Merging Fashion and Culture

HENNESSY X.O UNVEILS MASTERPIECE COLLABORATION WITH KIM JONES

In a first for the Maison, the acclaimed fashion designer transcends couture and cognac in a special collection featuring a collectible sneaker, Masterpiece decanter, and Limited Edition bottle.

Hennessy is pleased to announce a collaboration with the world-renowned British Artistic Director Kim Jones. In an audacious meeting of two icons, the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones collection bridges street and luxury in a unique celebration of the legendary blend’s impact on culture. Interweaving the richness of Hennessy X.O’s 150-year heritage with Kim Jones’ creative vision, the collaboration features the Hennessy X.O Masterpiece designed by Kim Jones, the Hennessy X.O Limited Edition bottle by Kim Jones, and in a first for the brand, the HNY Low by Kim Jones. This also marks the first time Maison Hennessy has partnered with a fashion designer, and that Kim Jones collaborates with a spirits brand.

HNY Low by Kim Jones

«We are thrilled to embark on a new odyssey blending cognac-making and couture with Kim Jones, a creative master of our time,» said Laurent Boillot, Hennessy CEO. «Inspired by the emblematic personality of Hennessy X.O, Kim has developed a resolutely contemporary collection that is destined to make an impact on culture today and in the future.»

For Hennessy X.O, Kim Jones pays tribute to cognac-making and couture, two processes that touch on an understanding of science and the natural world as well as artisanal craftsmanship and savoir-faire. He follows in the footsteps of a formidable lineage of great masters who have helped cement Hennessy X.O’s cultural resonance over the years, including Frank Gehry, Cai Guo-Qiang and Ridley Scott.

«I’m fascinated by the rich heritage of Hennessy, a household name behind which artisans have spent hundreds of years creating this special cognac,» says Kim Jones. «Storytelling is very important for me regardless of what I’m designing or who I’m collaborating with – I want my designs to educate and inspire people through the stories they tell.»

WHERE COGNAC MEETS COUTURE: THE HENNESSY X.O MASTERPIECE AND HENNESSY X.O
LIMITED EDITION DESIGNED BY KIM JONES

Designed exclusively for Hennessy by Kim Jones, produced using 3D printing technology, and finished by hand, the sculptural Hennessy X.O Masterpiece has been produced in a limited edition of just 200 examples. The decanter demonstrates how humanity and technology can work together to create something unique, «like a piece of bespoke couture for a bottle,» the designer notes.

The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece

The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece draws inspiration from the making of Hennessy X.O, an art perfected by eight generations of Master Blenders. A specially developed titanium casing entirely encapsulates the bottle like an architectural second skin. Its twisting folds evoke both the couture technique of draping and the way in which, at the turn of the 20th century, Hennessy bottles were carefully hand-enveloped in tissue paper as a way of protecting their fragile parchment paper labels. Its base, an undulating oak plateau, nods to the barrels used to age eaux-de-vie that would eventually be blended to create Hennessy X.O.

While the bottle is entirely obscured from view, the cognac can be extracted using the fusil designed by Kim Jones, an elegant and playful ritual to serve a glass of the Hennessy X.O blend. As a finishing touch, the decanter itself has been dipped in gradient colors, an effect inspired by the shades of the different eaux-de-vie selected by the Master Blender to compose Hennessy X.O.

Says Kim Jones: «When I saw how the vintage Hennessy bottles were wrapped, it spoke volumes to me about how precious each one is, and how they were handled. I was particularly touched by their history, and the sense of how generations have dedicated their time to making each step of the process better and better. That same process also holds true with fashion

The Hennessy X.O Limited Edition

The third element of the collaboration is the Hennessy X.O Limited Edition ‘ready-to-wear’ version of the decanter specially imagined by Kim Jones. The Hennessy X.O bottle is encased in an aluminum second skin, its structure showcasing the signature shape of the bottle while evoking a couture silhouette. A true representation of the merger of fashion and culture with excellence and legacy, the limited edition bottle is the final piece of the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones partnership.

The Hennessy X.O Limited Edition by Kim Jones is available exclusively at Globus for CHF 241.50 now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hennessy
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Moschino After Show Dinner

The MOSCHINO after show dinner took place at Osteria La Risacca 6, an amazing restaurant specializing in seafood in Milan. Each dish on the menu was extremely good, prepared exclusively with fresh seasonal ingredients. The atmosphere was vibrant, great music played and we danced at the table.

With lovely Sara Bongiorni from MOSCHINO.

If you love fish dishes and you are in Milan, you must visit this restaurant.

