Sandra‘s Closet

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

It was an amazing trip to the 2014 edition of the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, as Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda served up with perfect conditions to experience days filled with sun, sports, fun and beautiful boats. First launched in 2008, this is the regatta that opens the Mediterranean superyacht calendar. Being on sea and watching the breathtaking fleet of sailing yachts crossing the emerald waters of Porto Cervo, I have immediately become a huge fan of this sport and the Loro Piana brand. Combining fashion, lifestyle and sailing, the core value they share is the search for technical perfection in harmony with nature.

Like every year, the race provides a great opportunity for Loro Piana to test the new line of clothing especially designed for this competitive sport. The Italian brand stands for uncompromised quality and is extremely strong with 6 generations of know-how in the high-end fabrics production, a field in which it continues to be market leader. With textures ranging from linens, cottons to cashmere, vicuña and wools, it offers everything for the distinguished costumer. In December 2013, the Loro Piana family sold a majority stake (80 percent) of their family business to the LVMH Group for over 2 billion euros.

The beautiful Costa Smeralda from above

My Song is Pier Luigi Loro Piana’s 25-metre yacht that also participated in the race and won on the final day. Below are some impressions of what I was able to watch and experience during the last days. I hope that I can transport you the beauty of this sport.

Saturday evening, the prize giving ceremony took place followed by a private dinner party hosted by Loro Piana. I ran into many friends from all over the world.

My friends from Zurich, Marco Vögele and Franziska Rickenbach (here with Pier Luigi Loro Piana in the middle), owners of the most flamboyant yacht that participated in the race, Inouï, also won a prize. I love the eye-catching green color of their sailing boat mixed with the pink cushions and the elegant interior design.

Thanks to Loro Piana, I have beome totally hooked to sailing and cannot wait to be back to experience another regatta.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Loro Piana and © Sandra Bauknecht

Of all the special joys in life, the big ones and the small,
a mother’s love and tenderness is the greatest of them all.

Happy Mother’s Day 2014 to all the caring and courageous mums out there! While appreciation for any parent should be every day of the year, I still love to extra appreciate my mom on this special occasion. Dear Mama, I feel blessed to have you in my life, a true inspiration, my best friend, you’re my mother, I would have no other! I love you!

Touch your mum’s heart with a sentimental poem or gift her with a little surprise (If you have forgotten about Mother’s Day, get her a little gift online and hand her a voucher). Your mother will surely appreciate the heartfelt emotions and treasure them forever.

From left to right:
Heart-intarsia cashmere sweater by Chinti and Parker
Heart-print cotton-voile shirt by Chinti and Parker
Heart-print cutout-back bandeau swimsuit by Stella McCartney
Rose, geranium and jasmine pebble soap set by Bamford

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: net-à-porter

Today, I would like to introduce you to my friend Anna who had a fantastic business idea. Catering to all animal lovers, she opens today her first shop in Stuttgart dedicated to our furry friends: LIEBESTIER (Unter dem Birkenkopf 13-15, 70197 Stuttgart, Germany).

Anna Frahm of LIEBESTIER

Similar to Pet Kingdom at Harrods, the store offers everything a canine or feline heart wishes for, but in much more contemporary way, not completely aloof.

Anna showcases the very best pet products in her cute little store reminiscent of a kennel, from dog beds, toys, bowls to the most exclusive and healthy delicacies for cats and dogs. With a permanent gourmet food frontage within the shop, she even sells the finest truffles for dogs.

Speaking of fashion, you can match the collar of your dog to your new leather bracelet. How cool is that? I couldn’t resist and filled my Dorset leather tote by Mulberry with the cutest treats for my parent’s dog.

In the future, Anna is planning to open more stores in other cities. So let’s hope, she will also come to Switzerland one day!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Liebestier and © Sandra Bauknecht

“Your best look and a great photograph can be life changing…”, this is Adriana Tripa‘s mission. Based in Zurich, she pursues her passion to make people look more beautiful. Her photo studio LOOX that she founded in 2007 is the place to go if you would like to have a fun photo shoot with great pictures to take home. The charming blonde does your make-up and explains you which facial features you should emphasize. Afterwards, she photographs you in different ways. My photos below are not photoshopped! Adriana does it all with make-up and light.

If you are looking for a self-esteem boost, visit Adriana who will capture your best image!

LOOX Photo Studio by Adriana Tripa – Rämistrasse, 8001 Zürich/Switzerland
Phone: +41 79 354 3053 – E-mail:

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Adriana Tripa

Today, I would like to wish you with all my heart a wonderful Christmas Eve. Despite all different traditions, some of you might not be celebrating this Christian celebration, others might unwrap their gifts tomorrow, some of us, like me, tonight. Nevertheless, what we all have in common is love and this is what I am wishing you, a night surrounded by the ones you love.

As I adore the magic of this time of the year, I attached some photos of different designer installations to get you in the right mood. Enjoy!

London’s famous hotel Claridge’s annual Christmas tree has been designed by long time guests and friends, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
(Do you remember the trees in 2009 and 2010 by John Galliano?!)

This amazing installation depicts iconic elements from a traditional Christmas tree reinterpreted with Sicilian elements that draw on the Italian heritage of the designers: hand-crafted Sicilian puppets known as ‘pupi’, hand-painted Italian festive glass baubles and a bespoke multi-coloured ‘luminarie’ framework created in southern Italy.

This Christmas in London, on the streets of Old Bond Street and Sloane Square, Tiffany & Co. has been going back in time with horse-drawn carriages, loaded with small blue Tiffany boxes, which reiterates its message that “The Perfect Christmas Comes Wrapped in Blue.”

And of course, this message is spread around the world with the house’s global shopping window displays.

In Paris, Prada gave French department store Printemps holiday windows with a high-fashion touch. The display, entitled “A Joyful Obsession,” is a colorful creation that is classically Christmas with visual elements inspired by the Italian brand. As part of the collaboration, Prada designed an exclusive collection with apparel, handbags, accessories and footwear.

Here comes my favorite tree installation that can be found in front of the Palace of Arts in Budapest. Made out of 365 wooden sleighs, the 11-meter-tall tree is a sustainable design endeavor which channels the true spirit of Christmas.

After the end of the holiday season, it will be dismantled and the sleighs will be donated to kids living in the SOS Children’s Village homes in Hungary.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Claridge’s, Inhabitant