Mr Valentino’s retirement, did a wonderful job.

CHRISTIAN DIOR HAUTE COUTURE:

Raf Simons’s debut collection for Christian Dior was probably one of  the most refreshing couture show. Clean but masterfully tailored, those strapless embroidered mini gowns over pants, all free from fuss, looked like contemporary couture should look like.

ATELIER VERSACE:

Donatella Versace returned to the Ritz Paris for the presentation of her Atelier Versace F/W 2012 collection. 
The famous hotel had hosted many Atelier Versace shows before. Donatella was paying homage to her late brother Gianni with a collection that encapsulated the best of the iconic Versace looks.

ARMANI PRIVÉ:

Those sultry veils seen at Armani Privé were outstanding.

JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER HAUTE COUTURE:

Speaking of Hot Couture, Jean-Paul Gaultier served up a good dose of sexiness with his creations. Gaultier at his best!

I hope that you have enjoyed my little Haute Couture report.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, © Getty Images

When I stumbled across the new US April Vogue and this amazing editorial featuring Kate Moss showcasing the most beautiful of January’s couture collections at the hotel Ritz in Paris, before closing its doors for renovation, I had to share this with you.

Lensed by one of my favourite photographers Tim Walker and styled by Grace Coddington, this is a feast for your eyes! Enjoy!

My Bleu Heaven
A cornflower-blue dress by Sarah Burton, reminiscent of 1950s couture, plays on proportion and contrast: nipped-in waist and voluminous skirt; flat jacquard against exploding lace. Alexander McQueen lace bustier jacquard dress.

At First Blush
Moss, in the bathroom of the Coco Chanel Suite, wears a petal-like cocktail dress and cape, inspired by a 1960 design, from a pink-and-silver cloque lamé created by Cristóbal Balenciaga.

Life Imitates Art I
Like the neoclassical crimson satin sofa, a dramatic tiered evening dress (Dior’s finale look) adds a jolt of brilliant color to the hushed palette of an Imperial Suite salon. Dior Haute Couture silk dress.

Life Imitates Art II
Bellhop Nicolas Deschamps balances a Roger Vivier silk-and-feather pump on his cap.

Sleeping Beauty
For three decades, Coco Chanel called the hotel her home. Here, the bedroom of the suite named for her. Armani Privé sequined embroidered flared bustier dress.

Boxed Out
Karl Lagerfeld took over the first-floor-spanning Imperial Suite, seen here, for his 1996 couture collection. Chanel Haute Couture embroidered organza flower coat and pumps.

Cocktail Hour
“I drink the French 76: vodka, sugar, lemon juice topped up with champagne; it’s the best drink ever, but it only tastes like that in the Hemingway Bar,” says Moss, here in L’Espadon. “Colin [Field, Ritz Paris head bartender] made it for my wedding. It doesn’t taste at all strong—and then, whoa, whoops-a-daisy!” Alexis Mabille Haute Couture burnished lamé dress and hat.

Light Show
“When I was with Johnny Depp, he always stayed there. I had an apartment in Paris at the time, but he said, ‘No, we’re staying at the Ritz,’ so he came by and swept me up to the Ritz—he didn’t want to slum it in my apartment!” Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci.

Room Service
“Gianni’s [Versace] shows were amazing—and sooo convenient. Walk downstairs, go to work: Love that!” says Moss, with housekeepers Khadidja Fakri and Lollie Bacete (standing). Dior Haute Couture embroidered silk dress. Headpiece created by Julien d’Ys.

View From the Top
Giambattista Valli sent out a cinched draped-shoulder goddess dress in “a color so deep, so intense, you can almost smell it—like bougainvillea on the Mediterranean coast.” Giambattista Valli Haute Couture silk dress and necklace.

Special Delivery
In the Flower Room, a team of five florists overseen by floral designer Djordje Varda is charged with, among other things, selecting and arranging 10,000 blooms for the hotel each week.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Vogue, Tim Walker

Today is a special day for me. It is my birthday and therefore I would like to treat you with this eye candy from the Haute Couture week in Paris. 
Last Tuesday, it was raining like crazy when I went up to the Place du Trocadéro in the afternoon to see Stéphane Rolland‘s S/S 2012 couture show which was absolutely divine.