After the dinner, we ended the night at Just Cavalli Club. As the name implies, the nightclub was designed by the designer Roberto Cavalli. Especially during fashion week, the club attracts fashionable club-lovers from across the world owing to its bespoke interiors and the overall clubbing ambiance.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Sledding Into The Weekend

Sledding into the weekend… something I can only recommend when being in Gstaad. Take this refreshing break! Even the ride up to the Eggli with the modern gondola lift designed by Porsche is an unforgettable experience. It effortlessly covers the 500 meters in altitude in just 5 minutes and offers breathtaking views of Gstaad and the mountain panorama surrounding the village. You can rent the sleds when you buy your ticket for the gondola ride and take it with you up the mountain. Just make sure that you are dressed with several layers as it can be very cold.

However before sledding down the Eggli Run back to Gstaad, enjoy a fondue on the terrace of the Bergrestaurant Eggli that offers delicious food and drinks for all tastes. There is also a very instagrammable spot with the #Gstaad.

Opening hours: December 16, 2022 until March 12, (daily 9:00 am – 4:30 pm)
Reservations at +41 33 748 95 59 or rest.eggli@bergbahnen-gstaad.ch.

Another great experience is the «Fondue Night on Eggli». When the sun goes down and the lights go on in the valley, peace has returned to the Eggli. On this special occasion, you have the unique opportunity to enjoy this unique atmosphere on the mountain. After enjoying a fondue à discretion (meaning as much as you like), you can sled down the Eggli Run back to Gstaad.

Dates: Every Thursday in February, 02/09/16 and 23, 2023. Reservations are required.
For more information, visit the website please.
If you like my outfit, click here for more information.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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The Fabulous World of Dior at Harrods

As the holiday season approaches, Dior has created The Fabulous World of Dior, a spectacular presentation illuminating the hallowed halls of the legendary Harrods department store. An exceptional event combining the charm of the English spirit with French luxury and art de vivre refinement.

A fervent admirer of England, from 1953 Christian Dior developed a powerful and unbreakable bond with Harrods, London’s epicenter of British elegance. This story, beginning with Harrods’ earliest singular branded boutique, has continued to grow through exclusive collaborations and is now enriched by a new chapter, unique in its scope and creative daring, inspired by the magic of Christmas.

For this breathtaking event, Harrods is decked out in a dazzling installation deployed along its historic façade on Brompton Road.

Dior reinvents the forty-four traditional Christmas windows of Harrods.

From November 10 to January 3, 2023, the façade of the Brompton Road edifice will be adorned with a monumental installation aglow with a play of light radiantly showcasing Dior’s fundamental references as reinterpreted by artist Pietro Ruffo for the Dior cruise 2023 collection. The compass rose, lucky stars and scintillating flowers will guide visitors along the historic window displays – a captivating attraction that draws people from all over the world, transformed and brought to life by a fantastic gingerbread tableau. A journey that stretches the limits of the imagination, exploring the House’s different worlds and symbols, from fashion to beauty.In the heart of this prestigious venue, a thousand fascinating surprises and animated decors, enhanced by gourmet treats, await customers.

Dior Café at Harrods – a new and extraordinary venue dedicated to delighting the taste buds.

Two dreamlike pop-ups – an ode to Monsieur Dior’s attachment to the celebration of Christmas and the art of cherishing loved ones – along with a Café specially conceived for the occasion, and even a truly immersive exhibition that plays with proportions to enchant the senses, promise unforgettable moments of joy and sharing. A tribute to British hospitality and the pleasure of entertaining, so dear to the founding couturier, a tearoom is unveiled in an unprecedented stage set, entirely adorned with gingerbread from the facade to the interior design and even the tiniest details, where Dior’s distinctive fundamentals are sketched. The Medallion chairs are dressed in iconic Dior toile de Jouy, the patterns of which can also be seen on the wooden tables, while the lines of the Maison’s signature cannage decorate the tableware, illuminated by delicate golden hues.

The architecture of Dior’s emblematic locations – from Granville to La Colle Noire and 30 Montaigne – are shown in reduced proportions.

Initiating a captivating encounter between the different customs that brighten the end of year festivities, from the City of Light to the English capital, Dior has conceived a unique, unprecedented exhibition – a real «kingdom of dreams» specially designed for Harrods – which revisits the tradition of gingerbread houses.

Timeless essentials of the feminine universe, the J’Adior pumps are dressed in the Jardin d’Hiver print, which also embellishes silk scarves, shawls, a pajama set from the Dior Chez Moi line, or the Lady Dior. It appears on exceptional trunks, as well as an elegant case enclosing a Saddle or a Lady Dior reinterpreted in micro format. Like an ode to travel and the plurality of cultures, the Rêve d’Infini motif imagined by Pietro Ruffo blossoms on the Dior Book Tote, (to see me wear this bag, click here please), D-Way mules and silk twill scarves, while the graphic cannage is drawn on iridescent phone pouches and cases.

