Sandra‘s Closet

A hijabista is the Muslim equivalent of a fashionista, a trend-loving Muslim woman or girl who dresses stylishly while conforming to the Islamic modesty code. This market is still untapped but for sure very lucrative. Muslim shoppers spent $266 billion on clothing and footwear in 2013 according to a report by Thomson Reuters. That’s more than the total fashion spending of Japan and Italy combined and the number is expected to almost double to $484 billion by 2019.

Dolce & Gabbana has realized the potential and is launching a collection of hijabs and abayas for their Middle East customers. The modest garments have all the flair and iconic details such as lace or prints of any other Dolce & Gabbana collection. They are styled alongside the label’s fantastic accessories like fashion jewelry, oversized sunglasses, and statement bags. I am absolutely convinced that Muslim customers with a taste for luxury fashion will adore this new line.

It will be interesting to see if the collection will only sell in the Middle East or if online platforms such as NET-A-PORTER, MATCHESFASHION and LUISAVIAROMA will take this opportunity as well.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

Get the look: Ruffled silk-chiffon mini dress by Chloé, So Kate 120 patent-leather pumps by Christian Louboutin and Flavia Cheers glittered acrylic box clutch by Edie Parker.

A new season, a new year,
a new opportunity to celebrate
love, hope, joy and life,
welcome 2016.

I have started the new year with a digital detox. No blogging, just relaxing. This little break has been absolutely needed. So I have fulfilled my first resolution in 2016.

Some of you are always asking me how I clean my closet. The ones who have been following me for a while know that I don’t, I like to keep everything. Every single piece will have its time again.

If you don’t have the space or prefer having a neat, organized closet, I recommend this little trick. Hang all your clothes in a reverse direction, so that the open end of the hanger is facing you. After wearing an item, put it back the normal way.

In the end of 2016, you will see which pieces you have never touched and you can surely let got of those.

LoL, Sandra

Last week, a little package arrived on my desk. It immediately caught my attention as it said «GET LONG LEGS» – Heels for Your Shoes.

The fun idea by the eponymous young Swiss label promises up to 4cm of longer and sexier legs with the help of adjustable shoe inserts. Three different heights are available depending on your personal need or of course the shape of your footwear. Due to the softness of the wedge-shaped non-slipping inserts, they are extremely comfortable to wear. A travel bag is also included so that you can slip your little secret companions in your weekend bag or suitcase.

For men and women, one size only. Available for CHF 22.80 at GetLongLegs.com.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Getlonglegs

Goth glam with a quirky twist – this Halloween we’re all about velvet, flowy 70’s dresses and fun accessories. H&M offers a great selection of dress-up pieces for adults and kids (see below):

Such a cute Halloween collection for kids at H&M.

Use Halloween as an excuse to bring out your inner glam goth. (Not to be confused with glam rock.) For inspiration, turn to fictional style icons like Morticia Addams, Jessica Lange in «American Horror Story: Coven» or Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer in «The Witches of Eastwick».
Or just Cher, period.

Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon and Cher floating in style in «The Witches of Eastwick».

This season’s It-item – the 70’s maxi or midi dress – is the perfect hero of the glamoween look, and don’t forget to top it off with the perfect shade of “blood” red for lips and nails.

If you are more opting for an investment in something you could wear all year, I recommend brands such as Balmain and Givenchy this season. They have great velvet dresses with that certain goth attitude that could be transformed with the right accessories into the perfect Halloween outfit. And then it is truly time for GLAMOWEEN!!!

Get the look: Feather and raccoon jacket and velvet ruffle midi dress, both by Givenchy, satin belt by Balmain, embroidered collar by Vivetta, «Black Spider» hairband by Caterina Capelli, double feather-embellished silk-trimmed leather tickler and My Tie leather and silk-charmeuse cuffs, both by Kiki de Montparnasse and Horatio leather and jacquard platform sandals by Paul Andrew.
Glamore Lipstick – Virgin by Illamasqua.

LoL, Sandra

Photo (Cover): Magnus Torsne, Styling: Emma Elwin
Photo «The Witches of Eastwick»: All Over Press
Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

To celebrate the Rugby World Cup, CHANEL has designed four leather rugby balls featuring the iconic quilting of the House. Gabrielle Chanel, a keen sportswoman herself often referred to menswear in her designs. Today Karl Lagerfeld throws her the ball by creating a sporting accessory that is both collector and perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist.

