Sandra‘s Closet

Finally, I am allowed to share with you the official photos of ACQUA DI PARMA‘s new home collection that were photographed at the iconic Belmond Hotel Splendido Mare in Portofino by Guido Taroni in his sister Virginia Taroni.

When I met with Laura Burdese, I asked her about the biggest challenge the luxury industry is facing at the moment. She replied: «Personally speaking, it is to build up a global brand into a world that is splitted in two. We have the Western and the rising huge Asian world. To bring these two universes together is sometimes hard. Masculinity for example is different in Asia than in Eurpoe. What seems probably feminine to us, is very masculine for Asian people. Sometimes you are tempted to do certain things just for one place and you can get lost intranslatuion in the middle. Therefore, the biggest challenge for me is to build up a global brand with the same values, and the same assets, that can be read in the same way through different cultures.»

Launching the new home collection is surely a great step forward into building up one global brand. The home is the place that brings people together around the world. Everyone dreams of creating a space of relaxation, comfort and pleasure. It is the most intimate and personal space. The place that reflects your choices and tastes more than any other. Objects, colours, books, music.

All these things create an atmosphere that defines you, creating a space where you can entertain friends and make them feel at home. A certain ‘savoir-vivre’ that is palpable in the air. Light, subtle tones released into the air by an elegant candle or a simply designed room diffuser, bring the brightest Italian style to every room. The new Acqua di Parma Home Collection lends the final touch to a genuine home.

The brand that is the symbol of Italian lifestyle has produced ten new fragrances for candles and room diffusers. A range of sensory impressions, not just for your personal pleasure but also for the well thought out art of welcoming guests, or for an elegant, carefullychosen gift. Five different fragrances capture the typical moments of Italian living: Luce di Colonia, Buongiorno, La Casa sul Lago, Caffè in Piazza and Oh, L‘amore.

And for those who want to recreate the breath of the unforgettable Italian Mediterranean in their own home, five fragrances inspired by the Blu Mediterraneo line: Arancia di Capri, Fico di Amalfi, Bergamotto di Calabria, Chinotto di Liguria and Mirto di Panarea. Essences that contain ingredients symbolising the magnificent natural landscapes of the Italian Mediterranean.

My personal favorite: Oh, L’amore.

Home Collection from Acqua di Parma lights up your living spaces with a touch of sophisticated Italian style and the sheer pleasure that comes from feeling perfectly at home. The new scented candles and diffusers combine sensuality and design, and further enrich the world of creations conceived for the home, ranging from the Cube to the refined Murano Glass Candles, Powder Soap and Scented Paper drawer liners. All for a sense of light, natural elegance, to experience along with the brand name which has come to symbolise Italian lifestyle.

LoL, Sandra

Scented paper drawer liners are so awesome for your closet.

Photos: Courtesy of Acqua di Parma #HomeCollection

Here is your mid-of-the-week fashion-fix. Indulge in these new evening bags by 13 BC, amazing miniaudières that are each made from gold-tone and enamel. They’re great if you’re looking for a fab clutch to match an outfit or if you simply want to add one to your bag collection.

The story behind this new bag brand is pretty fascinating and different. Before launching 13 BC in 2018, Cherine Magrabi Tayeb was as a guest curator at museums, which inspired her to create these limited-edition pieces that bridge the gap between art and fashion. Every collection consists of 13 meticulously detailed bags, each handmade in Florence by expert craftspeople using ancient enameling techniques.

Born to an Egyptian–Saudi father and a Lebanese mother, the lithe, blonde, and blue-eyed Magrabi was raised in Jeddah. She also lived in Switzerland and the UK before moving to Beirut with her husband and their three sons in 2002.

TO SHOP MINAUDIERES BY 13 BC, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Net-à-Porter, and via Instagram @cherinemagrabi

Sometimes, the world is small, extremely small. At the risk of straying too far afield, let me provide some background on the story behind this fabulous launch event in Hamburg last week.

Best friends since over 30 years: Dr. Annette Christoph with me.

I went to a girls’ school. My school years were fantastic. We were five girls who have all stayed close friends since then. One became my maid of honor, the other one the godmother of my daughter and so on. We all work in different fields, I am the only one in fashion. Therefore I was amazed when my friend Dr. Annette Christoph invited me to Hamburg for the launch event of Sioux x Til Schweiger. Her partner in life, Lewin Berner, bought Sioux in 2010 with other private investors after it had gone through interim difficulties. If you are born in Germany, you will be familiar with this Swabian company with a long-standing tradition that is specialized in footwear. Now, for the first time, the brand is taking with German actor Til Schweiger a celebrity ambassador on board.

With Lewin Berner at the event.

