Sandra‘s Closet

On Monday morning, I boarded Etihad Airways flight EY47 to Abu Dhabi. When I left, I enjoyed a spectacular view over Zurich. The time flew, due to strong winds, we arrived one hour ahead of time. The service on board was great and I can absolutely recommend this luxurious airline.

As my avid readers know, the reason why I am here is the amazing contest that all of you were able to enter in the beginning of February (for the previous post click here please).

I would like to thank everyone who participated. It was really tough for the Etihad team to choose the winner.

Here she is, congrats to Nadya Toncheva from Hamburg, who posted this beautiful entry. I am looking forward to meeting you today and to taking you for a serious shopping spree!

We are staying at the Yas Viceroy hotel that I can absolutely recommend. The rooms are big, the interior of the hotel is stylish and its seven restaurants offer everything a gourmet’s heart would ask for.

Yesterday, I met my friend Catherine Sarr who lives between London and Abu Dhabi. She has just launched her jewelry collection Almasika Fine Jewellery (the golden bangles at my wrist) that can be found already at Colette and soon in Zurich at Meister.

Catherine took me to the Saddiyat Beach Club, a great place to chill when you are in the area.

I am wishing you a lovely day! I am off shopping at the Galleria at Mariyah Island in Abu Dhabi… Nadya, get ready to get a new closet with Sandra’s Closet! It will also be featured in L’Officiel Switzerland.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Etihad Airways, Nadya Toncheva

When I go to bed, I really enjoy being relaxed, especially after a tough day at work or some intense traveling. Sometimes my mind just drifts away and my head is filled with thoughts or things I need to do. Then, I love to use some of the L’Occitane Aromacholgie products that truly work their magic when it comes to relaxation. It’s like having a spa treatment at home.

Relaxing Pillow Mist
Made with essential oils, this mist can be sprayed in your bedroom or on your pillow to create a calming atmosphere that promotes relaxation and well-being. 100% natural scent with proven soothing effectiveness.
CHF 25.00 (100ml)

Relaxing Massage Body Oil
This rich massage oil helps to relax the senses and ease away tensions. Made with sweet almond oil from Provence, it leaves skin supple and satiny.
CHF 36.00 (100ml)

Relaxing Perfumed Sachets
Filled with dried lavender and beads scented with essential oils, these sachets release a relaxing fragrance, making them ideal for bedtime.
CHF 20.00 (2 x 25g)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of L’Occitane

Recently, I received a bouquet of flowers that took my breath away. The packaging, a turquoise box was just perfect, to store the hand-tied blooming roses that were full of scent. Delivered to my door step, the surprise was perfect. It is impressive how the impact of flowers on our life is just magical. PANAMY is a Swiss online shop that offers this exclusive service.

The mastermind behind this idea is 32 year-old Martin Schgaguler who never expected to work as a florist but a passion for great floral design and a frustration with the lack of innovation and design skills when he bought flowers for his girlfriend, led him to build PANAMY.

TO VISIT THE PANAMY HOMEPAGE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Panamy.ch and Susanne Brand

Combining performance with diamond dazzle, de GRISOGONO celebrates the winter season with a unique opportunity to hit the slopes in style with these exclusive skis produced by the Rossignol Racing Department. For all who love the thrill of high speed and the most luxurious things in the world, the Geneva-based luxury brand offers this limited- edition of 50 pieces only sold in de GRISOGONO boutiques.

Entirely hand-crafted by Rossignols’ specialized workers in the Moirans competition workshop in Isère, France, the skis’ construction is directly derived from the competition skis used by Rossignol champions. The only difference from the World Cup edition ones is a lighter construction in order to facilitate its use, while nonetheless maintaining exceptional steering, unparalleled precision and enormous grip.

de GRISOGONO Winter Boutiques (Switzerland)
Courchevel
Palace Hotel in Gstaad
Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of de Grisogono

Notecards by Lanvin

My dear readers, Happy Holidays, everyone! May all the sweet magic of Christmas conspire to gladden your heart and fill every desire. As you relish the goodies, decorate every nook and corner of your home and enjoy the get-togethers… may the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow.

LoL, Sandra

Boost your autumn weekend with a last-minute treat from this edit. After four weeks of fashion craziness, I finally slept in in my beloved satin-crepe pajama set by Donna Karan Sleepwear. Today, I will enjoy to the fullest in this cozy bleached out slub jersey jumpsuit by Eberjey.

While the amazing smell of a scented candle by Fornasetti starts already filling my living room, I snuggle on the couch with this hardcover book ‘The World According to Karl‘ published by Thames & Hudson and listen to the 53 Sound by Visionaire. Later I will treat myself with my beloved jasmine and lily healing mask by Chantecaille and prepare some posts for next week. Pure heaven! And no photos today….

