Sandra‘s Closet

Marc Jacobs dedicated his final collection for Louis Vuitton to the women who inspire him. In the same spirit, the S/S 2014 advertising campaign is devoted to a series of portraits of the designer’s muses.

Catherine Deneuve, Sofia Coppola, Gisele Bündchen, Fan Bingbing, Caroline de Maigret and Edie Campbell, the model hand-picked by Marc Jacobs to open his final runway show, are photographed by Steven Meisel.

The simple studio backdrop and restrained color palette turn the spotlight on the personality of each, as well as on the season’s variations on the iconic Noé bag – embroidered with feathers, crystals, alligator or Sprouse sequins, in supple calfskin, or in Monogram canvas trimmed with black leather.

Just as Marc Jacobs’ valedictory show was intended as a celebration, so this, his final campaign for Louis Vuitton, offers a vibrant homage to women and to enduring style.

On the S/S 2014 runway, a single bag appeared in a myriad different guises, the NN14 – the season’s statement update of the iconic Noé bag, famously designed by Gaston-Louis Vuitton in 1932 in response to a request from a champagne producer for an elegant way of carrying five bottles of fizz.

The limited-edition NN14 was created through what Marc Jacobs described as a “cleaning” of the original design – smaller, more streamlined, but still recognizable as a “bucket” for champagne. In addition to Les Extraordinaires, the extremely rare and precious editions whose extravagant embellishments – feathers, crystals, sequins, studs, alligator appliqués – testify to Louis Vuitton’s exceptional savoir-faire, several simpler versions of the NN14 bag will set the tone of the next season.

All share the NN14’s distinctive details: a hand-pleated leather tassel closure, a Louis Vuitton-embossed leather handle, and the emblematic LV padlock and key bell. Inside the bag, a matching removable zippered pocket is perfect for stowing valuables.

The NN14 in Monogram Idole combines canvas with calfskin trim in black, dark red or deep blue. The bag comes in two sizes: small for elbow and hand carry (also available in classic Monogram canvas with natural cowhide trim), and large, which can additionally be worn on the shoulder.

This bag will surely fly of the shelves… question is which one is your favorite?! I am crazy for this embellished one…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Dear Santa, please have a look! My lovely friend Soraya put together a blogger wish list and asked me to be part of it. Here are the items I truly wish for.

1 Appliquéd cotton-jersey and silk sweatshirt by Emma Cook
No designer approaches print and color quite like her.

2 Classic Plonge leather shorts by Saint Laurent
A must for the new season.

3 Stripe leather, suede and canvas sandals by Sophia Webster
Those fabulous heels are perfect for my upcoming trip to a warm weather destination.

4 Cassandre leather shoulder bag by Saint Laurent
No doubt, this summer I will need something yellow in my closet.

5 Multi-coloured backpack by Chanel
The must-have piece of the new season. A wait list voucher is enough for Christmas.

6 Set of two gold-tone arm cuffs by Maison Martin Margiela
Those jewelry pieces vamp up every outfit.

7 Miss Lanvin snow globe by Lanvin
The perfect decoration for my new desk at L’Officiel Switzerland.

8 Story Teller hardcover book by Tim Walker
Coming from my favorite photographer, I couldn’t wish for another coffee table book.

Santa, hurry up, I have just pushed the “add to basket” button… as I cannot wait for those pieces to arrive at my doorstep. I hope that I could inspire you a little.

LoL, Sandra

Since the 1st of December, ORLEBAR BROWN has been travelling around the world with 24 bloggers counting down the holiday season. I was also invited to create my own gift guide choosing 3 items from the new Cruise 2014 collection dedicated to different recipients: 
‘For him, for her and for you’.

GIFT FOR HIM – BULLDOG for my husband
The print is absolutely divine and I am sure that he will love those shorts. Personally speaking, I am having an agenda – I would like to borrow them from time to time.

GIFT FOR HER – HAMPTON for my sister
She is leaving to the Maledives with her boyfriend. I am sure after seeing her in this gorgeous red bikini, he will finally propose to her.

GIFT FOR ME – SANREMO for me
This is the perfect stylish cover-up for the beach that you can also wear with high heels at night.

