Sandra‘s Closet

Ralph Lauren and the USPS Just Made Stamps Worth Collecting
For nearly six decades, Ralph Lauren has been synonymous with American style. Now he is leaving his mark on something even more quintessentially American: the postage stamp.

To celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service invited the designer, and 2025 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, to curate «American Icons,» a 13-stamp commemorative pane. It is the first time in USPS history that a single individual has been handed the creative reins over an entire official stamp issuance, and the result feels exactly as considered and layered as you would expect from Lauren.

The pane draws from his personal archives and the visual touchstones that have shaped his career over the decades. Twelve stamps line the outer edges, each one a quiet portrait of American life: Jackie Robinson’s worn baseball glove, a Diné blanket woven by Naiomi Glasses, a pickup truck, the Empire State Building. At the centre sits a 13th stamp, larger and anchoring the entire composition, featuring Lauren’s own knit flag design framed in blue denim and marked simply «1776 to 2026.»

Separately, the USPS is also releasing a 2026 U.S. Flag Mail Use Stamp, its design pulled directly from the distinctive knit texture of Lauren’s iconic Flag Sweater.

A Ralph Lauren project without a wearable counterpart would be incomplete, and so a limited edition capsule collection launches globally on June 9, the day of the official dedication ceremony. The lineup brings back a reimagined American Flag Sweater alongside a classic Polo Shirt and a tailored Ball Cap, each piece rooted in the same heritage the stamps celebrate.

The stamps are available now for pre-order through USPS locations and online. The apparel drops June 9 at select Ralph Lauren stores and on ralphlauren.com.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren #AmericanIconsStamps
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The Best Gift You Can Give a Mother? This.
There are days that ask nothing of you. No deadlines, no decisions, no notifications. Just the quiet luxury of being somewhere beautiful with someone you love.

On one of our recent days in Boston, Anouk and I did exactly that. We gave ourselves over to a full day at the Guerlain Spa at the Raffles Boston, and I have been thinking about it ever since.

The Raffles Boston has become my favorite hotel in the city, and for good reason. There is a level of care here that is hard to articulate but impossible to miss. Everything feels considered, generous, and effortlessly refined. It is the kind of place that makes you want to stay longer than planned.

The spa occupies the entire fourth floor, and it shows. Three private treatment suites with hydrotherapy baths and showers, a dedicated couples suite, separate saunas for women and men, a steam room, invigorating experience showers, a 20 meter vitality pool, and a fitness center equipped with Technogym. It is a world unto itself.

You sink into the spa the moment you arrive. The duvets are impossibly soft, the light is warm, the whole space has that rare quality of feeling genuinely unhurried. We had a couples massage, side by side in the same room, and were offered a choice between two oils: one with a gardenia note, the other a deeper, warmer blend of patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla.

We chose the latter. Both of us, without hesitation. The massage was exceptional, the therapists precise and intuitive, and the Guerlain products throughout were simply extraordinary. The scents alone are worth the trip.

Afterwards we swam, sat in the sauna, let the steam room do its work. One of those days you want to press pause on.

On a day like today, it feels worth saying: if you are still looking for a way to celebrate the mother in your life, an experience like this is the answer. Not a thing. Time, beautifully held.

And for those of us in Switzerland: Guerlain Spas are closer than you think. In Geneva at The Woodward, in Lausanne at the Beau-Rivage Palace. Both are destinations in their own right.

Happy Mother’s Day!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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A Retreat for the Overwhelmed Soul: Four Seasons The Nam Hai Brings Back Its «Inner Peace & Wisdom Programme»

If you have ever felt like the noise of modern life simply will not let up, a small stretch of coastline in central Vietnam might be exactly what your nervous system is asking for.

From 7 to 9 August 2026, Four Seasons The Nam Hai returns with its «Inner Peace & Wisdom» Retreat, held within the celebrated Heart of the Earth Spa on the pristine shores of Ha My Beach. The programme is co-led by guest expert Judy Xu, founder of Balance Health Hong Kong and co-founder of Manifest Co-Pilot, alongside Sudha Nair, the resort’s own wellness manager and resident healer, who brings over two decades of experience in naturopathy and yoga across India, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam.

The retreat is built around three interlocking ideas: returning the nervous system to calm, cultivating emotional resilience in the face of difficulty, and accessing a deeper state of stillness where clarity and inspired action naturally arise. Over three days, guests move through a layered programme of breathwork, somatic practices, energy healing, yoga and meditation, each session designed to build on the last.