Stéphane Rolland to the right with his muse for his S/S 2012 show, Yasmin Le Bon to the left and me in the middle.

Meet Stéphane Rolland, the designer behind the eponymous couture label launched in 2007. His vision is modern and original. Considering that he is one of couture’s newest names, it is amazing to see that he is among those that help to keep couture alive. He creates dresses that even young girls aspire to own.

What does make him different and special?

Have a look at his architectural cuts and outstanding embellishments that are more exciting than the usual sequin and crystal work seen at other couture houses. His approach is truly contemporary without forgetting his couture skills that he learnt from scratch. At the age of 20, Rolland joined Balenciaga and became Creative Director of menswear. Four years later, he started his own prêt-à-porter line which he ran until Jean-Louis Scherrer asked him 6 years later to be at the helm of the French house’s Haute Couture line. A position he occupied for the next ten years until 2007, when he launched he started his own couture label at 10 avenue George V.

Rolland is a full member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and therefore his brand can officially bear the “haute couture” label.

Now, I would like to invite you to enjoy the photos I took of the front row, the runway show and backstage where I went after the show.

LoL, Sandra

Front row

Me with a dear friend in Armani Privé

French singer Mireille Mathieu still wearing her iconic hair cut

Let the show begin:

The tri-colour gown is my favourite.

Yasmin Le Bon, Stéphane’s muse for this collection, presented the last look: The red bride in an absolute amazing gown with so much fabric that she needed two helpers to turn around.
I loved it!

Backstage after the show. I loved the sparkling dark eye make-up.

I hope that you have enjoyed this feast for your eyes. A couture show is something truly special.

LoL, Sandra

All photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

While Dior still hasn’t officially announced Galliano’s successor (and they won’t probably until September), the suspicion hardens that Ricardo Tisci, Givenchy’s Creative Director, will be the one. Since John Galliano’s unpleasant exit, Dior’s dresses have been stigmatised on the red carpet. In return, we have been spotting much more Givenchy lately. Might be a sign…

Liv Tyler, Mary-Kate Olsen and Alicia Keys wore Givenchy Haute Couture to the Met Gala in New York this month.

Naomi Campbell was a fringed beauty in an embroidered evening gown at the amfAR 2011 Fight Against Aids party in Cannes last Thursday. Photo: © PacificCoastNews

For the same gala, Courtney Love chose an absolutely spectacular Givenchy Couture gown with a plunging neckline and a sheer tulle-and-feather skirt.
Photo: © Francois Durand/Getty Images Europe

Beyoncé wore Givenchy for her video for her single Run The World (Girls)

As for me, Ricardo Tisci would be a great choice. I have been a big fan of his creations for a long time. He will surely infuse more gothic appeal to Dior but that doesn’t need to be bad, doesn’t it? And when Tisci leaves Givenchy, Haider Ackermann could succeed. I think I like that idea very much!

LoL, Sandra

Starting from today, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, is on view until July 31, 2011 at the Metropolitan Museum’s second-floor Cantor Galleries.

So if you just can’t get enough after having seen Kate Middleton’s bridal dress, that was made by Sarah Burton for the house of McQueen, you might consider a trip to NYC. The designer’s costume institute retrospective features approximately 100 ensembles and 70 accessories from the late designer’s prolific 19-year carreer with some outstanding pieces from the Givenchy Archive in Paris, custom-made items from the closet of Isabella Blow and even his graduate collection at Central St.Martins among others.

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition, the Museum’s Costume Institute Benefit took place Monday night with high-profile guests in high-profile fashion. The Met gala has anyway become over the years the fashion community’s biggest red carpet night. It was no wonder to spot some McQueen tributes to the mix.