ABOUT ORLEBAR BROWN
Founded by photographer Adam Brown in 2007, London-based label Orlebar Brown has become the go-to brand for smart tailored shorts in a variety of bold colours and graphic patterns for men and the welcome addition to the female swimwear closet.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SHOP ORLEBAR BROWN FOR WOMEN and MEN.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Orlebar Brown

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound… how sweet the sweater. I love this bright blue piece from the special collaboration, PRINCESS GRACE, MORE THAN AN IMAGE, between Pringle of Scotland and Central Saint Martins. It is so perfect in combination with my new bag.

My look: Black double-breasted wool coat with gold bars by Givenchy, Grace sweater by Pringle of Scotland, stretch-leather leggings by Gucci, bleached denim scarf by Louis Vuitton, floral sunglasses by Dolce & Gabbana, Choupette wool hat by Karl Lagerfeld, fringed boots by Isabel Marant for H&M, Falda bag with grey calf hair by Rodtnes and ring by Piaget.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I cannot wait to fly to London soon to visit The Burberry Beauty Box in London’s Covent Garden. This new retail concept brings the house’s must-have fashion and beauty together in an innovative format that allows you to explore the connections between make-up, fragrance and accessories through personalised physical and digital experiences.

Featuring the full Burberry Beauty collection of make up and fragrance, as well as limited edition beauty products, the new space also houses accessories including sunglasses, scarves and an exclusive selection of bags, available only in the store. A new look will be revealed each month, available to experience in store.

Below you can discover some of Burberry signature looks:

Brit – an irreverent look inspired by music

Body – a natural, nude look

Tender – a fresh, dewy look

Icon – a timeless look inspired by the Burberry icons

All products are gift-wrapped in exclusive Burberry Beauty Box gift packaging. Payments are taken using a mobile point of sale system on iPads and iPhones, which also offers the option of digital receipts. What a great concept! Love it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Burberry

Last night, I got back from Gstaad where I attended the Asmallworld Winter Weekend. Those photos were taken before I left the charming Swiss mountain town that was bathed in warm sunshine yesterday.

My look: Roses print boiled wool-blend biker jacket and matching shorts, both by Givenchy, fine-knit wool turtleneck sweater by Lanvin, Audrey wayfarer sunglasses by Céline, Boy bag with chains by Chanel and fur boots by Prada Sport.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Happy third Sunday in Advent – your chance to win again! Two of  my lovely readers have the chance to win a Braun Satin HairTM 7 SensoCare Styler worth CHF 119.00 per piece.

Finally, you can take your hair to a new limit, styling as often as you like with ultimate heat protection.Thanks to SensoCare‘s automatic temperature adaption and better gliding, you have longer-lasting results and healthy-looking, shiny hair. Built-in sensors in the plate detect the moisture level of each hair strand and automatically adapt to the ideal temperature from root to tip for smoother, longer-lasting styles.

To participate in the contest, please send me an e-mail with your postal address and the header “Braun Hair Styler” to . All entries must be received until December 23, 2013. 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.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Braun

Miu Miu launches its latest range of bags for Resort 2014 inspired by the iconic biker jacket, playing with zips and color contrasts. The epitome of this season’s punk trend, those new must-haves come in classic black but also in bold multicolour combinations, equipped with functional details such as the removable shoulder strap and golden-coloured exposed zips.

Available in all the brand’s stores.
TO SHOP THE BIKER BAGS ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu

ARIZONA MUSE is not only a famous model, the face of Estée Lauder‘s new scent Modern Muse, but also a mother and extremely sweet and charming young woman. During New York Fashion Week she shared her travel tips for Great Britain’s capital with me.

Your favourite city?
LONDON – I love this city, I live there, I am half English and very patriotic.

Your favourite hotel?
FIRMDALE HOTELS – The interior is so cute, every room is different and the food is amazing.
For example the HAYMARKET HOTEL, 1 Suffolk Place, London SW1Y 4HX, +44 20 7470 4000

Your favourite restaurant?
GRANGER & CO – They have very healthy and delicious food. They are on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, an exciting pretty street, very close to where I leave.
175 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2SB, +44 20 7229 8944

Your favourite dish there?
My favourite dish is their MISO PORRIDGE for breakfast.

