Sandra‘s Closet

Recently, I was invited by Audemars Piguet to explore their beautiful novelties 2011 during an outstanding dinner at Schloss Schauenstein, spoilt by chef Andreas Caminada.The creative, often surprising and always satisfying cuisine of the charming young Swiss has won him 3 Michelin stars and 19 GaultMillau points. Believe me, it was a feast for the eyes, in both ways.

In 2011, Audemars Piguet has entirely reviewed the fundamentals of the Jules Audemars collection, its moon-phase calendar and dual timezone models, as well as its simple selfwinding watches including those with a date display.

The Jules Audemars extra-thin watch houses one of the world’s thinnest selfwinding movements measuring just 2.45 mm thick. Its slender case, streamlined bezel and pure dial generate genuine emotion of the kind surrounding objects that are built to last, because this timepiece is endowed with that special something that is in fact the natural elegance of authentic classics.

JULES AUDEMARS EXTRA-THIN

Reference • 15180BC.OO.A002CR.01, CHF 23.600.-

Movement • Proprietary ultra-thin, selfwinding Calibre 2120
• Total diameter: 28,40 mm (12 ¾ lignes)
• Casing diameter: 28 mm
• Thickness: 2.45 mm
• 37 jewels
• 214 parts
• Power reserve: up to 40 hours
• Cadence of the balance: 19,800 vibrations per hour (2.75 Hz)
• Finishing: all parts finished by hand; mainplate rhodium-plated, bevelled and circular-grained; bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève.

Case • 18-carat white gold
• Diameter: 41 mm
• Thickness: 6.7 m
• Water resistance: 20 m
• Sapphire crystal

Dial • Silvered with applied pink gold hour-markers
• Pink gold hour and minute hands

Strap • Hand-sewn black crocodile leather with large square scales, secured by an 18-carat white gold pin buckle

Functions • Hours and minutes

The Jules Audemars selfwinding watch comes in three different interpretations: pink gold with silver-toned or black dial, and white gold with a silver-toned dial. Each may be adorned with a diamond-set bezel to create three additional versions. All feature a round case, a streamlined bezel and an understated dial. All display a discreetly self-effacing air that serves to highlight their sleek, slender lines.

My personal favourite is the one with the pink gold case and the black dial, preferably with a diamond-set bezel, a true authentic classy and elegant watch.

JULES AUDEMARS SELFWINDING

References
• 15170OR.OO.A002CR.01, CHF 18.600, 
18-carat pink gold case, black dial

• 15171OR.ZZ.A002CR.01, CHF 21.900 , 18-carat pink gold case, black dial, diamonds

Movement • Proprietary selfwinding Calibre 3120
• Total diameter: 26.60 mm (11¾ lignes)
• Casing diameter: 26 mm
• Thickness: 4.26 mm
• 40 jewels
• 278 parts
• 22-carat gold oscillating weight
• Up to 60-hour power reserve
• Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour
• Variable-inertia balance with eight inertia-blocks and flat balance-spring
• Geneva-type mobile balance-spring stud-holder
• Three-position winding crown
• Finishing: all parts decorated; mainplate circular-grained; bridges rhodium-plated, bevelled, snailed and adorned with a Côtes de Genève. Diamond-polished jewel sinks; diamond-polished sinks and bevelled spokes on the wheels; bevelled screw rim and slot
• AP monogram and Audemars and Piguet family crests engraved on the oscillating weight

Cases • 18-carat pink gold, also available with a bezel set with 70 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.60 carats) or
• 18-carat white gold, also available with a bezel set with 70 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.60 carats)
• Diameter: 39 mm
• Thickness: 9 mm
• Water resistance: 20 m
• Sapphire crystal case-back

Dials
• Silver-toned or black with applied pink gold hour-markers
• Pink gold hour and minutes hands
Bracelets
• Hand-sewn brown or black crocodile leather with large square scales, secured by a pin buckle in 18-carat pink or white gold

Functions
• Hours and minutes
• Date

In order to grasp the essence of the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Tourbillon Chronograph, you need to pick up the watch with your eyes closed and only open them after turning it over. Housed within a case that strongly hints at its innate sturdiness, protected by a sapphire crystal and a solid back secured by eight polished steel screws, a true masterpiece is revealed: the new selfwinding Calibre 2897, equipped with a tourbillon and a chronograph. A set of 335 parts on which the manually adjusted, corrected, bevelled and decorated surfaces create a shimmering play on light and shade. The automatic winding is ensured by a peripheral oscillating weight, while its chronograph is equipped with a column wheel and its tourbillon optimises its rating precision.
Its design is sophisticated and powerful, supported by a combination of iconic black-coloured materials: forged carbon for the case middle, ceramic for the bezel and rubber for the strap. A watch with two faces, the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Tourbillon Chronograph is an amazing blend of two worlds.

