Sandra‘s Closet

Today is the start of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad. So time to show your Olympic spirit.

Bally’s men’s West H. sneaker collection makes it easy to show your national pride. Fly the flag for your own nation.

Twelve casual leather sneakers pay homage to twelve different countries. Each West H. sneaker features a national flag screen printed with a cool vintage effect that includes Great Britain, Switzerland, the USA, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and more.

And Bally’s charming Bally-rina is back, this time to captivate us with her sporty London 2012 Olympic spirit in a specially designed women’s sneaker and tote.

The red stitched Athena high-top sneaker features a back zip which cutely reveals the very sweet Bally-rina whimsically waving a gymnastics ribbon in blue, red, green and yellow colours. The same motif can be found on the Hanoe fabric tote.

Both, Bally’s West H. sneaker collection and the Bally-rina collection are available in store and online. Bally offers free shipping at the moment for the sportive collection. Just enter promo code SPORTBALLY at checkout.

For collectors and most loyal fans of the Olympic Games, the Coca-Cola collector’s box Special Olympics five glasses grouping is available exclusively at Colette now. The 5 glasses come with a collector bottle and a tote bag.

Celebrate the 2012 London Olympics with the commemorative Butter London‘s Olympic Heavy Medal Collection. The set includes three beautiful, metallic nail lacquers worthy of standing upon the winners’ podium, all limited editions. 
Colours: The Full Monty, Diamond Geezer and The Old Bill.

Solange Azagury-Partridge has designed the Britannia Hotlips ring to celebrate the games. The renowned iconic Hotlips design featuring the British flag is a fun and original lucky charm- one last good luck kiss for the athletes!

For all winners among you, take sartorial gold in Markus Lupfer‘s playful sequin medal-embellished merino wool sweater. Decorated with signature charm and wit, this piece is sure to turn heads.

Take a playful approach to the sporting season with these ‘2012 Olympics’-inspired briefs by Team Great Britain’s Creative Director Stella McCartney. Cut from a blend of white cotton and silk, this colorfully embroidered pair will make a whimsical addition to your lingerie drawer.

Just click on the highlighted text to shop those must-have pieces.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Bally, Colette, Net-à-porter, Solange Azagury-Partridge and via Telegraph

Ladies, store your ballet flats! If you haven’t focused on the day-slipper trend, you really should embrace it. They are on the shopping list of every fashionista and a hot fixture on the fall high street. I went for leopard print slippers by Louis Vuitton in blue (for the previous post, please click here) – Poppy Delevigny has the same ones in red. 
For fall, Miu Miu‘s velvet embroidered slippers are my season’s favourites, so chic!

By the way, gentlemen, you are in the game as well. You can find the most extraordinary models for the fashion-forward of you at the end of this post.

Get involved now and shop those must-have footwear below!

LoL, Sandra

Shop the best slippers for WOMEN:

Embroidered velvet-covered leather slippers by Miu Miu

Embroidered satin-covered leather slippers by Miu Miu

Sequined leather slippers by Marc by Marc Jacobs

Intern tartan canvas and patent-leather slippers by Christian Louboutin

Sequin skull-embellished suede slippers by Alexander McQueen

Embroidered velvet slippers by Alexander McQueen

Swarovski crystal-embellished suede slippers by Giuseppe Zanotti

Wheel studded leather slippers by Jimmy Choo

Shop the best slippers for MEN:

Victory nude nubuck leather slippers by Kardinale

Leopard print suede slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Sloane zebra print ponyskin slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Coarse glitter slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Purple velvet slippers by Del Toro

Velvet slippers with crystal tassel by Giuseppe Zanotti Men

Suede and Swarovski embellished slippers by Giuseppe Zanotti Men

Embroidered velvet slippers by Stubbs & Wooton
(Stubbs & Wooton is a Florida-based label, founded in Palm Beach in 1993, that specialises in luxurious slippers).

It’s time to put the latest Isabel Marant shoes on your radar for fall. The designer, who’s credited with knowing what women want before they know it themselves, scores again with covetable footwear, including those must-have wedge trainers in new hues and high-kicking boots, like the fringed rodeo-inspired pair.

This is your chance to shop them for three days before they are available to all mytheresa.com customers. Just click on the highlighted text below each shoe to be transferred directly.

In case that you are not fast enough, go to matchesfashion.com for another great selection or net-a-porter.com which will receive a great delivery this week.

LoL, Sandra

Jacob fringed wedge boots

Bird wedge sneakers

Dicker suede ankle boots

Lazio wedge boots

Jenny suede ankle boots

Bekett suede wedge sneakers

The iconic glamour of Valentino and the rock-chic attitude of creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli are a match made in fashion heaven, and these leather and suede ankle boots are my latest obsession from the storied fashion house.

A beautiful silhouette toughened with pyramid studs, these shoes are an elegant way to add city edge to polished looks. Valentino’s rockstuds have been a must for fashionistas since quite a while, have a look at a previous post by clicking here.
Now you just have to choose if you prefer them in black or powder.

Studded suede and leather ankle boots in black by Valentino

Studded suede and leather ankle boots in powder by Valentino

LoL, Sandra

The largest folks festival in the world, the annual legendary Oktoberfest will opened its doors again in September. In order to look absolutely stylish, Jimmy Choo with his exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail has designed a unique shoe as a tribute to the Bavarian state capital along with a matching clutch bag. Both pieces come in black patent leather with ribbons in 5 different colours to choose from.