What makes this edition particularly compelling is the collaboration between Judy and Sudha, who will co-facilitate every session rather than dividing the programme between them. General Manager Marcel Oostenbrink describes the guest response to last year’s programme as remarkable, with participants reporting shifts that continued long after they returned home.

The spa itself sets a fitting stage. Rooted in the teachings of Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, the Heart of the Earth Spa weaves crystal singing bowls, overwater treatment villas and tropical lotus lagoons into a philosophy that moves with the rhythms of nature rather than against them. The retreat is further supported by the resort’s Balance Menu, a mindful eating programme centred on fresh, unprocessed ingredients that encourages guests to reconnect with the body’s own natural signals.

For anyone ready to trade overstimulation for genuine stillness, Ha My Beach in August is a quietly compelling invitation.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Four Season The Nam Hai
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A Proud Parent’s Letter to the World
She Did It – A Master’s Degree from Northeastern
Bouvé College of Health Sciences · Boston, Massachusetts

There are moments in a parent’s life that stop time. Not dramatically, no fanfare, no slow motion, just a quiet, overwhelming wave of pride that rises from somewhere deep and settles over everything. This week, I had one of those moments. More than once, actually.

My daughter has earned her Master’s degree from Northeastern University in Boston. And if you’ve never had the privilege of witnessing a Northeastern graduation ceremony, let me tell you: it is something else entirely. Northeastern doesn’t just hand you a diploma. They celebrate you, with performances, powerful speeches, and a sense of ceremony that makes the whole thing feel genuinely historic.

Tuesday: The Moment Her Name Was Called
The college-specific ceremony at Bouvé was held outside by the water. The sky was blue and clear, beautiful, if brutally cold. We sat bundled up, scanning the rows of graduates, waiting. And then it happened: her name, read aloud, ringing out across the crowd. She walked up, accepted her diploma, and that was it. Everything all those years of work had been building toward, right there in thirty seconds of pure joy. I won’t pretend I kept it together.

There’s something uniquely powerful about the smaller college ceremony. It’s intimate. Personal. Every single graduate is called by name, acknowledged as an individual, not just one face in a sea of thousands.

Wednesday: Fenway Park and a Storm That Didn’t Stop Anyone
The big ceremony, the full university convocation, was held the following day at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. All Master’s students, all doctoral candidates, the entire Northeastern family gathered in one iconic stadium.
It rained. Of course it rained, because apparently this is now our tradition. At her undergraduate graduation, we also sat in the cold and the wet and laughed through it.

Wednesday was no different. The clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped, and not a single person left. Nobody even flinched. A stadium full of graduates, families, faculty – all of them choosing to be exactly where they were, rain and all. There’s something quietly magnificent about that.

«Whatever you envision, remember the three lessons you taught me. Luck is a skill. Imagination beats computation and humanity is your superpower.» – Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University

Global superstar Hilary Duff, who was Northeastern’s undergraduate commencement speaker with Joseph E. Aoun. Photo via @presidentaoun.

The performances were exceptional. The speeches were sharp, funny, and genuinely moving. The energy inside Fenway gave the whole event a gravitas that a conventional auditorium simply cannot manufacture.

What It Means
Studying in the United States, earning an American university degree, it demands so much more than academic ability. It demands courage, adaptability, resilience. A different language, a different culture, an ocean between you and home. She navigated all of it and came out the other side holding a Master’s diploma from one of the country’s most respected institutions.

I am incredibly proud. Not just of the degree, but of the person she has become through the pursuit of it. Whatever comes next, this is a foundation she will carry forever. And I cannot wait to see where she goes.

Congratulations, to my daughter, the Master. May every chapter ahead be as bold as this one.
Written with love, pride, and slightly frozen fingers somewhere outside Fenway.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Even Cooper, the campus dog, dressed up for the occasion.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Nestled along the untouched coastline of Sicily, Verdura Resort is raising the bar for luxury sports travel in 2026. With a newly expanded racket program that reads more like a Grand Slam lineup than a hotel activity schedule, the Rocco Forte property is positioning itself as one of Europe’s premier destinations for tennis and padel enthusiasts, without sacrificing an ounce of its signature elegance.

At the heart of the offering are six red clay championship courts, two padel courts and a dedicated pickleball court, all set against the kind of dramatic Sicilian scenery that makes even a warm-up feel cinematic. A new partnership with LUX Tennis brings additional coaching expertise to the resort, expanding the program to cover all ages and levels, from complimentary introductory sessions to private coaching and group clinics.

