Sandra‘s Closet

A Happy 2015 to everyone! I hope that you started the New Year as wonderful as I did. The last day of the year was just perfect. The sky was crisp blue, the sun was shining and I had a lovely fondue lunch at Wassergrat on top of the mountain where I enjoyed the most stunning views over the Alps. If you are there, you have to try their meringue dessert. It is to die for.

New Year’s Eve itself, I spent at the Gstaad Palace Hotel, a night among friends that was truly perfect. To a prosperous 2015 that hopefully will be as fantastic as it started.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Dear readers, I am wishing you a Happy New Year from Gstaad! Again, we are gifted with 365 days to play with, to fill them up with whatever our hearts desire. A new year is the best time to make fresh new beginnings. May the year 2015 be like a blank book that is waiting for our imagination to fill up its 365 pages with love, emotions, unexpected incidents, adventures and magic moments so that we will have no regrets at the end of the annual cycle.

The beauty of life is that it is full of surprises. Who would have thought that I could ride a camel in Gstaad?! When you get a chance, visit Leonard at the Bellevue Gstaad, he is an institution.

To an amazing New Year’s Eve!

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht

«Vegan as a fashion statement» – Stella McCartney has been the pioneer to blend fashion with sustainability by creating shoes and bags without using animal products. The only drop of bitterness? Her designs are high-priced and not easy to afford. Inspired by the idea to offer fashion with added value at a consumer-friendly price point, my lovely friend Swiss model Bianca Gubser partnered up with Nicole Frank to launch The No Animal Brand collection.

Their designs of shoes and bags that are manufactured without using any animal products look great as you can see and are now available in Switzerland at Jelmoli Zurich. Other point of sales in Europe are going to follow soon. Below you see some impressions of the launch event in the beginning of December.

LoL, Sandra

Clifford Lilley, Raquel Marquard and Franco Savastano with me

Thank you David Biedert Photography for the lovely pictures!

Dear Swiss readers, great news! The sparkling December issue of L’Officiel Switzerland, packed with the very best of fashion and style for the upcoming holiday season is at newsstands nationwide from now (available in German and French)!

Are you desperately looking for present ideas for your loved ones? Fear not, the new December issue features an amazing Christmas Wish List 2014, packed with extravagant ideas that come in poster size to be taken on your next shopping trip!

And in case you are curious to find out what I am doing in Bangkok right now, I recommend reading the article about the Cabinet of Curiosities by Thomas Erber. 
More to be coming up soon on Sandra’s Closet!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of L’Officiel Switzerland, © Karen Rosetzski – Style: Equiline van Dooren

Last Wednesday, the official opening of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich took place. It was a fun evening filled with lots of fashionable moments and surprises. Many people like to complain that the MBFDZ are not comparable to New York, Paris or Milan and of course they are right, but why should they?

Isn’t it great that we have something like this in Switzerland where you can enjoy runway shows, international designers, drink champagne and enjoy great food (the Park Hyatt Zurich served some amazing dishes) while meeting interesting people and see your friends. I wished all fashion weeks were like that… because in general they are definitely not as convenient as here in Zurich.

The main sponsors of the event, such as Mercedes-Benz, Paul Mitchell, H&M and Etihad Airways, had their own booths in the VIP tent during the Fashion Days Zurich.

An amazing surprise is waiting for you during the next weeks in collaboration with Etihad Airways, L’Officiel Switzerland and Sandra’s Closet. Make sure to stay tuned.

Giving an interview for Glanz & Gloria.

Photo call in front of the Samsung booth where I would reveal the tablet I designed the next day.

Here with the lovely two winners of the contest I posted last week.

Front row with fabulous Theo Grigoriadis (Trois Pommes).

First show of the night: the Berlin-based label Lala Berlin. The desert and nomadism inspired Leyla “Lala” Piedayesh for her S/S 2015 collection. I liked her embellished denim pieces (see picture below).