Exceptional quality, attention paid to every detail and artisanal savoir-faire, the CHANEL rugby ball comes in four colourways: white, burgundy, navy blue and black.
The CHANEL rugby ball is available on special order.

A good reason to start to play rugby…

LoL, Sandra

Still: Courtesy of Chanel

Today I would like to introduce you to the Apple Watch® Hermès, a new collection of Apple Watch in stainless steel with finely crafted leather bands in distinctive styles from Hermès, including the Single Tour, Double Tour and Cuff, while respecting the design and functionality of the Apple Watch.

Single Tour

The Single Tour with the 38 mm stainless steel case comes in fauve Barenia leather, noir Box leather and capucine Swift leather, while the Single Tour with 42 mm stainless steel case comes in fauve Barenia leather and noir Box leather.

Double Tour

The Double Tour pairs w ith the 38 mm stainless steel case an d is available in fauve Barenia leather and bleu jean, capucine and étain Swift leather.

The Cuff

The Cuff pairs with the 42 mm stainless steel case and is available in fauve Barenia leather only.

Across the collection, each stainless steel case features an etching of the Hermès signature and includes a customizable face with three exclusive dial designs inspired by Clipper, Cape Cod and Espace Hermès watches.

Pricing & Availability
Apple Watch® Hermès starts at $1,100 (US) for the 38 mm stainless steel case with the Single Tour, $1,150 (US) for the 42 mm stainless steel case with the Single Tour, $1,250 (US) for the 38 mm stainless steel case with the Double Tour and $1,500 (US) for the 42 mm stain less steel case with the Cuff.

The collection will be available at select Apple retail stores, select Hermès stores, specialty stores and department stores beginning October 5 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK and the US. For more information on Apple Watch Hermès please visit www.apple.com/apple-watch-hermes or www.hermes.com/applewatchhermes.

Personally speaking, a match made in heaven!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hermès

LOUIS VUITTON‘S CITY GUIDES COLLECTION IS EXPANDING WITH 4 NEW CITIES TO DISCOVER AND THE LAUNCH OF A MOBILE APP

Since 1998, Louis Vuitton has been sharing its unique take on the world through its City Guides, offering a careful selection of addresses chosen with originality and just a touch of bias. November 2015 sees four completely new cities added to the collection: Bangkok, Chicago, Prague and Rome. Fully updated, the Paris volume is packed with new addresses, as are London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Beijing, Saö Paulo, Sydney, Tokyo and Venice.

This year, for the first time, a mobile App will be available (as of November 2015) to complement the collection of City Guides. Easy to use, in one click you’ll be as well- informed as any local! Special guest contributors, secret addresses, city walks, cultural events: it’s the full City Guide perspective. Fluent, intuitive… Your route to the best possible travel experience.

25 cities available for iPhone and iPad, selected contents free to download, €9.99 (US$9.99) per city from the App Store.

Great news: the Paris City Guide will be downloadable for free on the App Store from November 5th until December 31st, 2015.

A NEW ACCESSORY FOR THE ELEGANT TRAVELLER

To complement the new Louis Vuitton City Guide App, the French Maison has produced a small leather case with the Monogram pattern, designed to protect your iPad and iPhone.
Available for “iPhone 6” and “iPhone 6 Plus“, the new cases come in four extra colors inspired by the city collection: blue for Paris, yellow for Rome, red for Beijing and pink for Tokyo.
An essential fashion accessory, not only elegant but also the perfect way to personalize your iPhone when you are travelling.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton Malletier

Alexa Chung has announced her first venture into tech by launching social style app ‘VILLOID’, inspired by the computerized wardrobe in the 90s movie Clueless.

VILLOID is a new social style app set to revolutionize the way you get dressed in the morning. Similar to Instagram but specifically for fashion and with a buy button, it’s a virtual dressing room on the user’s phone.

“I suppose that scene in Clueless where the computer puts an outfit together from Cher’s wardrobe really stayed with me.“ says Alexa Chung. “Clothes are fun, making mistakes is fun, being inspired is fun. VILLOID celebrates the process of getting dressed and showing your friends.”

