Sandra‘s Closet

As promised, here are the photos that I took during the Chanel Paris – Bombay Pre-fall 2012 Métiers d’Art show in Paris last week. My eyes could not get enough of this opulent perfection, I truly loved the show and had to capture every single moment which meant over 200 photos.

Every year since 2002, Chanel has taken the Métiers d’Art show as an opportunity to showcase master craftsmanship. The artisanal crafts of embroidery, leather work, featherwork, boot‐making, millinery, and gold and silversmithery are represented by Lesage, Montex, Desrues, Lemarié, Massaro, Michel and Goossens, each striving to honour its unique heritage. Karl Lagerfeld spotlighted their skill last week at the Grand Palais in Paris, whose Galerie Courbe had been transformed for the day into a luxurious Maharaja’s palace. We were seated at an almost surreal banquet, transported by gentle jasmine aromas as they feasted their eyes on the Paris‐Bombay collection. For more photos of the decor, please have a look at the previous post by clicking here.

The show whisked me away to a Bombay dripping with opulence. “It’s a concept of India. More Chanel than India. The Parisian version of an India that doesn’t exist,” elaborated Karl Lagerfeld. He could not have described it better. It was a very modern extraordinary take on the India without being a masquerade. The designer played with the details and made me crave for every single look. But see for yourself:

Under the glow of chandeliers and ceiling lights, the Paris ‐ Bombay collection evoked a new femininity. The charm of India, the pomp and splendour of fabrics and the magic of gemstones intermingled with the Chanel aesthetic of cascading pearls, contrasting black and white, and braided tweed jackets.

One of my favourite looks was this hot pink dream!

The probably most Indian-inspired looks presented a new stunning silhouette of the sari in a modern masculine‐feminine concept, inspired by Maharajah style, glorified in splendid draped fabric, and ultra‐feminine in a dainty jacket with diamante epaulettes. Inspired by the achkan, the brocade jacket with Nehru collar was manifested here in a series of alter‐egos: a gold‐embroidered darted jacket with pearl braiding, a white plastron jacket with mirror‐embroidered pockets, a darted half‐belt jacket with baroque‐pearl‐studded collar, a riding jacket and crested blazers with tailored shoulders.

Needless to say, the jewelry was divine. You would like to own every single piece!

The “bride” appeared on the runway in an embroidered ivory silk crepe dress draped over the body and head. Cue the sensuous rustle of saris exiting the Maharajah’s palace to decorate cities everywhere.

THE ACCESSORIES:

Karl Lagerfeld reinterpreted the already iconic Chanel Boy Bag in many different versions. The bi-coloured one below with the embellished strap can be only described as absolutely divine!

All shoes were flat with thigh‐boot flats stamped with arabesque motifs that marvellously set off the most luxuriant materials. Get yourselves on the wait lists now!

HAIR & MAKE UP:

Jewel‐buttons, jewelled bindis were adorning the forehead. The hair was done in a Rasta style. The focus of the make up was laying on the eyes with a heavy kohl embellishing the smokey eyes. Peter Philips, Creative Director of Chanel Make up, came up with a graphic, mysterious interpretation of an iconic Indian beauty.

On the nails: The new Le Vernis Diwali that Peter Philips had specially created for the Chanel Paris-Bombay Métiers d’Art show! This new light golden shade which will hit the shelves around June 2012 will be a must next summer.

THE MUSE:

No Chanel show without Karl Lagerfeld’s muse: Baptiste Giabiconi.

And last but not least some hard facts about the stunning Paris-Bombay decor:

– 50 meter long buffet table
– Flowers: roses; jasmin or lotus flowers
– Small train which distributes beverages (100 meter rail) around the buffet
– Bell jars, danishes, fruits baskets, glass ornement chandeliers….
– Floor: sequined sand, roses petals

I am definitely not exaggerating by saying that this was the most amazing show I have ever been to! Thank you, Karl!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

As the culmination of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Show Friday night in Zurich, Talbot Runhof showed their beautiful S/S 2012 collection.

The Munich-based label was born under Johnny Talbot & Adrian Runhof. The best way to describe their style is to focus on their attention to craftsmanship and detail and their exquisite couture cuts. A Paris Fashion Week regular and often seen on the red carpets, their billowing gowns and playful creations present a sophisticated, feminine glamour.

Talbot Runhof can be found in the best boutiques all over the world, including leading American department stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and at Harrods in the UK.

Johnny Talbot to the left and Adrian Runhof to the right with me.

Before the fashion show, I went backstage to talk to the designer duo. Enjoy!

Adrian,  how does it feel to be here in Switzerland to present your collection?