Swiss designer Julian Zigerli has enjoyed an enormous media attention since being selected a few seasons back by Giorgio Armani to present at the Armani Theater. For S/S 2015, he showed his iconic graphic prints and innovative cuts.

Turkish designer Lug Von Siga presented a fierce S/S 2015 collection at the opening night. Colourful and feminine, many pieces caught my eyes. Definitely a designer to watch!

My absolute favorite show of the night was Bibhu Mohapatra (see the photo below) S/S 2015. His gowns were dreamlike, but also the day offerings were particularly strong this season. Feminine and fitted, eclectic and sophisticated, the NYC-based label is surely on the rise.

I was a little disappointed by Max Mara. The Italian house showed some looks from their F/W 2014 collection and some pieces that are available in the store, which made it feel more like a trunk show than a runway presentation and definitely not like something new. What a pity!

Stay tuned for the outfit post coming up soon as well as my reports about the other nights.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Getty Images, © David Biedert Photography © Andrea Monica Hug (Chic in Zurich), © Pascal Uehli Photography, © Ralf Eyertt, © Charles Aellen and © Sandra Bauknecht

Great news, my dear Swiss readers! This week, the annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich kick off on Wednesday evening with their big opening night and you have the chance to win two tickets. But you have to be fast!

To participate, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich” to . All entries must be received until today November 10, 2014 at 6pm CET. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. By entering this contest, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these official rules. The winner has to have a Swiss address.

At work front row during last year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich

Let me tell you a little more what you can expect during the night at Schiffbau Zurich and also during the next days in general. There will be a lot of highlights taking place at Switzerland´s biggest fashion event from November 12-15, 2014. First of all, Max Mara is the headlining designer of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich which will celebrate their  fifth anniversary this year. The well-known Italian luxury-brand whose signature-look consists of timeless coats and jackets, was founded in 1951 by Mr Achille Maramotti and the label is still a family-run company that seeks to design elegant long-term fashion. With more than 2300 stores in 105 countries, Max Mara has become one of the largest international fashion houses.

A stunning red carpet look during the MBFDZ 2013 by Good & Vitalini St. Moritz

Furthermore, red carpet favourite, Bibhu Mohapatra will showcase his S/S 2015 collection at the Mercedes-Benz Opening Night. After working for more than a decade as design director for J. Mendel, the New York based Indo-American designer founded his own label in 2008. Today the brand is sold in prestigious stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman and dresses influential women like Michelle Obama, Glenn Close and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Below please find the event overview of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich below. I attached some photos of last year’s events for you to get an idea of what will be going on. It is your chance to indulge in fashion and experience first class designers, models and shopping first hand. I highlighted the best events for you!

Front row next to Karlie Kloss last year.

PUBLIC EVENTS:

LATE FASHION SHOPPING NIGHT ZURICH
By cool shopping map, annabelle & Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich
· Aziza Zina, St. Peterhofstatt 8
· Deecee Style, Talacker 21
· H&M, Bahnhofstrasse 92
· BOSS Store Zürich, Bahnhofstrasse 39
· IRO, Strehlgasse 5
· Little Black Dress, Rämistrasse 7 & Josefstrasse 45
· N2, Brotgasse 3
· Onitsuka Tiger, Sihlstrasse 17
· Trois Pommes, Bahnhofstrasse 12
· Van Bery, Torgasse 6
· Vestibule, St. Peterstrasse 20
Tuesday, November 11 (7:00PM – 10.00PM)
Late Fashion Shopping Night Drinks (10:00 PM) @ Onyx Bar, Park Hyatt Zurich, Beethoven-Strasse 21

MEET & SHOP THE DESIGNERS @ TEMPORÄR, FASHIONSLAVE Wednesday, November 12 (4:00PM)

SAMSUNG LIVE ACT Thursday, November 13 (7.45pm) @ VIP TENT
Creating a bespoke Samsung Galaxy Tab S by Sandra Bauknecht (Style Icon, Editor in Chief 
L’Officiel Switzerland and Blogger www.sandrascloset.com).
Great news is that my dear readers will be able to win this Samsung Galaxy Tab S designed by me after the FDZ here on my blog. Stay tuned for the contest coming up next week!

