Sandra‘s Closet

Last night, I went to Volvo‘s VIP event “Switch to Pure”, the official presentation of their new V60 Plug-in Hybrid car.

Opening the evening, the acclaimed futurist Matthias Horx delivered the keynote speech about sustainable luxury: “Luxury and sustainability are no longer contradictory. Global markets, future mentalities and consumer behaviour change. One of the biggest trend over the next ten years will be ‘womanomics’, which is reflecting the increased influence of women in society.” Speaking of which, here are some quotes of powerful women in fashion:

Coco Chanel brought it to the point: „Luxury is not the opposite of poverty. It is the opposite of vulgarity.”

And British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood said in the Oct. 4, 2007 edition of The Telegraph: “Buy less, choose well. If you ask me what I think people should be getting next season, I’ll tell you what I’d like them to buy—nothing. I’d like people to stop buying and buying and buying.”

Speaking of choosing well, here is my “healthy fashion” look:
Cropped leather jacket (from a previous season) by Prada, eggplant-print silk-organza dress, raffia-trimmed PVC waist belt, cameo and onion clip earrings, eggplant and bell pepper bracelet, all by Dolce & Gabbana, “Diorette” ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie, flap-over zip bag by Tom Ford and studded leather ankle boots by Valentino.

During his speech, Matthias Horx said: “The woman is responsible for most of decisions made within a family, even which car should be bought.”

With this in mind, dear ladies, you should have a closer look at the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. You get three modes in one: Pure, Hybrid and Power, this is like a closet of cars. Each day, you can choose in which mood you are.

Green thumbs up!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I am part of a very interesting and extraordinary project for the launch of the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid with different events taking place during the next days.

Starting today until this upcoming Monday, June 11th 2012, Volvo Switzerland is turning Zurich Main Station into an open street art studio. Seven Chinese artists will constantly repaint, respray and restyle the new car, expressing their interpretation of the sustainable mobility of tomorrow. Stop by if you get a chance to get an exciting insight into China’s contemporary art scene.

Tonight’s opening night presented an amazing live art and dancing performance. Volvo’s brand ambassador, Melanie Winiger, former Miss Switzerland winner and model, was dressed and painted all in black, followed by strokes of gold. Famous guest of the night was Andres Andrekson aka Stress, (see last photo below).

Richard Monturo, Volvo Vice President of Global Marketing, and Swiss chef Pascal Schmutz with me in the middle.

Stay tuned for more to come – especially if you are curious how the “three-dimensional canvas”, the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, looks like. The two of us went on a little adventure trip today. The whole event is also streamed live via webcam at volvoartsession.com.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Thursday night, the Trophée Chopard in partnership with Variety Magazine at the Martinez Hotel took place. Each year at the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard rewards the talent of two young actors. And the Swiss jewelry and watch brand seems to have a good nose for their awardees. Many gifted performers, such as Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Diane Kruger and Gael Garcia-Bernal, have received the Trophée Chopard before.

The exceptional patron in the person of Sean Penn honoured this year’s rising stars, Shailene Woodley for her co-starring (and Golden Globe-nominated) role in The Descendants and Ezra Miller for his performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, with a beautiful laudatory speech.

Shailene looked radiant in her black silk devore velvet gown combined with the strappy ‘The Egrette’ sandals, both from Jason Wu‘s F/W 2012 runway collection

Ezra Miller gave a very moving thank you speech.

The awardees, Shailene Woodley and Ezra Miller, to the left with Sean Penn and Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to the right.

After the award presentation, we went upstairs to the Chopard Lounge where the amazing highly exclusive (by invitation only) after party for around 200 guests took place. The terrace was filled with celebrities and we danced until dawn.

Caroline Scheufele in a peach-coloured long gown by Emilio Pucci and Chopard jewelry with me

Eva Herzigova in Alexander McQueen with Bérénice Béjo wearing a pretty polka-dot dress with a cinched waist and paired  with a pair of glittering Chopard pearl earrings, of course.

Bérénice Béjo with me

Lana Del Rey in an ivory single-breasted suit by Moschino.

Very sweet Shailene Woodley with me.

Awardee Ezra Miller with me

Famous Spanish actress Paz Vega and face of L’Oréal Spain in a sequined dress from Giorgio Armani‘s S/S 2012 runway collection that reflected the light interestingly and Chopard jewelry with me.