I love Switzerland, I am often here. Therefore it is so exciting for us to have a show tonight. We have many fans among the Swiss and sell very well in Switzerland.

Please tell me something about your inspiration for the S/S 2012 collection that we are going to see tonight!

Christian Lacroix has designed the costumes for the Munich Opera recently. This has inspired us, not the costumes themselves, but the early stage of Lacroix. When we got started in the Nineties, Lacroix played such a major part in our fashion history. Later, he lost it, his creations became overloaded. His golden age was marked by his ability to mix and match patterns and fabrics, as well as his amazing colour combinations. And this has inspired us!

Do you have any Swiss woman that you would like to dress?

Actually yes and we dress her tonight: Sarina Arnold. She will open the show and will present the final look, too.

Sarina Arnold opened the show in a bright floral dress

What are your future plans?

(Both smiling.) Who knows? We have created for the first time bags and shoes and will take it from there.

The shoes are amazing!

Below you can see my favourite looks from the show. I took some details shots of the fabrics and details backstage for you to see the wonderful craftsmanship. Have fun!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” – Marilyn Monroe

In Milan, I met Burak Uyan, the designer behind the eponymous shoe label that leaves fashionistas around the world drool. He has worked for Givenchy, Giambattista Valli and Aperlai before launching his own label in 2010. Since then, he is on the rise, his creations are sold in high-end stores around the world. The reason? He creates high heels that you can wear without discomfort or pain.

Recently, Cameron Diaz wore his multi-coloured architectural sandals to the 2011 Teen Choice Awards and proved that the right pair of shoes can change your look completely. Her basic dress combined with those amazing heels took her outfit to a whole new level.

Burak Uyan with me

Enjoy the photos that I took in the showroom of the upcoming S/S 2012 collection and of his collaboration with the Mulleavy sisters.
Burak Uyan created the heels for their S/S 2012 Rodarte show.

Below you can see Burak Uyan’s S/S 2012 MOODBOARD:
His inspiration: Geometric shapes, the sea and butterfly colours.

My must-have for the summer is one of those multi-coloured bags, to-die-for!

Ladies, there is only one thing to say: Redefine your wardrobe from your feet up!
To shop Burak Uyan shoes, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

At the Viktor & Rolf S/S 2012 fashion show, you might have thought that dolls were on the runway instead of models. Wearing a thick set of synthetic pink lashes with a little ribbon in their low ponytails, they appeared in oversize lace prints, giant stitchings that held the clothes together and über-girlish looks. The colours were all candy (a huge trend for S/S 2012), reminiscent of your early childhood days.

For Christmas 2011, Viktor & Rolf are launching a special limited edition of their iconic fragrance Flowerbomb that also got inspired by the dolls.

Flowerbomb Limited Edition 50ml Eau de Parfum – CHF 136.-

Draped in metallized fuschia and covered in ribbons, the scent remains the same, an exotic blend of sambac jasmine, centifolia rose and catleya orchid wit patchouli and benzoin. It truly smells like 1000 flowers in a bottle, full-bodies and opulent.

Flowerbomb Limited Edition Dollhouse Set – CHF 136.-
including 50ml Eau de Parfum, 50ml Body Lotion and 50ml Shower Gel

Another delightful gift for a loved one is the Flowerbomb Dollhouse Set. The packaging is so incredibly charming. Like a dollhouse, the box comes with stairs and different compartements for the beauty products. Love it!

LoL, Sandra

Most of you know that I am a Louis Vuitton aficionado. Therefore I am always looking forward to the LV show that with its beautiful stunning decor surprises each season. Yesterday, it was a gigantic carrousel with models riding on it in pastel-coloured clothes, leaving quite another impression after Marc’s fetish-like creations for F/W 2011.

The S/S 2012 collection is sweet, full of rich details and materials, from matte crocodile jackets, coats and skirts to laser-cut tops and 3-D floral embellishments and plastic paillettes. I am completely taken by the tweed fabrics that are adorned with marabou feathers. The craftmanship that went into this collection is truly outstanding.

The last look was presented by Kate Moss, same as last season. But instead having her smoke on the runway in hot pants, she appeared in a light white floral dress like an innocent bride. I was wondering if she might be pregnant. Rumours are going around those days, same as the fashion crowd is wondering if Marc Jacobs will leave for Dior. The Louis Vuitton S/S 2012 collection looked like a slight approach. Let’s see in which direction fashion’s merry-go-round will be turning…

Below you can see some photos of the front row action!