The Dior Prestige ritual, lipsticks and fragrances – such as J’adore, Eau Sauvage, Miss Dior and the olfactory works of La Collection Privée – also appear in sumptuous exhibits, sometimes depicting a forest of pine trees made of cookies, sometimes a joyful flurry of candy balloons, boldly conveying the House’s excellence in beauty, from skincare to perfume.

A momentous pause in time, defined by a selection of objects of desire – such as sumptuous gift sets and advent calendars – cultivating, more than ever, the pleasure of giving so cherished by the House.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dior
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Louis Vuitton – First Restaurant in China

Louis Vuitton inaugurates its first restaurant in China, The Hall by Louis Vuitton, located alongside the newly opened Chengdu Maison at Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li.

Situated in the heart of the city, the Chengdu Maison embodies Louis Vuitton’s Art de Vivre, culture and lifestyle set across two buildings connected by a glass bridge and encompassing a total area of more than 2,000sqm. This fall, just nine months after the Maison’s opening, Louis Vuitton China presents its first dining dimension The Hall by Louis Vuitton, welcoming guests for both lunch and dinner service as well as afternoon tea. The restaurant is housed in the historic architecture of Guangdong Hall, which served as a merchants’ gathering place during the early Canton days, translating these historic traditions of social commune into a new urban landmark.

Refined, light and exceptionally modern, the menu takes inspiration from pan-European flavors with classics from both French and Mediterranean cuisine, brought to life by a dynamic program of visiting international Michelin-star chefs (from China and abroad) who each take to the kitchen’s helm to bring unique creativity and not-to-be-missed excitement to diners. As its first, Louis Vuitton welcomes Michelin-star chef, Olivier Elzer from November 2022 until March 2023. Together with Chef Elzer, The Hall by Louis Vuitton will showcase its first seasonal menu where creative local flavors meets French finesse.

A specially curated wine list weaving together French with Old World Italian will also feature an exceptional selection from the Jura, the birthplace of Louis Vuitton himself, as tribute to his memory and admiration. The cocktail list draws inspiration from house icons to create an imaginative menu that walks guests through the Maison’s culture.

The Hall by Louis Vuitton features original artworks from artists including Lu Xinjian, Zhou Yilun and Nanchuan Daocheng. Amongst many specially crafted furniture pieces and objects from the house’s Objets Nomades collection, a coral embellished chandelier designed by atelier oï takes center stage as a vivid counterpoint against the restaurant’s calm and peaceful ambiance. Yunmi, a restaurant group who also owns a series of reputable restaurants including Da Vittorio Shanghai, is operating the restaurant.

The Hall by Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Maison Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu
1120b, Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu, No. 8, Zhongshamao Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, China

Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday
Lunch service 11:30 – 14:00 Teatime 14:30 – 16:30 Dinner service 17:30 – 21:30
Reservation:
 +86 (028) 86116567

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Second Chapter of Queendom

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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Lunch with Kilian in Paris

On the second day of the three-day extravaganza with KILIAN PARIS to celebrate the Maison’s 15th anniversary, founder Kilian Hennessy invited to an intimate lunch at «La Suite Girafe».

Located on the 9th floor of the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, «La Suite Girafe» or LSG to its friends, was the former flat of the curator who had a private terrace with a panoramic view of the whole of Paris in the 1930s. Today it seats 100 people and is open for lunch and dinner. Famous Parisian interior designer Joseph Dirand created a beautiful space with stunning views over the Eiffel Tower.

In terms of cuisine, the emphasis is on the praise of iodine, with ever more refined dishes that give pride of place to the products. Like a Parisian seahouse, LSG offers a contemporary marine cuisine where seafood, raw and cooked fish in all their forms are combined. Don’t miss the famous pavlova for dessert, it is divine.

«La Suite Girafe» is open to the public (strictly by reservation only) and to members of PH1 (a private members club by Paris Society). It has been one of my favorite restaurants in Paris since its opening in 2021 and I can absolutely recommend it.

La Suite Girafe
1 place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre
75016 Paris
Phone: +33 01 42 25 25 59

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht 
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Prêt-à-Portea: The Couture Cakewalk

Arriving perfectly dressed for the new season, the S/S 2022 Prêt-à-Portea collection at The Berkeley London showcases couture cakes inspired by designers from Lanvin to Gucci. A contemporary twist on afternoon tea, this playful and stylish edit is set to become another favourite for sweet-toothed fashionistas.