Besides acting, Til is also a filmmaker. In the end of 2018, he celebrated the premiere of the 13th film directed by himself and the first with an American actor as a lead. In the remake of the German movie «Honig im Kopf» (2014) «Head full of Honey» Nick Nolte starrs alongside Matt Dillon and Emily Mortimer. It is a moving story about a man suffering from Alzheimer’s who embarks on a final road trip with his granddaughter. Unfortunately, the US version was not as successful as the German one.

Til Schweiger is a funny guy!

This year, Til has discovered another talent of him that lies in his DNA. His great-grandfather was a shoemaker all his life and now Til himself enters a long-term partnership with the cult shoe label and will design in close cooperation with the creative team of Sioux his own shoe collections.

In September 2014, Til had already founded Barefoot Living. The idea arose when friends and fans asked him where the interior design of the film sets in his iconic German movies, such as «Keinohrhasen» or «Zweiohrküken» (if you haven’t seen them, please do… so funny), was from. The answer was easy as Til Schweiger also lives privately in these designs. Today, Barefoot Living offers furniture and home accessories as well as cashmere sweaters, and some cosmetics.

Hamptons feeling at Barefood Deli

Later, Til expanded this lifestyle concept by opening Barefood Deli in Hamburg, the restaurant where the launch event with Sioux took place and even an hotel, the Barefoot Hotel Timmendorfer Strand.

Sioux x Til Schweiger launch event last week.

Til Schweiger: «By partnering with Sioux, I’m expanding my Barefoot Living concept, which closes a gap for me, because shoes have been missing so far. I have always wished for footwear that is casual, stylish and comfortable in one. I had already been familiar with Sioux’s iconic model, the so-called «Grashopper» from my childhood days, but recently I have rediscovered the company for me. It was crucial for me to have a partner with a lot of know-how by my side, who perfectly implements my feel-good concept and shares my own values.»

The result of this cooperation are three relaxed styles. Including a newly interpreted «Grasshopper» in Til’s carefully selected leathers with natural crepe sole, a casual leather sneaker in a slightly destroyed look and a really comfortable biker boot. The latter also comes with a natural crepe sole, an unusual combination, that plays a central role in this capsule collection and is one of Til’s favorites.

Gladiator to Governator: Ralf Moeller told Til that he sent Arnold Schwarzenegger a photo of the biker boots and that he would love to have a pair as well.

To celebrate this fantastic collaboration, Til had invited some of his celebrity friends who all came to his restaurant to toast on their talented buddy. Please enjoy some of the best impressions of the evening below. It was a fun night and I ran into lots of familiar faces.

Ralf got already his hands on the biker boot, which seems to become a celebrity’s must-have.

During his welcome speech, Til mentioned what he truly liked about Sioux was the work environment, as you cannot feel any hierarchy, only passion for the craftsmanship.

Lewin Berner, managing partner of Sioux and a true passionate Swabian entrepreneur who is literally on fire for his company, had every reason to be happy that night. His goal of bringing Sioux back to its old strength just got a huge step closer. The collection will be available as a limited edition online and at the selected stores from now. Only 333 pairs of each model will be produced.

And the next step? Starting this month, the dream team is working with Til’s daughter Luna Schweiger on a women’s collection… She will also become the face of the campaign. Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

German actor Fahri Yardim and Til Schweiger’s partner in the German TV crime series «Tatort».

Entrepreneur and founder of Air Berlin Joachim Hunold with Lewin Berner.

With German photographer Stephan Glathe, who shot the campaign for Sioux x Til Schweiger, Lewin Berner, Dr. Annette Christoph and Uta Zilly-Linke.

German TV host Johannes B. Kerner

Photos: Courtesy of Sioux and © Sandra Bauknecht 

Deep, intense ingredients born in the desert. Musk, amber and oud. Blended with quintessentially English florals. Captured in two mysterious scents.

Jo Malone’s Head of Global Product Development, Céline Roux, and Master Perfumer, Anne Flipo embarked on this journey to create something completely new for the brand.

Left: Anne Flipo – Right: Céline Roux

What inspired the concept of Absolu?

Céline: «It all began with my travels to the Middle East – I’ve visited a few times and have always been inspired by their passion for scent and ritual of layering fragrance. As you walk around all the markets and souks there, you’ll notice the air is infused with rich, deep, warm scents. So, I started to think about how we could interpret this, but with a Jo Malone London signature.»

Anne: «Together we identified the elements that are key in the Middle East – amber, oud and white musk. Not only are they in the air, but people also use them to scent their clothes and their hair. We then created a base around these three ingredients. The result is something truly unique and exclusive to Jo Malone London.»

Céline: «The thought of flowers came naturally after we’d worked on the base. We asked, ‘how could we combine the Middle Eastern air with an imaginary English garden?’ It felt like the perfect way to give each Absolu scent our signature freshness, and that Jo Malone London twist.»