The real headline, however, is the Academies with the Stars series. Former World No. 1 Martina Hingis kicks things off with a masterclass from April 27 to 30, followed by a session with beloved Italian duo Fabio Fognini and Flavia Pennetta from July 21 to 24, a combination that promises as much personality as it does technique. Gilles Muller rounds out the tennis calendar from August 27 to September 2, while padel takes center stage on August 18 and 19 with masterclasses led by Teo Zapata and Iñigo Joffre.

New for 2026 is the Sport & Lifestyle Hub, where a dedicated concierge team curates bespoke itineraries combining sport, wellness and outdoor adventure. Think Jeep tours, cycling routes and quad excursions into the Sicilian hinterland.

For those who believe that a perfect holiday should leave you both energized and utterly restored, Verdura Resort in 2026 may well be the answer.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Verdura Resort
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Fashion is obsessed with what’s new. But the most beautiful things in life usually reveal themselves only over time.

Last night in Munich, I was reminded of that. My friend was celebrating her 50th birthday in her beautiful home, one of those places that instantly tells you something about the person who lives there. Effortless elegance, thoughtful details, a certain calm confidence that cannot be staged.

I have known her for more than thirty years. That thought alone already carries its own kind of luxury. When she appeared to welcome her guests, she was wearing a silver dress made of tiny metallic plates. It shimmered softly as she moved through the rooms, catching the candlelight with every step. Sculptural, powerful, almost like armor, its metal discs manage to feel both strong and elegant at the same time.

And in that moment, it felt strangely perfect. Because the older we get, the more we understand that a little armor is not such a bad thing. Life inevitably leaves its marks, experiences, lessons, challenges. But some people carry those years with such grace that they become part of their style.

Fashion, of course, moves quickly. Every season introduces new silhouettes, new colors, new rules about what is suddenly essential. But real style has very little to do with speed. It reveals itself slowly. I have watched my friend move through decades of life, different chapters, different cities, countless conversations that stretched late into the night. Through all of it, one thing has always remained unmistakably hers: an extraordinary sense of taste.

Not the kind dictated by trends. The kind that comes from instinct. You see it in the way she dresses. You see it in the way she has created her home. And you see it in the life she has built around herself. There is something deeply luxurious about that kind of consistency.

In fashion we often talk about investment pieces, the coat you keep for twenty years, the bag that never loses its relevance, the dress that somehow always feels right no matter how trends change around it. Friendships can be like that too. They deepen with time. They gather stories and memories. And after decades they become something rare: a constant in a world that moves very quickly.

Standing there last night, watching the silver dress catch the candlelight as she laughed with friends who have been part of her life for half a lifetime, I had a quiet thought. In a culture that celebrates the new, the most luxurious things are often the ones that last. A beautifully tailored coat. A home filled with memories. And a friendship that has been part of your life for more than thirty years. Perhaps that is the most timeless style of all.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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A study in lightness and flow, the AETHER Vase by Christian Metzner transforms glass into something almost immaterial.

Three slender cylinders, seamlessly connected, allow water to circulate in a quiet, continuous rhythm, an ever-changing interplay of movement, reflection, and transparency. Light refracts through the clear borosilicate glass, creating subtle shifts in perception that lend the piece a living presence.

Though sculptural in scale, AETHER feels unexpectedly weightless. Its clarity dissolves mass into atmosphere, making it as much about absence as it is about form. Whether holding a single stem or standing alone, it inhabits a space with calm authority.

Developed over the course of more than a year in collaboration with a Czech glass manufactory, the vase is the result of exceptional technical precision. Each element must be assembled in a fleeting moment, while the glass remains malleable, an exacting process mastered only by a handful of skilled artisans.

In AETHER, water and glass converge into a meditative object, quiet, elemental, and profoundly contemporary.

AETHER Vase
Borosilicate glass
330 × 220 mm
Made in the Czech Republic
€700

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Christian Metzner
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For S/S 2027, ZEGNA will present its fashion show in Los Angeles, stepping outside the traditional Milan Fashion Week calendar for a singular, time specific moment. The show will take place on June 5, alongside the arrival of VILLA ZEGNA, the brand’s invitation-only temporary private club, opening right after the show and remaining in Los Angeles for a few days. Made in full alignment with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana , this choice underscores ZEGNA’s commitment to extending Italian savoir-faire into a global cultural stage, while preserving its strong and enduring bond with Milan.