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Today, I am off to London. In my suitcase are the most quintessential travel accessories you can imagine for fashion week. A few weeks ago, NET-A-PORTER‘s iconic black box arrived on my doorstep personalized with my initials.

Inside, a luxurious edit of everything needed for the shows, a bespoke fashion week survival gift sent by the famous online shopping destination to influential bloggers and friends of the brand.

The specially curated set of objects was wrapped in NET-A-PORTER‘s instantly recognisable packaging whilst Paris-based illustrator, Damien Florebert Cuypers came on board to pen with pastel the most famous faces of fashion week.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last Wednesday, a secret event took place in the city of Zurich to launch Samsung‘s newest mobile phone GALAXY ALPHA, emphasizing the brand’s foray into the fashion crowd.

Ready-to-wear has laid its focus from the runway also to the world of high technology as many renowned fashion houses scramble to stamp their coveted logos on mobile handsets and other personal devices. Samsung for example collaborated in one-off projects with the likes of Giorgio Armani, Alexander Wang, Nicholas Kirckwood and Moschino. Therefore, I was very curious to arrive at the secret event …

Inside an unspectacular backyard at Kanonengasse, I was guided by a bouncer to the basement. There a room, reminiscent of an underground club in New York, awaited me.

When I entered, I was handed my very own new Samsung GALAXY ALPHA phone as a gift. It had a prepaid card so that I could use it immediately to read the text messages the guests were sent during the event.

Only 80 people were invited and I spotted among the illustrious crowd Swiss supermodel Nadine Strittmatter who had flown in from Paris where she is living.

Other highlights were the melting ice bar and different performances.

Ezgi Cinar, the brainchild of the secret event with me.

Menswear designer Julian Zigerli, one of Samsung’s ambassadors, had created 80 personalized mobile phone covers to choose from. As you see in the collage above, I went for the little mouse…

… and my friend Mel Guenthardt (photo below) for the cute owl.

The GALAXY ALPHA phone is available in Switzerland from the beginning of September 2014 in the colors Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, Sleek Silver and Scuba Blue for CHF 749.00.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Andrea Monica Hug, © Ezgi Cinar, © Melanie Guenthardt and © Sandra Bauknecht

“Beautiful yet functional” is how internationally acclaimed wine critic James Suckling describes his new 100 POINTS glass and stemware collection, which is a joint creation with France’s most esteemed crystal maker, LALIQUE.

The American has tasted more than 150,000 different wines over his 30 years as a wine taster. He dreamt for decades about creating his own collection of wine glasses. With the help of Lalique, his dream came true. The two designed the 100 POINTS universal wine glass, which was launched in September 2012 and that is wonderful to drink any type of wine – white or red, young or old, first growth or “petit château”. Being heavier than most other wine glasses on the market, it is a substantial piece of stemware in anybody’s hand.

With a name referring to the wine scoring system, 100 POINTS is a hand-made collection that embraces a modern design: crystal fashioned by the best glass-masters, “U” shaped bowl and distinctive frosted rib stem to obtain the characteristic contrast of clear and satin-finish.

LALIQUE, which was established by René Lalique over 100 years ago, has a long tradition for making wine glasses beginning with ranges such as BARSAC and BEAUNE, which were both popular in the 1930s and 1940s.

Really gorgeous is the new comprehensive 100 POINTS collection with eight pieces complementary to the universal wine glass: Bordeaux glass, Burgundy glass, Champagne glass and water glass, two tumblers of different sizes, wine decanter and water decanter.

Drinking wine in a 100 POINTS glass is a sensual and delightful experience. It’s an everyday luxury for any wine lover.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lalique and © Alessandro Moggi

Celebrating the FIFA World Cup in Brazil this summer, many luxury brands are launching special edition pieces. Here are the best ones…

Louis Vuitton is taking part for the second time. After a first appearance on the football field in 2010 in South Africa, the Louis Vuitton case, specially designed to carry the famous trophy, will be on July 13th, the final day of the Cup, in the stadium of Maracana in Rio of Janeiro.

Paying tribute to this year’s host nation for the Fifa World Cup, Bvlgari launches the new Octo Bi-Retro Brazil in a 50-piece limited edition.

Donatella Versace has turned to the FIFA World Cup for inspiration in style and created a special t-shirt that combines the passions of football with the vivid iconography of the Versace DNA. A brand new Versace baroque print is created using the colors of a Brazilian carnival, decorated with repeated images of footballs and flowers. The T-shirt, in silk satin for her and cotton jersey for him, is available in selected boutiques now.

MCM has launched the limited edition ‘München Cute Monsters’ collection. Drawing on the vibrancy of Brazilian culture and the festivity of the ultimate football tournament on the planet, the collection features the two pop art characters Viktor & Viktoria as MCM’s monster mascots for the games.

TO SHOP THE MCM ‘München Cute Monsters’ COLLECTION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands