Sandra‘s Closet

For the second year running CHANEL has taken up residence at La Mistralée Hotel, a two minute walk from the Place des Lices and the Old Port. From April through to October the sumptuous interior of this 19th century manor house has been transformed to create a contemporary décor. The Paris-Bombay and the S/S 2012 collection are displayed throughout the house, in the magnificent private gardens and by the swimming pool, juxtaposing the opulence of the house with modernity and boldness.

The spacious “white cube” (contemporary art gallery) drawing room – white walls and chevron parquet – is illuminated by the colours of the Paris-Bombay collection: tyrien rose, gold, and a host of rich and nuanced shimmering metallics. Sculptural monoliths surround the Ready-to-Wear collection and accessories. These minimalist volumes set off the dynamic contrasts: bronze, brass, white mirror and gold on the outside, set against candy pink, burgundy, petrol blue and parma grey inside.

Antique doors open for the walk to the fitting rooms, where each booth is swathed in sensual coppery quilting.

Beneath the glass roof of the conservatory bathed in light, the surroundings become even more summery, providing the perfect vibe for a Saint-Tropez lifestyle. There we discover a six meter-long bar in a metallic shade of champagne for a festoon of hues. We can enjoy perching upon an elegant stool, beneath a glistening beige arch, and try on the costume jewelry and accessories from the collection. A mirrored kiosk has been constructed in the garden as an inviting area in which to relax and to languish in the multi-coloured striped armchair.

Gaze towards the pool house covered with intense block colours, from chocolate, burgundy and taupe grey to Indian pink and mustard yellow. Transparent busts are suspended from the ceiling and appear to float. On display, here are the J12 watches set with diamonds or sapphires as well as the multi-coloured stones, pearls and diamonds from the fine jewelry collection.

An exclusive, limited edition beach bag has been created by CHANEL especially for its ephemeral boutique in Saint-Tropez. The bag comes complete with a reversible mat, woven straw on one side and towelling on the other and will be available end of June 2012. Stay tuned for a photo of the bag coming up soon on Sandra’s Closet.

CHANEL EPHEMERAL BOUTIQUE

From April 28th to October 7th 2012
10.00AM-1.30PM / 3.30PM-8.00PM (4.30PM-9.00PM in July and August)
1, avenue du Général Leclerc
83990 Saint-Tropez
France

What a beautiful store filled with precious must-haves! Happy holiday shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel

“Island of the Gods and Demons”, “land of 10,000 temples” – these are just two of the many names for Bali, the Indonesian island located in the Indian Ocean between Java and Lombok. I love the friendliness of the Balinese people and the beauty of the island and not only because I spent my honeymoon at the Four Seasons Bali at Sayan. The same resort and villa that Cindy Crawford and Randy Gerber celebrated their honeymoon. The island has an aura that is quite overwhelming.

Bali Balance is a label launched in 2011 with offices in Indonesia and Switzerland that brings the magic of this wonderful island to your home.
High quality hair and body spa products made with organic essential oils that are produced biologically in Bali and that have an intense revitalizing effect. 
Indulge yourself and wake up your senses with magical scents that will accompany you throughout the day.

The product range includes shampoos (CHF26.-/250ml), conditioners (CHF29.-/250ml), body wash (CHF24.-/250ml) and body lotion (CHF 29.-/250ml), oils (CHF32.-/250ml) and candles which are all available in two scents: Morning Mantra (lemongrass, clove, lavender, peppermint, cajeput, ginger) and Bali Passion (vanilla, ylang ylang, ginger and sandelwood).
For further enquiries, please contact: .
In Switzerland, Bali Balance products are exclusively available at Cachet.

Famous places such as the The Istana are using the Bali Balance products.
A feast for the senses!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Bali Balance

The Berkeley London designer afternoon tea, Prêt-à-Portea, is inspired by the themes and colours of the fashion world. The menu is transformed every six months to follow the changing seasons in fashion. All served on fine-bone china by Paul Smith for Thomas Goode.

The new S/S 2012 collection sees designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Jason Wu and Valentino grace the Berkeley’s tea stand as Prêt-à-Portea adds a creative twist to the classic elements of the traditional English afternoon tea with cakes and pastries resembling the latest catwalk designs for the style conscious.

Prêt-à-Portea is served in the Caramel Room daily from 1pm to 6pm.

Christian Louboutin must have neon yellow high heeled chocolate biscuit with signature red sole
Jason Wu romantic cherry bavarois and coconut cream topped with playful pink skirt and biscuit heel
Mulberry white chocolate crème de menthe and raspberry mousse topped with a lemon meringue
Miu Miu 1950’s inspired vanilla bikini biscuit with red hot icing and playful white bow

Valentino romantic peach cake dress with light pink champagne jelly and edible flower
Fendi nautical red and white striped vanilla cake filled with fraise des bois cremeux accessorized with oversized yellow button
Michael Kors safari opera cake with dark chocolate and mocha filling topped with signature leopard print
Dolce & Gabbana light blue Sicilian blueberry sponge cake wicker basket wrapped in chocolate
Gucci art deco Grand Marnier and dark Valrhona chocolate mousse embellished with golden beads

And for those who are still hungry, a mouth-watering selection of miniature savoury skewers, taster spoons, elegant canapés and tea sandwiches is served.

I truly enjoyed this fashionable tea time. 
For Prêt-à-Portea reservations, please call +44 (0)20 7107 8866.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Berkeley Hotel and © Sandra Bauknecht

After or – of course before – your visit to the Gucci museo, you can enjoy a nice lunch at the restaurant that is located on the museum’s ground floor.
And here the logomania is to be taken literally, see for yourselves:

Aren’t those little sugar “cubes” just too cute?!

This happens when you are having lunch with bloggers…

Right next to the restaurant is the museum shop that offers a large selection of art, fashion and photography books plus all sort of Gucci-labelled goodies, from chocolates to Caran d’Ache pencils and small leather goods.

In a seperate room, so-called “Icon Store”, you can find all sorts of special edition bags and scarfs, made for the museum. These pieces are only available here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For the Dior Addict Extrême event in Paris, I was invited to stay at the beautiful Plaza Athénée, already an institution on the famous shopping street Avenue Montaigne that captures the Parisian spirit of life perfectly. The hotel has also a Dior spa.

I stayed in an amazing suite on the third floor of the hotel. Isn’t the view from the balcony just divine? The only thing missing was the sun…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I am off to Paris for an exciting event with Dior Addict Extrême. To get you in the French mood, I would like to show you some photos of the Mandarin Oriental Paris that opened its doors last June and where I stayed during Haute Couture Fashion Week. For more information on the hotel, please click here for the previous post.

I thought that you might like the photos of my Deluxe room to get a better idea of the beautiful interior design. The service was outstanding and the location on the rue Saint Honoré is absolutely fantastic. The famous concept store Colette is just down the street.

My new Paris favourite!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last month, I was invited by Clarins to Paris for the launch of their newest products (stay tuned for the upcoming post on those amazing new beauty must-haves). I stayed at the Royal Monceau where the presentation and dinner also took place. One of the reasons why Clarins chose this newly renovated hotel that was re-imagined by the famous Philippe Starck is their amazing My Blend by Clarins (a new revolutionary approach on personalized skincare) spa.

Le Royal Monceau has always embodied “Parisian elegance” in all its spontaneity, culture and sagacity. Philippe Starck captured the spirit in perfection. The Royal Monceau is one of the nicest hotels I stayed in recently and I can only recommend it. Please see for yourself!

My look: Patchwork coat by Louis Vuitton, silk-crepe top by Vionnet, alpaca and wool gilet by Gucci, stretch-leather leggings by The Row, scarf by Chanel, Pistol leather ankle boots by Acne and animal-print Boston bag by Céline.

I travelled for the first time with my new Victorinox Spectra trolley (Thank you!) that works as a carry-on luggage perfectly and has a lot of space.

Some impressions of my room.

View from my hotel room.

Clarins Spa offers 4 new spa body treatments with 18 new exclusive PRO formula products. The Body Sculptor, The Moisture Quencher, The Firming Age Corrector and The Body Polisher are based upon a selection of masks, supplements and pure plant body oils from the PRO range, chosen by the therapist to meet your skin’s individual needs. The Clarins PRO products are truly amazing and are totally working their magic. All treatments are done manually which is the best to me. To search for the Clarins institut nearest to you, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

In Venice, we stayed at the Palazzina Grassi. A design hotel, situated on the Grand Canal, with an atmosphere full of charm and vitality, steeped in history, where you can experience the melancholy grandeur of Venice like true Venetians. Privacy, flexibility, luxury and elegance are the fundamental elements of this exclusive property, designed by Philippe Starck.

The 21 rooms and six suite apartments are characterized by a marriage of contemporary and romantic design, highlighted by unique furnishings, glass works by the French artist Aristide Najean and sophisticated collector’s items, with some rooms offering glimpses of the lagoon landscape. 
Adorned with many mirrors, the rooms appear much bigger than they are.

My look for the first night in Venice: Dress with tropical print and matching clutch by Matthew Williamson, suede pumps by Yves Saint Laurent, ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie and watch by Roger Dubuis.

Tropical and hawaiian prints are a huge trend for Cruise 2012 and can be found at Stella McCartney, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Givenchy among others.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I just spent 48 hours in London that were filled with many interesting events, parties and meetings. Let me get started with the launch party for the ‘Cabinet de Curiosites de Thomas Erber’ 2011.

After his successful collaboration with Parisian concept store Colette in 2010, fashion consultant and former journalist Thomas Erber has brought his cabinet to Browns in London. Showcasing a very interesting selection of pieces including everything from fashion and furniture design, to travel packages, art and photography, Erber has gathered many internationally renowned artists and designers to fill his cabinet with their most unique creations.

My key to “Le Cabinet de Curiosités de Thomas Erber”

Thomas Erber with me

„My quest, has always been to push the limits of creativity, to me it is the only thing that feeds the dream living in each of us. Browns, since the beginning, has been the coolest place in the city to me, it has always defended elegance and most importantly independent designers more than anything or anyone else in London.“

– Thomas Erber

Designer Christopher Kane with me (Love his designs! Click here for a previous post)

Here are my favourite curiosities:

FASHION

Rodarte – The Piece

In 2011, the Rodarte sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, joined with two of the world’s most highly acclaimed photographers, Catherine Opie and Alec Soth, to create the first publication to explore and examine the world of Rodarte.

For Thomas Erber’s cabinet at Browns, Rodarte have collaborated with artist Rebekah Miles on a one of a kind book cover, hand painted with an image from the book.

£ 250

Lulu Guinness – The Piece

Designed to befit the expression, “Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder”, this bespoke bag is characteristic of Lulu’s wit and charm. The cubic evening bag is covered in black satin with a wrist strap and is presented in another larger cube which is hand-embroidered with the designer’s iconic handwriting.

£ 1995

 

Manolo Blahnik – The Piece

“Albero” – an exquisitely delicate shoe. Crafted in crocodile, silk satin leaves encase the ankle, while the foot rests on orange satin lining.

£ 3850 (size 37)

 

Melinda Gloss – The Piece

Melinda Gloss is the in 2006 established label by childhood friends Rémi de Laquintane and Mathieu de Ménonville.

High quality meets high fashion, as a traditional tweed overcoat is given a modern dressing-down by a hooded inner-layer. Raw edging gives the reassuringly weighty material a sense of lightness without compromising its warmth.

The three coats are available in size 50 for £ 1750 each.