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE SELFWINDING TOURBILLON CHRONOGRAPH

Reference • 26550AU.OO.A002CA.01, CHF 262.500
Forged carbon case; bezel, crown and pushpieces in black ceramics; pushpiece-guards and fastening studs in titanium

Movement • Selfwinding Calibre 2897 with tourbillon and column-wheel chronograph
• Total diameter: (15½ lignes)
• Casing diameter: 31.40 mm
• Thickness: 7.75 mm
• 34 jewels
• 335 parts
• 65-hour power reserve
• Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz)
• Variable-inertia balance with screws and balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
• Finishing: all parts finely hand decorated; bridges and mainplate rhodiumed, circular-grained, beadblasted and hand-drawn with file strokes; polished angles, bevelled screw rims and slots
• Peripheral oscillating weight in circular satin-brushed 950 platinum

Case • Diameter : 44 mm
• Thickness : 14 mm
• Sapphire crystal caseback with Royal Oak Offshore engraving

Dial • Black with exclusive “Méga Tapisserie” motif, silver-toned counters. Applied and facetted white gold hour-markers with luminescent coating. Black flange. White gold facetted hour and minute hands with luminescent coating.

Strap • Black rubber, adorned with two grooves. Titanium pin buckle.

Functions • Hours and minutes
• Small seconds at 9 o’clock
• Chronograph with central sweep-seconds hand, 30-minute counter (at 3 o’clock)
• Tachometric scale on the flange

2011 marks a new milestone in the historic partnership between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Audemars Piguet, one of the most unique relationships in the watch industry. These two legends have collaborated to create the ultimate collector timepiece, The Royal Oak Offshore Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy Chronograph, a perfect blend of strength and control. This is anticipated to be the last watch in the series created by Schwarzenegger and Audemars Piguet. I am pretty sure of that!

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER THE LEGACY CHRONOGRAPH

Reference • 26378IO.OO.A001KE.01
, CHF 44.500, 1500-piece limited edition

Movement • Selfwinding Calibre 2326/2840
• Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13 ¼ lignes)
• Casing diameter: 26 mm
• Thickness: 6.2 mm
• 50 jewels
• 370 parts
• 38-hour power reserve
• Cadence of the balance: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
• Variable-inertia balance with inertia-blocks and flat balance-spring
• Three-position winding crown
• Finishing: all parts finely decorated; mainplate rhodium-plated, bevelled and circular-grained; bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève

Case • Black ceramic case, bezel; beadblasted titanium screws, beadblasted titanium elements on the left
• side of the case
• Pushpiece-guards in rubber and beadblasted titanium
• 18-carat pink gold pushpieces, contact surface adorned with gridwork pattern
• Black ceramic crown adorned with a pink gold disc
• Diameter: 48 mm
• Thickness: 14.1 mm
vBeadblasted titanium caseback engraved with the inscription Royal Oak Offshore Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy, steel screws
• Water resistance: 100 metres

Dial • Black with exclusive “Méga Tapisserie” motif
• Numerals and hour-markers in diamond-polished pink gold
• Facetted hour and minute hands with luminescent coating

Strap • Anthracite aramid fibres, secured by beadblasted titanium pin buckle. Additional strap in hand sewn black crocodile leather with large square scales

Functions • Hours and minutes
• Small seconds
• Chronograph with centre sweep-seconds hand, 30-minute and 12-hour counters at 9 and 6 o’clock respectively
• Tachometric scale
• Date

Famous chef Andreas Caminada and Audemars Piguet CEO Phillippe Merck with me in the middle.

A very big thank you to Audemars Piguet and Andreas Caminada for such a lovely and yummy presentation! An evening of two superlatives…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

After yesterday’s post, I have some very good news for the business women among you! For F/W 2011, it is all about work, the suit your fashion must-have. The designers were keeping an eye on the functionality while not neglecting the style. Many of them continued to pay homage to the `70s. There are many different looks to choose from, so it is your season for heavy shopping!

The cropped pants emerged on the runways as a welcome alternative to skirts. An easy-going and much more comfortable (especially when sitting down) look for the office which will surely find many fans.

Cocoon shapes, oversized shoulders, the volumes are changing for F/W 2011. The trendsetters among us will sport this trend immediately.
The designers explored new shapes and came up with the dropped shoulders. No worries, the runway looks are still more exaggerated. Once the jackets hit the shelves, they won’t be as oversized as seen at Stella McCartney for example.