AFTER PARTY @ CLUB BELLEVUE Thursday, November 13 (11:30PM)

Aziza Zina’s finale last year

MODE TRIFFT DESIGN @ HGC SHOWROOM Aziza Zina exhibition at HGC Showroom, Hardturmstrasse 101 Friday, November 14 (4:00PM)

AFTER PARTY @ PLAZA CLUB Friday, November 14 (11:30PM)

With Carmen Cita Jones at last year’s opening night.

SWISS DESIGNERS SALE by Montagsmarkt @ SCHIFFBAU FOYER
Berenik, Kazu, Pelikamo, Laend Phuengkit, RS Hader, Javier Reyes, Stefanie Biggel, Aziza Zina, LBD – Little Black Dress, Van Bery, studiowinkler, Julian Zigerli, Alsamendi, Carmen Cita Jones Jewellery, Griesbach, Kinsfolk, Pamb, Yana Rey, Yoshiki und Viu. Saturday, November 15 (12:00PM – 9:00PM)

With Italian designer duo Frankie Morello

POP-UP SALE @ TROIS POMMES THE STORE Notte Italiana Pop-Up Sale (9.30AM – 6PM)
My tip: A MUST GO!!!

SCHIFFBAU FOYER Pre & after show drinks November 12-15

Karlie Kloss taking pictures of the Cushnie et Ochs collection

Designer duo Cushnie et Ochs with Karlie Kloss and me

BY INVITATION ONLY EVENTS:

H&M STUDIO SS15 @ CLOUDS Exclusive event for invited guests only Wednesday, November 12 (2:00PM – 4:00PM)

DISNEY FASHION OPEN HOUSE @ CLOUDS Exclusive launch of the latest Disney, Marvel and Star Wars products, for invited guests only Friday, November 14 (10:00AM – 4:00PM)

MBFDS TALKS@ VIP TENT presented by Mercedes-Benz & The League of Leading Ladies
Talking the latest fashion trends of 2015, for invited guests only
Normcore with blogger Sandra Bauknecht and trend researcher Joan Billing Friday, November 14 (12:00PM – 2:00PM)

H&M CLOSING PARTY @ ESCHERWYSS CLUB Exclusive party for invited guests only Saturday, November 15 (10:30PM)

Follow me live on instagram @sandrascloset during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: @ Sandra Bauknecht, © Andrea Monica Hug (Chic in Zurich), David Biedert Photography, © Fashiongamble Joy, © Getty Images, Style.com and Courtesy of the MBFDZ

Somebody has answered my prayers: meet Paul & Lulu, an online shopping destination that delivers amazing dishes directly to your table and the only thing you will need to do is to add some finishing touches. But I am not talking about fast food! Embracing the next generation of modern gastronomy, Franzoli’s Catering have brought their mission to a new level  by producing honest, high-quality convenience food, delivered quickly and easily from their kitchen to yours. Based on their passion for perfection, the dishes are handmade with market-fresh ingredients, carefully selected from their tried-and-trusted suppliers, then arranged and prepared in a way that gives you more time to enjoy your meal.

The minute I looked at the website, I was sold. The pictures are beautiful, showing all the ingredients. Especially if you are following a certain diet, you will appreciate the vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, nut-free, lactose-free, halal descriptions.

Paul & Lulu will deliver the best that their pots, pans and experience have to offer straight to your kitchen – quickly and at short notice.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Paul & Lulu

Last Thursday, Tiffany & Co. celebrated the launch of the brand’s newest collection TIFFANY T in Zurich at the Museum Bellerive. It marks design director Francesca Amfitheatrof’s first line for the iconic house. “The letter T is sculptural and bold and very closely linked to the architecture of New York City,” she explains. The trained jeweler and silversmith reimagined the letter T as a piece of engineering, which you can see in the mechanisms for these cuffs.