The S/S 2027 show will be central to a carefully orchestrated sequence of experiences in Los Angeles, bringing together top clients, friends of the brand and international press. VILLA ZEGNA offers a curated environment where guests can experience the brand beyond the runway. Following previous editions in Shanghai, New York, Dubai, Miami and Milan, VILLA ZEGNA arrives in Los Angeles as part of an ongoing cultural journey, shaped each time by its context while remaining rooted in intimacy and human connection.

Los Angeles is chosen not as a fashion capital, but as a cultural one: a city where creativity has long been shaped through cinema, storytelling, and image-making. From Hollywood’s cinematic legacy to its enduring influence on global visual language, Los Angeles represents a place where narratives are crafted, a global destination for long journeys, where distance, time, and landscape invite a slower form of discovery.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Zegna
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Members Only: The Bristol Society Fitness Club Opens Its Private World

For all my Parisian readers among you, I have some great news for you. This month, a new chapter begins at Le Bristol Paris. For the first time in its history, the legendary palace hotel on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré opens the doors of its once entirely private fitness sanctuary to a select circle of external members.

Conceived as far more than a gym, the Bristol Society Fitness Club is an intimate universe where physical discipline meets aesthetic refinement. Spread across 117 square meters of light-filled space, the club blends precision, balance, and mindful well-being into an experience that feels both exclusive and deeply personal.

The main studio, lined with warm oak parquet and softly shimmering walls, features state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment. Large windows frame the elegant rhythm of the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, turning every workout into a quietly cinematic moment.

A second, fully privatizable studio is dedicated to yoga, reformer Pilates, and stretching. Designed for tailored sessions, it offers cutting-edge equipment and absolute tranquility, a true refuge for body and mind.

Between invigorating training and restorative calm, members move seamlessly from focused effort to the soothing warmth of the hammam. Two exclusive memberships shape this rarefied world:
• The Prestige Membership – €8,000 per year
• The Signature Membership – €20,000 per year

At the Bristol Society Fitness Club, luxury is never loud. It is felt in discretion, in the freedom to retreat inward, and in an atmosphere where every detail is curated with quiet elegance, allowing the body to be strengthened and the mind gently restored.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Le Bristol
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My Kind of Slumber Party – Celebrating the Launch of Olympia The Label

There are evenings that stay with you, not only because they are beautiful, but because they bring together creativity, passion, and a wonderful sense of community. The recent launch event of Olympia The Label in the heart of Zurich was exactly that kind of night.

Hosted inside the iconic Mandarin Oriental Savoy, the setting was elegant yet inviting, creating the perfect backdrop for the debut of a Swiss premium pyjama and lifestyle brand that already feels destined for great things.

The dress code for the evening? Pyjamas, which, if you ask me, made it officially my kind of slumber party. Naturally, I fully embraced the theme and arrived in my own set, leaning into the playful sophistication of the night. To complete the look, I carried a Moschino pillow-shaped bag the perfect accessory for a pyjama-inspired outfit and a true statement piece that captured the spirit of the evening.

And the fashion moment didn’t end there. Heading straight to dinner afterward still dressed in my pyjamas definitely turned heads. It sparked conversations, drew a few admiring smiles, and proved that great style doesn’t have to follow traditional rules.

What immediately caught my attention were the designs themselves. Crafted with delicate scalloped edges, the pieces combine timeless elegance with a charming femininity. These thoughtful details elevate classic sleepwear into something truly special, luxurious yet comfortable, refined yet effortlessly wearable.

Shana Conod

The evening was made even more memorable by the inspiring people behind the brand. Visionary designer Shana Conod has clearly poured her heart into this project, which was named after her little daughter, and it shows in every detail. Supported by Switzerland’s renowned PR manager Laura Zanni, the launch felt seamless, joyful, and full of pride.

Laura Zanni

Guests were also treated to beautiful blowouts by Nathanael Alexander, perfectly complementing the equally stunning pyjamas, a reminder that when attention to detail meets creativity, magic happens.

Nathanael Alexander

Yet beyond the aesthetics, what made the night truly special was the spirit of support. Watching a dream come to life reminds us how important it is to uplift one another, especially in creative industries. Celebrating the success of others doesn’t dim our own light, it allows the entire community to shine brighter.

Olympia The Label may just be getting started, but the brand already radiates confidence, grace, and ambition. If this launch is any indication of what’s to come, the future looks incredibly promising.

With Jaz Brunner and Shana Conod.

Here’s to strong women, beautiful design, unforgettable evenings,  and, of course, more slumber parties in style.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Olympia The Label
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