LoL, Sandra

Caroline Sieber, Claire Courtin Clarins, Antoine Arnault, Virginie Courtin Clarins

Dasha Zhukova, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Carine Roitfeld, Marie-Amélie Sauvé, Rachel Zoe, Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Peter Marino

Natalia Vodianova, Uma Thurman

Best friends: Marc Jacobs and Kate Moss

Alexa Chung in a Louis Vuitton dress from the F/W 2011 collection.

Last Sunday, Albert Kriemler presented his Akris S/S 2012 runway show during Paris Fashion Week and surprised us with some amazing prints which have become his signature.
Ladies, start your engines!

Like Miuccia Prada, the designer got turned on by cars this season and seeked inspiration from John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film Grand Prix, set in Monaco.

One print is a shot of the Hotel de l’Hermitage at Monte Carlo on a racing day with people watching the event from the balcony:

This dress would be the perfect look for Princess Charlene next May at the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 race, don’t you think? The princess, who has been seen many times in Akris, sat front row at the show and I am pretty sure that she was kind of Albert Kriemler’s muse for this collection.

Anna Wintour, Peter Kriemler and Princess Charlene front row at the Akris S/S 2012 show.

Haven’t seen Anna that happy in a long time…she must have really liked the collection.
Princess Charlene, Albert Kriemler and Anna Wintour.

Sport is an important trend for next summer and Akris offers some clean and crisp choices. But my favourite part of this collection is definitely the motor sports section!

Enjoy the looks! For my Zurich based readers, Gassmann carries a large selection of Akris.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Akris

Roberto Cavalli gave me an interesting interview (coming soon)

The Just Cavalli S/S 2012 show marks the relaunch of the brand and can be best described as romantic, sweet, light and positive. From the photos of Roberto Cavalli’s travels, the prints are born: absolute protagonists of this very sexy collection, inspired as always by the wonder of nature. Overlapping the butterfly and floral print for example is an animalier motif, creating a very special effect.
The customers? Sunny girls who want to enjoy themselves, in the beautiful and unique time of their youth, who like to go to music festivals. Maxi dresses, gilets encrusted with metallic stitching and bags with small foulards and marmot tails like new good luck charms provide the perfect look. To shop Just Cavalli, please click here.

For my Swiss based readers, here is a taste of what is to come in November when Roberto Cavalli will present his Just Cavalli S/S 2012 collection during the annabelle awards (The winner will receive a one year internship with Roberto Cavalli in Florence.) for the second edition of the Charles Vögele Fashion Days Zurich. If you don’t want to miss the fashion show, tickets are available at ticketcorner.ch.

Here is your sneak preview of what you can watch live this fall in Zurich.

Hope that you will like it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday, I was able to go backstage before the Just Cavalli S/S 2012 show. Please enjoy those behind-the-scene photos. It will give you a wonderful insight into the fashion world and you might be amazed what is really going on behind the runway. Enjoy!

The runway one hour before the show was supposed to start!

The S/S 2012 looks and the moodboards.

Swiss television Glanz & Gloria interviewed me backstage.

Hair inspiration: Beautiful fishtail braids.

Moroccanoil products were a must.

Makeup inspiration: Lots of glitter on the eyelids.

It wouldn’t be Cavalli, if there weren’t lots of accessories.

Roberto & Eva Cavalli arrived around 45 minutes before the show.

Roberto watched the last rehearsal while enjoying a cigarette.

All photos from the show will be posted soon, so please stay tuned.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

It might not be for everyone, but if you like Versace, you are going to fall in love with this S/S 2012 collection. It was truly sexy. Short mini dresses and hot pants were all over the runway. If you were looking for pants, no chance! Pastel colours gave a very feminine approach and even made the studded materials look soft. Of course, there was leather and lots of beautiful embellished  evening gowns. The final look resumed the beginning having a sparkling coral on the belly. And with the help of the Neptune-like prints showing sea shells and corals, Donatella has whetted our appetite for the next summer already.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I also went to see the Ermanno Scervino S/S 2012 show which took place at la Scuola Militare, the military school. The scenery was quite impressive and a wonderful juxtaposition to the very romantic and feminine collection.

With the next summer collection, Ermanno Scervino takes us on a voyage across India of Rajasthan and of the Maharajas. The Florence based designer is constantly melting different worlds and different materials, combining sportswear and couture by playing with unexpected combinations, such as geometric jackets over light ruffled dresses.

In the front row (so-called “frow” now), I spotted Alice Dellal (model and sister of shoe designer Charlotte Olympia) who is the new advertising face for the Ermanno Scervino F/W 2011 campaign, in the amazing black overall from the winter collection. Alice with her edgy look adds the right twist to those soft and playful creations.

Great choice! I have loved the S/S 2012 show and you? You can watch it at the end of this post.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Campaign Photos: Courtesy of Ermanno Scervino