The Museum Bellerive was bathed in pink light. Guests enjoyed yummy food and champagne while exploring the new jewelry pieces.

Here I am wearing two Tiffany T bracelets, one in 18k white gold and one in 18k rose gold, both with round brilliant diamonds.

Sport commentator Marcel Reif framed by Gitta Gräfin Lambsdorff, Managing Director Tiffany & Co. to the right and me to the left.

The collection is in stores now and available in different shapes in silver or gold. Personally speaking, I truly love the design, especially many bracelets worn together look really cool.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. and © Sandra Bauknecht

We have a new hot spot in Zurich: the 80-seat restaurant LOUIS’ located on the lakeside in Wollishofen. The new place to eat  offers a unique view of the Zurich’s skyline along with a gastronomic experience at the highest level by chef Christoph Eisner and his team. Lars Krauss (pictured with me above at the opening last Thursday) has fulfilled his dream of owning a restaurant together with his business partner Verena Thalmann. Their passion for the project can be seen in every single detail.

The interior design is beautiful with white as the main color and four pastel shades that can be found in various furniture elements. The eye-catching chandeliers were specially made for the restaurant. A small but fine champagne bar and lounge area on the gallery invites guests to linger. In the summer months the urban feeling is complemented by a tastefully furnished terrace with 80 seats.

The seasonally changing menu offers special lunch dishes in the price range of CHF 25.00 to 30.00. Highlights are for example lukewarm beetroots with a mousse of smoked trout (CHF 17.00), fried duck liver with apple compote (CHF 21.00), roasted corn-fed chicken stuffed with lemon, ricotta and dried tomatoes, accompanied by vegetable couscous (CHF 39.00), sautéed fillet of sea bass with ratatouille (CHF 48.00) and chocolate mousse with milk rice (CHF 14.00).

Restaurant Louis’, Seestr. 457, 8038 Zurich-Wollishofen, Switzerland
Phone: + 41-44 221 15 15
Monday – Friday 10am – 12am
Saturday 6pm – 12am
Sunday closed

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Restaurant

When Marilyn Monroe sang in the 1953 film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes‘, “Men grow cold as girls grow old, and we all lose our charms in the end. But square-cut or pear-shaped, these rocks don’t lose their shape. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” she became a legend.
I could go on and sing: “Talk to me VAINARD! Tell me all about it!”

The Zurich-based fine jeweler, who is a leading supplier in the natural colored diamond segment, seemed to have heard my request and flew me to its own factory in Idar-Oberstein, the famous German gemstone center, which is also the birth place of Hollywood actor Bruce Willis. There I was able to see the different stages of crafting an exclusive diamond ring, from the sawing and cutting process to the stone setting.

Moreover, I could lend a hand and make my own diamond ring which was an unforgettable experience. It is very rare that a jeweler has a factory in which the diamond cutting workshop is done in-house as well as the design and the setting. Needless to say, this close cooperation between all different stages results in extremely high quality.

The word diamond drives from Greek origin and means “unbreakable“. In fact, a diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material.

Most natural diamonds are formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers in the Earth’s mantle and are brought close to the surface through deep volcanic eruptions by magma, which cools into igneous rocks. The last volcanic activity to convey these valuable stones was almost over 100 million years ago. Carbon-containing minerals provide the carbon source of a diamond, and the growth occurs over periods from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years, which are 25% to 75% of the age of the Earth.

Speaking of which, the rarity of a diamond makes this precious stone a must-have among us ladies. There is no girl whose eyes don’t sparkle when gifted with this luxurious gemstone. Diamonds signify steadfast, enduring love because of their unmatched strength and beauty. They can be worn with any outfit, from an elegant cocktail dress to blue jeans.