Chinese actress and singer Fan Bingbing with me. Her forest-green fully embellished gown with a plunging neckline by Elie Saab that gave all the attention to her sensational Chopard jewelry looked stunning on her.

L.A.-based film producer, movie studio chairman and co-founder of Miramax Films Harvey Weinstein with me. He came without his wife Georgina Chapman, who is the founder of Marchesa.

Highlight of the night was Lana Del Rey‘s amazing performance. I love “Video Games”…
The singer is amazingly sweet and charming to talk to.

Lana’s necklace from Chopard’s Red Carpet Haute Joaillerie collection, is a one-of-kind piece that is original, unexpected with a tinge of humour. Composed of pink rubellites, diamonds and onyx, it has a maximum magnitude, brilliance and fire.

Lana Del Rey, Caroline Scheufele, Marion Cotillard and Ezra Miller

Eva Herzigova and Sean John Combs (P.Diddy)

This was such an amazing night! I truly love my job! Stay tuned for a detailed post on my look coming up soon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For the Cannes Film Festival 2012’s opening night, the who’s who of Hollywood came down to the Côte d’Azur. Here are the best dressed ladies of this amazing night. Enjoy!

Jury member Diane Kruger looked amazing in a mint green sheer couture gown by Giambattista Valli.

Eva Longoria wore a flowing, feathered train gown by Marchesa in which she had quite some problems walking on the red carpet.

American singer Lana Del Rey was wearing a classy black long dress by Alberta Ferretti that gave all the attention to the 18-carat white gold necklace set with a 31 carats yellow pear-shaped diamond by Chopard.

Eva Herzigova, the Czech model, was wearing a lace gown by Dolce Gabbana combined with the Marilyn Monroe Tribute set from the Red Carpet collection composed of a necklace in 18-carat white gold set with beads diamonds (151.64 cts), heart shaped diamonds (30.72 cts) and diamonds (18.53cts). Earrings en suite. All by Chopard.

Actress Tilda Swinton, who stars in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, wore a bronze gown by her fashion friend, designer Haider Ackermann.

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto wore a strapless beaded bodice gown, with a peplum pink satin skirt by Michael Angel, accessorized by Chopard jewelry.

The legendary Jane Fonda, wearing Chopard jewelry, looked absolutely stunning at 74  in a form-fitting metallic gown from Stella McCartney‘s new evening collection I saw her during the day at the Chopard lounge and was overwhelmed by her charisma.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©VALERY HACHE/AFP/GettyImages, ©Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, ©Rex, ©Lia Toby / WENN

On Wednesday evening, the opening night of the 65th Cannes Film Festival (May 16  to May 27, 2012), I was invited by Chopard to this year’s first “Montée des Marches” at the Palais des Festivals. (Each night there is the legendary black tie “Montée des Marches”, the famous red-carpet, by invitation only, where the 22 films in competition are screened.)

It is an amazing feeling to climb up those famous steps, the stairway to heaven. There are hundreds of people waiting behind the barriers to spot their favourite celebrities. The minute I got out of the limousine, I was absolutely speechless and full of emotions.

My look: Gown by Roberto Cavalli, fur stole by Blumarine, Pyramide bag by Prada (In case you are wondering why I didn’t choose a little clutch, I wanted to take my big camera with me.), earrings by Chanel, ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off with the screening of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom.

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, the movie centers around two young kids (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) who fall in love, and run away together into the wilderness, but the adult cast is pretty well-stacked in the acting department, featuring Hollywood stars like Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman.

Personally speaking, I am not the biggest Wes Anderson fan, but I have truly liked that movie. It is different and moving, featuring the best of Anderson’s iconic comedy whimsy. Moonrise Kingdom will be released later this month.

Bérénice Béjo, the Artist star, hosted the opening ceremony in a stunning gown by Louis Vuitton that blended in well with the red carpet. She introduced the audience to this year’s president Nanni Moretti and his A-list jury that includes Diane Kruger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander Payne, Ewan McGregor, Raoul Peck, Hiam Abbas and Emmanuelle Devos.

During the 12-day movie marathon, they will choose from 22 competition titles to give out the coveted Palme d’Or prize on May 27.

Beth Ditto opened the festival with an amazing performance of ‘Candle In The Wind’.

Very funny, the famous singer was hurrying to get a photo with the jury:

Stay tuned for my best-dressed list of this night!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, I left for the Cannes Film Festival, a truly amazing adventure for me. I am invited by the famous Geneva-based watch and jewelry company Chopard, the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival for the 15th consecutive year.

The Palme d’Or, created every year since 1998 by Chopard’s craftsmen

In 1998, the President of the Festival asked Caroline Scheufele, Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, to redesign the prestigious trophy, the Palme d’Or. Ever since, Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival have remained inseparable.

Caroline Scheufele drawing the Palme

You can see the details of my look on the arrival day below.
Printed satin-jersey harem pants by Balmain (please click here for a post on the print pants trend), white T-shirt by J.Crew, collarless leather jacket and studded Pyramide bag, both by Prada, black shopping bag by Chanel, studded ballet flats by Gucci and printed skull scarf by Alexander McQueen.

Stay tuned for some amazing photos of the opening ceremony last night. I could totally get used to walking on the red carpet. What an amazing event! Now, I am off to new adventures…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chopard and © Sandra Bauknecht

The Met Gala is the party of the year, like the Oscars in fashion. It is also the opening night of the annual fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. After last year’s posthumous Alexander McQueen retrospective “Savage Beauty”, the “Schiaparelli & Prada – Impossible Conversations“ is now on show.

With the met gala being one of the biggest red carpet events, it is quite a task narrowing down the many fabulous gowns to choose my absolute favourites. The ones in the collage above are on my best-dressed list, with the following three being at the top:

Dreamlike: Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada…

…with beautiful jewels by Anna Hu

A piece of art: Elizabeth Banks in Mary Katrantzou F/W 2012

Soulmate: Lizzy Tisch in Mary Katranzou‘s stunning Harp Hazzard dress from S/S 2012

But it wouldn’t be fun if I didn’t point out the more questionable fashion moments or let’s say to show you the most daring appearances. Enjoy!

Bird of Paradise: Florence Welch in Alexander McQueen

Too much bronzer: Leighton Meester in Marchesa

Scene-stealer: Marc Jacobs in Comme des Garçons with Lorenzo Martone

Booty Call: Beyoncé in Givenchy Haute Couture

Unlikely couple: Karolina Kourkova with tiny Rachel Zoe, the designer of her space-like gown

The new Anna? Giovanna Battaglia in Dolce & Gabbana with Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld

The Jolie-leg effect: Anja Rubik in a scary hip-slit gown by Anthony Vaccarello

Daughter of Daphne Guiness? Mary-Kate Olsen in The Row

Which one is your favourite or which one don’t you like at all? You can comment on Sandra’s Closet’s facebook page here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Getty Images and © Rex Features

Frieze Art Fair is renowned for cutting edge art and a fashion-forward crowd. Established in London in 2003 by the infinitely stylish Matthew Slotover and his co-director Amanda Sharp, it has become one of the art world’s hottest tickets.

This month, London’s coolest art fair hits Manhattan for the first time with the launch of Frieze New York. The four-day event (May 4-7) will see over 1000 of the world’s leading artists gather alongside curators, gallerists and collectors all set against a cool waterside backdrop and with a hip lineup of pop-up restaurants, parties and people to spot. And fashion trendsetters such as Net-à-porter and Mulberry join forces with the art world:

Co-publishers of Frieze Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp at the Mulberry dinner

On Friday, May 4 Mulberry hosted an intimate dinner in celebration of the Frieze Art Fair’s New York debut and in honour of the artists of Frieze Projects, of which Mulberry is the sponsor.

Frieze Projects is a not-for-profit initiative featuring commissioned artworks around the outdoor space of Randall’s Island, which are accessible to all visitors to the area. The dinner was held at The Crown restaurant on New York’s Upper East Side (readers of my fashion column in the SI Style magazine know this place already).

The beautiful decorated entrance to The Crown Restaurant

The ambiance

Among the fashionable guests: Derek Blasberg and Alexa Chung

The Clarins-Courtin sisters

Lana Del Rey

American singer Lana Del Rey performed during the evening, wearing the three quarter blouse in flame heavy lace and the fitted pencil skirt in flame, both from the F/W 2012 Collection. Lana was Emma Hill’s inspiration for Mulberry’s newest bag, the Del Rey, which launches in stores and online in mid-May.
(Stay tuned as I will keep you inform you once it hits the shelves).