This season’s collection opens with Oscar de la Renta – a striking orange gown crafted with apricot bavarois, salted Manuka honey and apricot ganache, topped with a meringue frill. A hero handbag from Michael Kors – whose bags were seen filled with flowers on the catwalk – has been created as a Victoria sponge with fresh strawberry jam, wrapped in an Opalys chocolate cylinder with flowers intricately piped with lime butter cream.

Gucci’s pink silk tuxedo has been reimagined in bourbon vanilla mousse and Emmanuel sponge, layered with peach compote and glazed with shimmering pink icing. This is finished with a thin chocolate jacket and bow tie. Meanwhile, Lanvin’s towering floral platform heels will stomp down the cakewalk made from chocolate biscuit, painstakingly piped with royal icing.

Schiaparelli’s couture golden mini dress combines caramel sponge, dark Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut praline, all topped with a shimmering, chocolate oversized collar. Richard Quinn’s buttercup yellow gown is immortalised in ice cream – chocolate wafer cones are filled with fresh fruit compote and pineapple and star anise sorbet, topped with bright yellow chocolate waves.

Finally, the Prêt-à-Portea pastry team have created a showstopper of a cake – designed to share – paying homage to Saint Laurent’s floral jumpsuit. An oversized red rose made of lychee mousse with fresh raspberry is set on a glossy white coconut cake, and finished with a green chocolate leaf.

As always, the tea also includes elegant canapés and sandwiches, with a selection of loose-leaf teas from the extensive collection.
Afternoon Tea is served Monday – Sunday: 1pm – 5.30pm.

Cannot wait to be back in London!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Berkeley and Courtesy of the Brands
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Beefbar Mykonos

If you are looking for a more quiet dinner place with great food and a beautiful ambiance in Mykonos (there will still be music, but not as loud as at other places), I recommend BEEFBAR MYKONOS. Located in the Bill & Coo Coast Hotel on Agios Ioannis beach, you can find a wide selections of the finest quality meat cuts and contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. The menu offers also grilled fresh fish caught by local fisherman, ceviche, tataki and Kobe beef gyros. Don’t miss the amazing display of fresh vegetables inside the restaurant, it is a real foodie’s paradise.

The interior is beautiful and I enjoyed watching the enchanting view under the shade of the mulberry trees as the sun sank into the Aegean sea.

It is an all-day seaside restaurant that also has the Bill & Coo Beach Club next to it. I have not been during the day but got a lot of positive feedback from friends who went.

The plates are so cute. Designed in collaboration with French porcelain manufacturer Bernardaud, there is a broad selection of different starter plates that you can also order online here for your home.

Beefbar Mykonos is open for lunch between 1PM – 6PM, for dinner 7PM – midnight.
Bill & Coo Beach Club is open between 11AM – 8PM

ADDRESS Beefbar Mykonos – Bill & Coo Coast Hotel – Agios Ioannis – Mykonos 84600
PHONE +30 6956600169
EMAIL 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
@BillAndCooWayOfLife #BillAndCooWayOfLife #MykonosLessOrdinary

Lunch at Spilia in Mykonos

In the beautiful cave of Agia Anna, next to Kalafatis beach, you’ll find a restaurant-bar like no other. Peacefully nestled on a natural platform on the rocks, hanging over the sea, Spilia (which means cave in Greek) Seaside restaurant is one of the most iconic Mykonos hotspots.

With a 30-year history and a recent makeover, this stunning all-day venue features dishes that offer up an authentic Mediterranean-Mykonian culinary experience. Seafood and fresh fish are served straight from the Aegean – oysters, mussels, urchins, crayfish and lobsters await your order in a small natural sea pool, to be prepared before your eyes. The signature dish of the restaurant is the amazing crab pasta, that I highly recommend.

The best way to get to Spilia is by boat. Just hold on to everything, winds are strong and boats are very fast. If you book the second seating for lunch, you will enjoy also the sounds of a DJ and you can dance the calories off immediately at the table.

Enjoying spectacular views of the endless blue waters of the Aegean sea, Spilia has also a 5-star beach club, Agia Anna, next to it. You can get there easily over the rocks. It is a fun little walk with lots of photo options.

Spilia Sea Side Restaurant
Agia Anna Beach, Kalafatis
Ano Mera, 84600 Mykonos Island
spilia.
Phone: +302289071205, +306949449729

The sea urchins are taken fresh from the natural pool inside the restaurant.

Spilia is a unique place, one of my favorites in Mykonos so far. A well hidden gem for the real connoisseurs of fresh fish, fine dining and divine atmosphere. At night, the scenery is so romantic, ideal for couples.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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