Your favourite bar or nightclub?
THE BOX – The best place for a crazy night out.
11-12 Walker’s Ct, London W1F 0SD, +44 20 7434 4374

Your favourite sightseeing spot?
The TATE MODERN – A really interesting building and there are a lot of great things to do near there, too.
Bankside, London SE1 9TG, +44 20 7887 8888

Your favourite park?
RICHMOND PARK – It is so wild, so large, you can just roam around there the whole day, spotting deers. It is absolutely beautiful.
Richmond, Greater London TW10 5HS, +44 20 8948 3209

Your favourite shop?
JOSEPH – They have the most amazing choice and the shops are so lovely to walk into.
299 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH UK,  +44 20 7352 6776

Your must-have accessory?
An UMBRELLA – A must for London.

Your favorite playlist for vacation?
THE XX – I absolutely love their music. It is an English indie pop band, formed in Wandsworth, London in 2005.

Your favorite scent to wear in London?
Obviously it is MODERN MUSE around the world.

Thank you, Arizona, for sharing your insider scoop on London with us!

LoL, Sandra

The invitation sketched by Karl Lagerfeld read, “Coco Chanel back in Dallas” and he took it literally. His fashion show for the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art collection titled “Paris-Dallas” took place last Tuesday at Dallas Fair Park, a historical venue with art-deco architecture that is located in the heart of the Texan city.

Chanel Paris – Dallas show decor

This event was the occasion to celebrate the strong bond that linked the French designer to the US. “I admire and love America. It’s where I made my fortune. For many Americans (…), I am France” stated Gabrielle Chanel, cited by Paul Morand in his book, The Allure of Chanel.

Stanley Marcus pictured on September 6th 1957 greeting Coco Chanel as she arrived in Dallas

The climax of this mutual passion dates back to 1957, when Coco Chanel – accompanied by a delegation of 125 people from France – landed on October 14th at the Dallas airport. Stanley Marcus, co-founder of the Neiman Marcus store, awarded her with the Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, the “Oscar of Fashion”. That year, the designer of rue Cambon is the only winner among the 300 fashion designers invited, an indication of the importance she holds in the hearts of Americans.

Gabrielle Chanel and Stanley Marcus during her visit in Texas

During her twelve-day Texan journey, Gabrielle Chanel dazzles the crowd to the point that Time Magazine reports the event by titling it “Dallas in Wonderland”. Fifty-six years later, Karl Lagerfeld returned to Dallas and retraced this journey that sealed the French-American love story of the designer with the people seduced by the modernity of her creations.

To celebrate the occasion, Karl Lagerfeld directed a short movie titled ‘The Return’ in which he shows Coco Chanel’s incredible return to center stage in December 1953 when the designer reopened her Haute Couture house after fifteen years of absence. The collection was welcomed by the French press with an icy silence as Dior’s 1947 New Look, cinched at the waist, had taken over the fashion hype. Only the American media supported the looks that defined the rebirth of Chanel’s style. ‘The Return’ retraces this determining period, that shaped the legend of the designer of rue Cambon forever.

The film features Geraldine Chaplin in the role of Gabrielle Chanel, Rupert Everett, Anna Mouglalis, Lady Amanda Harlech, Arielle Dombasle, the model Kati Nescher, as well as Vincent Darré and Sam McKnight.

The drive-in for ‘The Return’ screening before the show

Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collections are designed to showcase the amazing and outstanding craftsmanship of the ateliers that the House of Chanel has acquired to preserve over all those years. Personally speaking, I admire Karl Lagerfeld for his creativity that never uses an element the way it is meant to be. He transforms cowboy boots into wider versions, plays with texture so that laminated jersey looks like shiny leather and brings Native American details into the modern world.

Enjoy the photos of this absolutely fabulous collection! My favorite is this dark star-spangled gown, an ode to the ’30s with the right edge of a Texan cowboy girl! So, ladies, that’s what y’all are wearin’ next fall!

Karl Lagerfeld has chosen Kristen Stewart, who attended the show last Tuesday, to be the face of the upcoming campaign of the Pre-fall 2014 Métiers d’Art “Paris-Dallas” collection. I have to say that the American actress is not my favorite choice… but I am sure that Karl Lagerfeld will surprise us with something different once more.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Chanel, © Oliver Saillant, © AP