Sandra‘s Closet

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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Continuing this beautiful intersection of design and everyday rituals, there’s yet another collaboration that truly caught my eye: Christofle × Saint Laurent, this time at the table.

I’ve always loved the idea that style doesn’t stop at fashion or interiors, but extends into the smallest daily gestures. Cutlery is something we use without thinking, yet in this collaboration it becomes intentional, bold, and unmistakably chic. Christofle’s craftsmanship meets Saint Laurent’s sharp, modern edge, turning something functional into a true design statement.

It’s elegant, slightly rebellious, and effortlessly cool, proof that even the act of eating can feel curated. A reminder that luxury isn’t always about excess, but about elevating the ordinary into something special. Style, after all, is in the details.

Available to order for € 5000 for a set of 24 pieces (6 knives, 6 forks, 6 large spoons, 6 coffee spoons in 30mm silver-plated nickel silver, 100% stainless steel steel) online here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Saint Laurent
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It’s truly board game season … Balenciaga created a limited-edition Monopoly game with fashion-themed tokens (like scissors, mannequins) and properties, as an exclusive gift for VIP clients, part of a luxury trend where brands sell culture and nostalgia through unique experiences, not standard retail products, focusing on brand exclusivity and high-value storytelling.

The goal is to generate buzz, reinforce brand exclusivity, and offer a unique, desirable experience rather than a mass-market product.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balenciaga
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After the playful take from Miu Miu, there’s another game collaboration that truly stands out—this time in a much quieter, more architectural way: Bottega Veneta × Jenga.

As a genuine game lover, I’m fascinated by how Bottega Veneta turns Jenga into an almost sculptural design object. The familiar tension and balance remain, but everything feels calmer, more intentional, and undeniably refined. It’s less about winning fast and more about the experience, the weight, the focus, the shared moment.

That said, this elevated take on play definitely comes at a price. At € 5,200, it’s a number that genuinely made me pause (and yes, I find it pretty wild). Still, it perfectly shows how far luxury can push even the simplest game, transforming it into a statement piece where design, craftsmanship, and play collide.

Available online for pre-order here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Bottega Veneta
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As a lifelong card-game enthusiast, honestly, a game lover in every sense, I get genuinely excited when play meets creativity. That’s why the UNO × Miu Miu collaboration instantly won me over.

UNO has always been about color, speed, and a little chaos at the table. Seeing it reimagined through Miu Miu’s fashion lens turns a classic game night into a style statement. It’s playful, nostalgic, and unapologetically chic, proof that fun doesn’t have to check its style at the door. This limited-edition UNO® X Miu Miu set includes a deck of cards with special graphic art, a soft leather case with a contrasting logo, and special packaging. This iconic piece is designed for collectors.

For someone who loves shuffling cards and flipping through fashion, this feels like the best of both worlds. Game on, now in fashion mode.  Available at MIU MIU stores for CHF 470.00.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Miu Miu
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