Extremely important is the gemological characteristic of the stone which shows the value as a gem. Four characteristics, known informally as the four Cs, are today commonly used as the basic descriptors: these are carat (its weight), cut (quality of the cut is graded according to proportions, symmetry and polish), color (how close to white or colorless; for fancy diamonds how intense is its hue), and clarity (how free is it from inclusions).

Because of its extremely rigid lattice, the stone can be contaminated by very few types of impurities. Nitrogen is by far the most common one found in gem diamonds and is responsible for the yellow color. Boron is responsible for the blue hue. Colored diamonds contain impurities or structural defects that cause the coloration, while pure or nearly pure diamonds are transparent and colorless. Their rarity and beauty makes some of the colored diamonds worth millions of dollars.

Creating the final spectacle of a polished diamond jewelry piece can take years to master. Having an understanding of the construction of such a small object is in fact very fascinating. Let me show you what I observed and learned in Idar-Oberstein about the specific skills and techniques that are used to make such an object of desire.

It all starts with the sawing process of the raw diamond that takes several hours. The copper saw blade has to be coated with fine diamond powder to work with this extremely hard material. It takes many years to learn this skill to avoid damaging the stone.

The following multi-step process called “cutting” finally reveals the diamond’s outstanding beauty. This extremely delicate procedure also requires skills, scientific knowledge, tools and experience, as those gemstones can brittle and be split up by a single blow.

The most time-consuming part of the cutting is the preliminary analysis of the rough stone. It needs to address a large number of issues, bears much responsibility, and therefore can last years in case of unique diamonds.

After initial sawing, the diamond is shaped in numerous stages of cutting. Unlike sawing, which is a responsible but quick operation, cutting removes material by gradual erosion and is extremely time consuming. Its final goal is to produce a faceted jewel where the specific angles between the facets would optimize the diamond luster.

Every facet in an ideal cut diamond must be placed at precise angles and contain precise proportions. This ensures the perfect balance between maximum brilliance and dispersion of light. Any discrepancy from these proportions will result in a loss of sparkle.

After the cutting of the stones is finished, the goldsmith will start his work according to the drawing the Vainard jewelry designer prepared beforehand.

The stones depending on the shank need to go back to the diamond cutting workshop in order to achieve the perfect fit. Once this step is completed, the stone setter fits them into the setting.

I have to admit that I had a lot of fun making my own diamond ring. Needless to say, the Vainard team had prepared the most important steps and helped me with the execution.

The first step in soldering is to dip the piece of gold with the help of a brush into a solution of boric acid and alcohol before lighting it.

You have to be very careful as you work with temperatures above 3000 degrees Celsius.

For some work stages, you need to use a microscope to work as precisely as possible.

The final step for me was to close the four claw prong setting with the help of a special working tool. What seems so easy is actually pretty difficult as you are looking through a magnifying glass for maximum precision which made me feel pretty uncoordinated.

Every Vainard Fine Jewellery piece undergoes a final inspection after its ensuing polishing. After having seen the craftsmanship, the expertise and love for detail, I truly appreciate the work of such a fine jeweler even more than I already did before.

When we went into the vault and I was able to indulge in the most beautiful pieces of jewelry, I fell in love with the emerald cut diamond ring and the bracelet you have been seen me a lot with recently. Those treasures make me happy every time I am wearing them and they are something that I will happily pass on one day to my daughter.

There is no doubt, diamonds are a girl’s best friend! If you are in Zurich, I truly recommend a visit to the Vainard Fine Jewellery shop at Schlüsselgasse 4, Phone +41 44 210 04 44.

Besides its large selection of  diamond jewelry, the renowned jeweler also works with colored gemstones and is happy to finalize your own designs as well as to remodel an existing piece.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
Photo of the shop in collage: © Vainard, Photo of Marilyn Monroe: Via Vanity Fair