The limited “Wiesn Edition” will be available exclusively in Jimmy Choo’s flagship store in Munich, Germany at Maximilianstr. 16 from August 2012.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

One of the biggest trends at the moment is SUSTAINABLE LUXURY and Gucci has hopped on board the green side of life by launching a new “Sustainable Soles” line of footwear made with biodegradable plastic, which is part of its pre-fall 2012 collection and said to hit stores by the end of June.

The collection will include two styles, both designed by Frida Giannini, Gucci’s Creative Director:

The “California Green” men’s sneaker, available in both low- and high-top versions, includes bio-rubber soles, vegetable-tanned calfskin uppers, bio-shoelaces, and tongues with the Gucci logo printed in green on recycled polyester labels.

The “Marola Green” slip-on, which features cutout details and Gucci’s trademark interlocking Gs, will be sold in a variety of glossy hues, including blush, taupe, and black.

The shoes are made from bio-plastic, a biodegradable material in compost which is used as an alternative to petrochemical plastic. The material also has a shorter degradation process compared to that of traditional plastic.

“This new project conveys the house’s mission to interpret in a responsible way the modern consumer’s desire for sustainable fashion products, all the while maintaining the balance between the timeless values of style and utmost quality with an ever-growing green vision.”

The news comes on the heels, as it were, of Gucci’s biodegradable “Liquid Wood” sunglasses, which are manufactured by Safilo with wood fibers from sustainably managed forests, lignin from the paper-manufacturing process, and natural wax. I was able to explore one of the first prototypes (see photo below) and I truly liked them.

“Biodegradable” is a new catchphrase at Gucci – an inspiring example of how to combine sustainability with luxury.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci, Safilo and © Sandra Bauknecht

The evolution of the Rockstud collection continues with new explosive bags from the Va Va Voom series to must-have shoes, like the new pony hair iconic sling-backs below. Be the first to add an elegant edge toy our style this fall.

For the next three days you have the priviledge to shop these items before they are available to all customers. Just click on the highlighted text below to be transfered directly.

The booties shown on the photo above will be on every fashionista’s shopping list, so stay tuned as I will keep you posted once they hit the stores. In the meantime, enjoy these must-haves:

Rockstud kitten heels by Valentino

Already a fashion classic since this must-have kitten heel was first spotted on all editor’s feet in the front row. Click here for some photos.

Animal printed Rockstud kitten heels by Valentino

This newly introduced version will surely make your heart leap with joy.

Va Va Voom leather satchel in a rich shade of bordeaux by Valentino

I could not think of a better name for this lady-chic bag.

Textured leather mini shoulder bag by Valentino

Forest green is the It-shade for the F/W 2012 season. So you better get started now…

Rockstud patent loafers by Valentino

Such an amazing silhouette, stylish and comfortable in one.

Rockstud small leather tote by Valentino

Structured, sleek and with a cool-girl edge, Valentino’s Rockstud tote has been the editors’ bag of choice since its launch. What a stud. My must-have for F/W 2012.

LoL, Sandra

For its upcoming highly anticipated ‘fashion meets art’ collaboration, Louis Vuitton has teamed up with avantgarde painter, pop art artist, fashion designer, sculptor, street performer and poet, Yayoi Kusama. At the age of 82, she is an artist of many talents.

The preview is not even on the official website, the Louis Vuitton press offices keep everything secret. But thanks to WWD and Stylerumour, the first photos have emerged.

Here is your very exclusive and so exciting preview of what the Japanese dot-enthusiast and Marc Jacobs have come up with. Personally speaking, I am crazy for those polka dots, especially the red and white ones that remind me so much of Minnie Mouse. Also included in the collection are wave prints. The colours are yellow, red, black and white.

The collection will be unveiled Mid July 2012 in Louis Vuitton stores around the globe, with a second wave of goods arriving in October.

Ladies, get yourselves on the wait lists now!

LoL, Sandra

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Pump Monogram Nylon Dots Infinity black

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Monogram Shawl Dots Infinity black

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Sunglasses Waves Rond White

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Pareo Monogram Waves white

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Lockit GM Monogram Nylon Dots Infinity yellow

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Cuff Dots Infinity yellow

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Lockit MM Monogram Vernis Dots Infinity yellow

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Pump Monogram Vernis Dots Infinity yellow

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Pochette Accessoires Monogram Vernis Dots Infinity red

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Ballerina Monogram Nylon Dots Infinity red

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Montre Tambour Dots Infinity 28 mm

Yayoi Kusama Louis Vuitton Bangle GM Dots Infinity red

Photos: Via Stylerumour and Franck Mura via WWD

Most brides opt for designer heels  in white silk or satin for their big day. But boots? Ugg boots?

UGG Australia has released a range of bridal boots, the so-called „I Do wedding collection“. Think cosy UGGs embellished with crystal stones, sequins and blue ribbons.

Most likely to wear them for your pre- or after-wedding pampering than walking down the aisle in them, those sparkling eyecatchers will surely not only attract the future brides among us. Personally speaking, I love the sequined ones…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of UGG Australia

Christian Louboutin, the king of shoes and the creator of the iconic glossy red soles, has launched a special collection celebrating his brand’s 20th anniversary. Below you can enjoy and shop the amazing designs that will add instant glamour to your wardrobe. I love the fringed and the python boots (see last two photos below)!

If you would like to get to know Mr. Louboutin a little better, click here for a previous post.

LoL, Sandra

20th Anniversary Rose Du Desert leather knee sandals by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Neuron 120 suede cage sandals by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Unzip 100 suede sandals by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Isolde 160 patent-leather sandals by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Armadillo Bride 120 leather pumps by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Pigalove patent-leather ballet flats by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Highness Tina 160 fringed suede boots by Christian Louboutin

20th Anniversary Daf 160 python boots by Christian Louboutin