CURIOSITIES & ART

I-Woodesign

A unique jewelry box and watch box in Tamo Ash, one of the rarest and most reasured woods in the world. Sleek and sophisticated by design, the rich finish of the wood results in a piece which is strikingly superior in every sense.

Jewelry Box £ 7200, Watch Box £ 6300

Hungarian-born artist Kata Legrady is a very interesting woman to talk to. She has attracted international fame for her iconic series “Guns & Candies”. A former child soldier, she draws inspiration from her childhood memories.

While we were talking, this bag by Christian Louboutin caught her eyes. It reminded her of a bomb, funny enough!

Kata Legrady – The Piece

‘A 47 Kalashnikov, multicolour original gun with applicated “Smarties” covered with Plexiglass’

The internationally celebrated series, “Guns and Candies” was started in 2008, and is a set of colourful and oversized pieces exploring Legrady’s double fascination with war arms and candies. The Smarties are simultaneously enigmatic, alluring and scary, and appear to leave a residual trace on the retina, like a persisitent dream or a meditative vision. Truly popular art in the very Warholian meaning of the word, these images and artifacts are universally accessible and immediately identifiable. They demand only a little empathy from the viewer’s part, therefore investing each beholder with a power to reveal both their symbolic and artistic qualities.

£ 25000

London based designer Paul Kelley

Paul Kelley – The Piece

A stainless steel polished desk/dressing table with a mirror and a blue acrylic lined interior. The handsome yet elegant work boasts solid brass-plated drawers and solid teak interiors.

£ 54000
All photos above: © Sandra Bauknecht

 

TRAVEL

“Riders”, 40 x 60 cm, Silver gelatine print, fiber paper, B & W, argentic print, single copy. Especially made for the Cabinet Of Curiosities of Thomas Erber, 2011 edition at Browns by Elina Kechicheva, £ 1840.

LES VOYAGES DE THOMAS BY KUONI

The Road Trip

A mesmerizing and romantic road trip leads to Uruguay, to the edge of the end of the world, just between the “elder brothers” of Brazil and Argentina, and along the Uruguayan coast – which will slowly unveil its mysteries and wonders in a land that is yet to be fully discovered.

A ten day trip will start approximately at £2150 per person (without flights).

Photographs by Elina Kechicheva also available, £ 1840

The Family Safari

A magical, adventurous family trip to the heart of rugged but soulful Namibia, the “king country”, a jewel located on the west coast of southern Africa. Travelers will venture away from the famous Skeleton Coast to the untouched Namib Desert, where safaris are still real and wild – and will be accompanied by dedicated and knowledgeable local people who will help them to experience the real Namibia.

A ten day trip will start approximately at £ 4285 per person (without flights).

 

The after party took place in London’s newly opened up hot spot: Le Baron.
Here are some photos of the night:

Mark van Huisseling with me

Christian Louboutin and Henry Holland

Mickey got all excited seeing…

…a half naked beauty. 
Photos: © Jean Picou

A real cabinet of curiosties!

LoL, Sandra

I am only in NYC for 48 hours which is not a lot of time especially with such a tight schedule. So I am trying to get the most out of it. Today, I met with jewelry designer Gabriele Frantzen at my favourite restaurant BG Bergdorf Goodman for lunch. It is always such a vibrant, eclectic place overlooking the Central Park on the seventh floor of the famous department store on Fifth Avenue.

Gabriele, who is dividing her time between Munich and NYC, creates amazing custom jewelry.
I invite you to have a look at her designs by clicking here.

Gabriele with me, we are both wearing Gabriele Frantzen necklaces

An amazing present and a wonderful addition to my closet!

At lunch, I run into one of my beloved actresses from Gossip Girl (her character is Lily van der Woodsen): Beautiful Kelly Rutherford. She told me that she just met with Albert Kriemler because she will be wearing an Akris gown to a gala tonight. Check out her new website by clicking here.

I am getting ready now for the big show tonight! So excited!

LoL, Sandra