VILLOID offers users a platform where they can share their style by uploading products and photographs onto a mood board, follow friends and fellow style mavericks, love boards and individual items. For anything they can’t live without – there is the option to click the handy buy button and purchase the item. Consider this the paper dolls for the modern age.

It’s the British style guru’s first delve into the world of technology, an area she didn’t know a vast amount about when she teamed up with tech entrepreneur Jeanette Dyhre Kvisvik and her team who had been working with a similar idea.

“Alexa and I immediately bonded, merging our ideas and utilizing her style genius, we have managed to make the best dressed app on the market.” says Dyhre Kvisvik.

“I wanted to get to learn something about a field I knew nothing about and I felt I could offer the tech field something I knew a lot about….clothes. Most decisions I make when it comes to new projects are based on whether it could further my education. The tech world was something I was incredibly curious about. Silicone Valley sounds like a bouncy castle I want to play on.” says Alexa.

Think of window shopping as a social game, only this this time it exists in the palm of your hand. VILLOID offers an opportunity to view a curated feed of style choices chosen by you, the user. Take yourself on a journey into the VILLOID world, discover people, endless brands and ways of pairing items together that until now, only ever existed in your mind.

Early adopters of VILLOID include model and singer Pixie Geldof who has already crowned VILLOID as “the most addictive app in life.” The app is now available in App store globally. The Android version is in planning, set to launch late 2015/early 2016.

Needless to say that when I read about this new app this morning, I had to sign up immediately to know what they are talking about. I have to admit that it seems quite fun but I am not sure if I will get completely into it…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Alexa Chung, Villoid and © Sandra Bauknecht
Instagram: @Villoid

Great news and another reason why I had been so busy during the last weeks. Last Saturday, «Spotlight», the new lifestyle magazine on TeleZüri, presented its first show from “Zermatt Unplugged“ in Valais, the well-known music festival, with top artists, like James Blunt and Patricia Kaas. The focus of the new format is to cover the most important events and personalities from the fields of food, travel, beauty, fashion, kids and business, a well as impressive success stories and shopping, cultural and party tips.

Together with Zoe Torinesi and Dilan Anja Gropengiesser, I am one of the presenters and will take you with me on the most dazzling journeys around the globe, featuring the best stories about fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Tonight at 7.45 pm (CEST) you can see me for the first time in action (two hourly repeat). In my first show, you will get to know some of my favorite spots in the fashion capital of Paris and explore the newest fashion trends for S/S 2015. Here are some behind the scene photos for you to get an idea of what to expect…

The programs extensive background information and selected highlights such as live concert broadcasts are also available online at Spotlight.vison.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Johannes Diboky and © Sandra Bauknecht and via Schweizer Illustrierte

Last week, I flew to Abu Dhabi to greet the winner of the amazing contest with Etihad Airways, L’Officiel Switzerland and Sandra’s Closet. Nadya Toncheva from Hamburg won a shopping spree at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island and we truly had a great time.

Abu Dhabi’s premier lifestyle destination offers a world-class shopping experience while absorbing panoramic views of the city’s skyline. Enjoy some impressions of our shopping spree in the Middle East below.

Having fun at Dior

Nadya looking all fabulous in this Ralph Lauren look.

A happy Sandra in shopping heaven who just adores her job!

A must-have for a well equipped closet: a cotton-gabardine trench coat by Burberry London. Nadya fell immediately in love with it!

While shopping at Burberry, I spotted myself on the big screen front row at the S/S 2015 runway show in London.

We browsed almost every store in The Galleria and put many things aside. Then we had a drink and decided which pieces would be the best. Needless to say we had to get the fabulous cotton-gabardine trench coat by Burberry London first.

Nadya was looking for great pieces she could wear during the day for work that would translate easily into evening wear. This tunic blouse by Tory Burch offered both in perfection.

Mission accomplished!

Filming a little behind the scenes video for The Galleria with lovely Maria Bosenko.

Thank you Journey Feng and Maria Bosenko of the hospitality team at The Galleria for accompanying us and taking all the pictures. We had a lot of fun with you, guys!

Our lovely day ended with a yummy dinner at Cipriani and another round of drinks at Iris. Nadya, it was lovely meeting you!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht – thank you Maria Bosenko for taking them!