My favourite two looks by Alexander McQueen were Gisèle Bündchen who looked so radiant in her red gown next to her husband Tom Brady…

… and Anna Dello Russo, known for her eclectic style, showed up in a pant suit from the S/S 2011 collection, divine!

As for me, the ultimate highlights were the „Stella Girls“ with Stella McCartney herself making an appearance in a black and white tuxedo gown of her own design. It was a modern, probably experimental but uncoventional look. The British designer is also a Co-Chair for the fundraising event.

The Stella McCartney parade was led by Madonna in a silky blue gown with a beautiful embroidered train. With her 50’s hair and make-up, she looked very Hollywood. Wow!

Very pregnant Kate Hudson glowed in her champagne-coloured Stella gown and long tousled hair.

This is my favourite. Gwyneth Paltrow chose to go with long sleeves which was a popular trend at the gala. So simple and absolutely stunning. The actress is good friends with the British designer.

Rihanna in a one-shoulder black lace gown, an iconic Stella look!

Adding some colour drama, Eva Mendes enhanced her complexion by wearing a cobalt blue plissé dress by Stella McCartney. So beautiful!

What a night!

LoL, Sandra

Last weekend, famous supermodel Natasha Poly, who is ranked N°2 on Models.com, got a head start on all the bridal madness when she tied the knot with Dutch businessman Peter Bakker. The beautiful Russian got married in an intimate three day ceremony at Hotel Byblos in St.Tropez.

Riccardo Tisci, Creative Director of Givenchy, had the honour of dressing the bride for her big day and Leona Lewis gave a private concert for the 200 guests. I especially loved the lace sleeves and Natasha’s romantic hair style with white flowers accentuating her blonde waves.

Lara Stone, who is by the way the N°1 ranked model on Models.com had also worn a custom Givenchy bride dress last year at her wedding. And we will never forget how gorgeous Audrey Hepburn looked in Hubert de Givenchy’s bridal creation for the movie Funny Face in 1957…

LoL, Sandra

Red-hot and purple gowns, sequined body-conscious dresses along with screen-siren hair and beautiful high jewelry pieces. The 83rd Academy Awards 2011 last night in Los Angeles were once more all about glamour and drama.

See the styles and trends that celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bullock and more wore on Hollywood’s ultimate night.

My Fashion Oscar: Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Haute Couture S/S 2011

The winning actress in a leading role was highly pregnant Natalie Portman who looked so radiant in her burgundy Rodarte gown in „Black Swan“.
The winning actor in a leading role was Colin Firth in „The King’s Speech“ that also won in the categories „Directing“ and „Best Picture“.

Enjoy the photos from last night!

LoL, Sandra

Last week, it was Haute Couture S/S 2011 Fashion Week in Paris. This is always a feast for the eyes and one designer definitely caught my eye: Dilek Hanif.

Dilek Hanif

Major player on the Turkish fashion scene, Dilek Hanif transmits a new sense of contemporary luxury in her designs. She lives and works in Istanbul where she started her own line in 1990 including Haute Couture and ready-to-wear collections. Since 2004, she became admitted on the official Paris Haute Couture calendar.

Gorgeous embroideries (all handstitched in her local atelier) on silk, lace, organza and chiffon are among her favourites. She also has a special love for drapings and for fluid, structured interplays.

What I like about her creations is the contemporary and modern approach to couture. For further enquiries, please contact the atelier at .

LoL, Sandra

Last night, the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards were held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.

This year the red carpet came alive with colour– emerald green (Angelina Jolie was among my favourites of the evening), feminine hues like rose, peach and sultry red captured the aisle (Best nude dress: Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé).
But also some gorgeous black gowns embellished with lace and rhinestones were breathtaking (Best: Olivia Wilde in her fairytale Marchesa dress). Armani, Versace, Calvin Klein and Lanvin among others delivered amazing gowns for deserving ladies.

An expectant Natalie Portman showed off her blossoming figure and her mommy glow in a peachy silk Viktor & Rolf gown and took her second Golden Globe award home.

Enjoy the impressions of the glamourous night.

LoL, Sandra