Rose & White Musk Absolu
An English rose. Flowering in the heart of the Arabian desert. Unexpected. Mysterious. Enfolding with petal-fresh sweetness. Rich with oud and amber. Balanced on a powdery clean base of white musk. Soft and sensual. A mesmerising treasure. Brought to life in Jo Malone’s first Cologne Absolu. A bold new innovation in scent that dives straight into the heart note of the cologne, keeping our signature freshness, while leaving a beautiful, lingering trail of scent.

What makes Absolu different to other Jo Malone London Colognes?

Céline: «Absolu combines base and heart notes alone, to exude both warmth and freshness, woods and flowers, earth and air – creating captivating scents that evolve on contact with the skin and continue to inspire the senses after they are applied. We approach an Absolu in a very different way to our classic Colognes. Instead of starting with the top notes and the first olfactive impression, we work from the base up and emphasise one of the ingredients to complement each of the flowers we chose. So for Rose it was White Musk, and for this one we really pushed the amber to complement the elusive aroma of violet. We also eliminated the top notes entirely, so you go straight into the heart of the fragrance.»

Violet & Amber Absolu
In the Arabian night, an ethereal violet mysteriously blooms. Beloved of the British flower bed, its elusive scent of darkly purple petals and violet leaves wraps around oud and white musk, anchored by warm, sophisticated amber.

Why did you decide to work with violet?

Céline: «Violet is one of the most-loved flowers in the British flower garden! It was also a favourite among royals and poets. There are many quotes about violet in Shakespeare – one of my favourites is from Sonnet 99, “The forward violet thus did I chide. Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells, if not from my love’s breath?” So, it’s something of a classic.»

How would you layer and combine Violet & Amber Absolu?

Céline: «I recommend pairing it with Bronze Wood & Leather Cologne Intense – it brings even more depth and sensuality to the scent.»

Anne: «I combine it with Wood Sage & Sea Salt – it really amplifies the woody notes in the base and creates a very enthralling fragrance. It’s also intriguing to layer Violet & Amber with Rose & White Musk – the two Absolu scents together have such intensity and a really addictive quality.»

Both are available now ONLINE and in Switzerland at Jelmoli Zurich, Globus Zurich, Globus Glatt, Globus Bellevue, Globus Lucerne, Globus Geneva, Globus Lausanne and at Perfumery Hyazinth in Basel for CHF 280.00 (100ml) each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jo Malone London and © Sandra Bauknecht
@JoMaloneLondon #ScentAbsolu

Spring is here and I couldn’t be any happier about it. I love to sport my new must-have pieces to update old outfits for the season.

My look: Fringed cotton-blend coat and eyelet-embellished wool, silk and cashmere-blend scarf, both by Chloé, distressed Breton-striped long sleeve top by Saint Laurent, heart-appliquéd jeans by Stella McCartney, embellished metallic sneakers by Gucci, quilted leather crossbody bag by Balenciaga, shell necklace and sunglasses, both by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

In honor of the 90th birthday of Disney‘s Mickey Mouse in November 2018, this cheeky adaptation of the famous cartoon character walked the S/S 2019 runway. Created using a printed 3-D technique, the top handle bag is enameled to reflect the character’s most recognizable depiction. It welcomes a debossed Gucci logo at the handle, as well as magnetic closure.

Mickey Mouse top handle bag by Gucci

To be expected, this It-bag doesn’t come cheap, as it retails for CHF 3900. If you are looking for not so pricey options to sport Mickey Mouse, have a look at these fun designer pieces below:

Mickey printed denim jacket by Marc Jacobs

Mickey Mouse printed denim jacket by Rag & Bone + Disney

Mickey Mouse print tank top by Saint Laurent

Mickey Mouse silk shirt by Saint Laurent for Men

LoL, Sandra

Photos/Stills: Courtesy of the Brands

«Grüezi» from Lake Zurich – meet the brand-new hotel Alex Lake Zürich, opening summer 2019! Gordon Campbell Gray, founder of the privately held luxury hotel group, is currently running five unique hotels located in international top destinations. And for the first time in his long career within the hospitality industry, he has launched an extraordinary hotel in the German-speaking market.

Its stunning waterfront location makes this member of «Small Luxury Hotels of the World» a special place to stay: All of the 44 studios and penthouses have spacious balconies and terraces overlooking the lake. Guests can also enjoy the perfect view from the hotel’s Boat House Restaurant and its lakeside terrace, which might become a new hot spot in summer, the world-class wine cellar and from the elegant bar, while the exclusive spa area with own lake access raises the bar in discreet luxury. Stone and glass are the materials that make up the distinct design of Alex Lake Zürich, naturally nestled within the beautiful surroundings.