Mulberry’s Del Rey Bag

Last night, May 5 influencers from the worlds of fashion and art came together to join NET-A-PORTER for a cocktail party and dinner celebrating Frieze Art Fair’s Chelsea Gallery Night, a night where more than 20 of Chelsea’s finest galleries opened their doors for a neighborhood block party filled with exclusive gallery previews, live music and food.

The NET-A-PORTER-sponsored event at the Hôtel Americano kicked off with roof-top cocktails and music by London DJ, Bip Ling, and continued with a seated dinner.

The Big Frieze hits NYC, I love!

LoL, Sandra

Christopher Kane with Natalie Massanet in a lace dress by Alessandra Rich

Giovanna Battaglia in a black leather coat
(Don’t we love the floral lace A-line dress by Miu Miu to the left and the neon-orange with white lace dress by Christopher Kane to the right in the background?!)

Olympia Scarry in head to toe floral prints by Proenza Schouler.

Designers Jason Wu and Roland Mouret

Photos: Courtesy of Mulberry, ©Craig Barritt/WireImage, Courtesy of Net-à-Porter and Frieze New York

German fashion house Basler will be launching their first Dirndl collection during the so-called “Nacht der Tracht” tomorrow at Munich’s famous Löwenbräukeller. It is going to be a fun packed evening with lots of local celebrities as models for the fashion show.

Here is your sneak preview of this very colourful and fun collection. Peacock, leopard and tiger prints embellish the Bavarian dresses designed by Basler’s Creative Director Brian Rennie, who was with Escada before.

Makes me truly miss my time in Munich…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Basler

2012 marks the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. The celebration of her Diamond Jubilee will be going on throughout the year.
Interesting to know is that Queen Victoria in 1897 was the only other monarch in the histories of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and a few other Commonealth realms to have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee.

Explore some of the cool limited editions to be launched for that special occassion:

In honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Harrods has created together with the famous perfume house Bond N°9 a limited edition fragrance, called Harrods Jubilee . The scent consists of amber, musk and sandalwood along with Lantana leave, dry leave and mace. It is available now from the store’s Perfumery Hall and retails at £290 for a 100ml bottle.

In April 1926, Floris had released a pretty floral scent called Royal Arms to celebrate the birth of Princess Elizabeth earlier that month. It had notes of rose, violet and ylang ylang.

To commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Floris, the only perfumer to hold a Royal Warrant from the Queen, slightly changed the original recipe but keeping the original floral character formed by essence of rose, the queen of flowers.

Royal Arms Diamond Edition EdP is on sale at John Lewis at £99 for a 100ml bottle (and at florislondon.com). There is also a limited amount of Royal Arms Diamond Edition in perfume strength which will be decanted into only six antique crystal dressing-table bottles of which one will surely be given to Her Majesty.

The most eccentric British fashion designers of all, Vivienne Westwood, pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s jubilee with an honorary collection featuring ready-to-wear and fashion jewelry that will be available in May in all Vivienne Westwood stores.

The Red Carpet Capsule Collection stays true to the opulent Westwood archive and was inspired by outfits that the Queen has actually worn. The patriotic designer’s logo is a royal ORB with a cross on top, bejewelled and impressive as befits the Queen of British fashion. Westwood became Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List “for services to fashion”.

For this royal occasion, the “Kaiser” Karl Lagerfeld, himself will be offering live commentary of the official event on French television channel France 2 on June 3. He will surely enjoy his latest assignment as fashion commentator as he already did last year, when the Chanel helmet participated in a French live broadcast about the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, attracting five million viewers.

And there’s no doubt the Queenie is one seriously stylish muse. After 60 years on the throne the queen’s outfits on her thousands of visits and tours have proved she is a bastion of good taste and style. She loves tone on tone looks with blue being her favourite colour choice. I mean there has to be a reason that blue is called royal. I know this fact thanks to a recent report featured in Vogue magazine for which editors have studied every outfit Her Majesty has worn in the last 12 months.

A year ago, all eyes were on the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Congrats to the couple on their first wedding anniversary today!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Vivienne Westwood, Harrods, Floris, Getty Images and Vogue