Located in Thalwil where the former Hotel Alexander am See was, it is only 8 kilometers to the city of Zurich. The private hotel boat offers an extraordinary way of traveling there! Sportive activities range from stand-up-paddling and water-skiing to bike rides along the lake shore to be started directly from the hotel site. A special highlight is the private access to the lake, which hotel guests can use for a swim in the refreshing Zürisee.

Personally speaking, it is a great addition to Zurich’s hospitality offer and I am very much looking forward to the official opening.

Alex Lake Zürich
Seestrasse 182, 8800 Thalwil, Lake Zurich, Switzerland

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Alex Lake Zürich

Last week, you could find me in Milan for the launch of ACQUA DI PARMA‘s new home collection. The beautiful event location was next to Arco della Pace, a triumphal arch in the Sempione Park. I will tell you more about the Italian brand’s new scented candles and diffusers, that bring a touch of Italy to your home, next week in detail due to the embargo date. In the meantime, I invite you to enjoy some impressions of the night.

My look: Vintage embellished cropped wool jacket by Prada, Unbridled Tempest asymmetric cutout floral-print silk-blend dress by Zimmermann, Nina leather tote in cognac by Gabriela Hearst, leather platform pumps by Gucci, and earrings by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Louis Vuitton is breathing a new graphic rhythm into its men’s leather goods lines, LV Epi Initials and LV Epi Patchwork Graphite. Damier Graphite canvas and Epi leather are brought to life with touches of pop colour, combining the iconic House’s signatures with the LV Circle from F/W 2017.

Both collections place Epi leather in the spotlight. Launched in 1985, it features a distinctive grain and textured effect. Over the years, the first coloured leather to be introduced at Louis Vuitton has been dressed in a selection of strong, tangy, cool or deep colours. Here it is available in navy blue and black, punctuated with flashes of pop blue, acid green, and burgundy with a touch of Damier for the LV Epi Patchwork Graphite, or accompanied by the LV Circle signature for the LV Epi Initials line.

Available in four iconic Louis Vuitton shapes, the Danube, the Christopher backpack, the Bumbag and the Keepall, the shapes complement one another in a combination of highly generational styles and colours. The small leather goods reveal coloured linings, as does the trio of Damier Graphite canvas pouches that nest together like Russian dolls.

A perfect compromise between suppleness and structure, LV Epi Initials & Patchwork Graphite meet the needs of today’s city dwellers. These striking, casual collections will appeal to leather enthusiasts as well as cool, free-spirited personalities.

Available from May 31st 2019 in Louis Vuitton stores and on louisvuitton.com.
And needless to say, those pieces would also look good on us women!

LoL, Sandra

© Louis Vuitton
Photographer: Joseph Molines
Model: Leonard Mushiete @REBEL MANAGEMENT

Swiss luxury watchmaker HUBLOT and MARC FERRERO, the artist behind Storytelling Art, unveiled the Big Bang One Click Marc Ferrero, which could be viewed at the Baselworld trade fair this week. Paying homage to the 21st century woman, who distinguishes herself through the multiplicity of her roles, in this exclusive timepiece she is embodied as the heroine of modern times. This collaboration marks an exploratory approach to art and watchmaking.

The 21st century woman is a real muse. In turn wife, mother, friend, lover, business woman, femme fatale, fashion icon or night owl, for every hour of the day the modern woman sets herself apart as unpredictable, multifaceted and unique. She is disarming and makes light of the simple or complex adventures that she comes up against; drawing upon her charm, she juggles the lives that fill each of her days.

The dial tells the story of this heroine of modern times with ‘Lipstick’, an iconic work by the artist. Enigmatic behind her dark glasses, she remains majestic in the face of the unexpected and affirms her femininity, armed with her lipstick. Spinels in shades of red, topazes for the turquoise version, and forty-two fine stones decorate the bezel of the new 39-mm case, which is adjusted to her feminine wrists.

With one touch of its “One Click” patented fastening system, the leather strap makes way for a version in alligator and rubber, a touch of sophistication appropriate for the moment. Available in red and turquoise, the special series will be available in 50 copies of each tone.

«When I am asked ‘What innovative and modern idea develops your painting?’ Without hesitation, I answer fusion… Using different graphic styles (cubism, impressionism, surrealism, figurative, etc.) on the same plane or over my works—just like a film director uses special effects to tell a story—will always represent an extremely exciting challenge for me.»
Marc Ferrero

HUBLOT and MARC FERRERO cultivate the art of exploration in their respective fields, with fusion as the guiding principle. Personally speaking, I love these two models. They are sophisticated and cool and honor us women of today that manage to master everyday life with all its facets.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of HUBLOT