Slowly the Pre-fall 2011 collections are popping in, so if you don’t want to wait too long, start your shopping trip. June might be the best month to look. It is always such a wonderful feeling, when the new season starts. This time, there are many great outfts that will work for the office as well for the cocktail hour after.

So suit youself!

LoL, Sandra

Recently, one of my friends approached me with –what I realized while working on it- a tricky question. She is a very successful business woman and told me that it is really hard to find clothes that are appropriate for work but still have a feminine touch. This is true.

Your goal to getting dressed for work is to project a competent, professional image. Especially being a woman in an executive position, you don’t want to look sexy fashion victim. It is hard enough to stand up to the stronger sex.

Depending on where you work, those dress codes can vary. As for me, being in fashion, there are no rules. Believe me, I have always enjoyed that part.

But for bankers, lawyers or any other more conservative jobs, it is very important that you send the right message. Your fashion choices will speak volumes about your commitment to do your job.

Here are some rules that might help to find the right formal business attire:

• Business suits (a matched skirt and jacket), pantsuits (matched pants and blazer) and pumps of good quality are on your must-haves list together with crisp shirts, shift dresses (can be a great alternative especially in the summer) and a classy coat.
• Don’t opt for too bold or fancy colours and stay away from wild prints! Traditional shades are navy, grey, black, white and beige. You can mix those trustworthy hues with soft feminine pastel colours.
• Keep the length of your skirt at or below the knee. A pencil skirt should be loose enough to sit down comfortably. And please no gaps between the buttonholes of your blouse.
• If you want to send a fashion statement and work on your career image, put the emphasis more on the cut. A sharp tailored  jacket can do wonders.
• Invest in your accessories. Choose classy jewelry like stud earrings, a nice ring without overdoing it. Your handbag should project an organized image therefore I recommend to choose structured styles, like frame bags.
• Needless to say, work on your polished appearance. Manicured nails, neat hair, clean, scuff-free shoes and run-free hose are obligatory.

I put together some looks that fulfill the business dress codes but still have a certain fashionable twist.

Start shopping and enjoy looking profashional!

LoL, Sandra

The new SI Style is available now for my Swiss based readers featuring my fourth fashion column. The global wedding fever inspired me to tell you all about my very own big day that took place in Marbella, Spain. I am actually celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary this summer.

Here is a photo that I couldn’t show in the magazine. My bridal gown was made in the couture atelier of Christian Lacroix in Paris. Everything that was lace like the train, the veil and the long sleeves could be removed for the evening.

I was so scared to loose my dress that I even bought a flight ticket for it. The name it was issued to was Mr Kontrabass and it was sitting next to me in the plane. Isn’t that hilarious?

One of the cutest gift was a special edition of Marie Claire magazine dedicated to me by my colleagues (I was a fashion editor for German Marie Claire at that time) that you can see at the end of this post.

LoL, Sandra

Bally, which celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, came up with a very practical and cute idea: The Bally-Rina collection. Consisiting of matching totes and ballet flats, it epitomises effortless summer flair and versatility. Available in a range of understated summer colours, the bags and shoes retail for CHF 275.- each and are available in-store now.

I especially like the Bally-Rina logo that is inspired by the artwork from an original Villemont poster housed in the archive of the Swiss brand. Bernard Villemont (1911-1989) was a French graphic artist known primarily for his iconic advertising images.

LoL, Sandra

Bally Pink Shoes

Bally Kick

Jennifer Lopez used a pair of cool Gucci sunglasses in her latest music video “I’m Into You” which is the second single of her seventh album featuring Lil Wayne and composed by Taio Cruz.

In the video, the singer, who is clearly a huge fan of the Italian brand, wears a white bikini on the beautiful beach of Tulum, Mexico, and the lilac-colored metal aviator sunglasses, which include a double bridge and a mini “Gucci” insignia on the lower left portion of the lens. The retro ’80s style, which made its debut on the S/S 20111 runway, is produced under license by Safilo Group.

The Gucci GG 2909/S shades are available for CHF 300.-/ $295.-. I want definitely a pair of those…

LoL, Sandra

Father’s Day is coming up. Make Dad smile with those fab ideas. Tiffany & Co.knows the importance of giving a great 
gift and it is time to spoil Dad with something he wouldn’t buy for himself. So why not treat him with some silver sparkle?

Make him the coolest guy on the block this year with a great pair of cuff links or give him a compass for your hiking weekend together.

And if you are looking for an incredibly easy, priceless and quick gift, pamper your Dad and write up a  little book full of coupons that could include things like „A Day of Golf“, „Breakfast in Bed“ or a „Car Wash“.

Stamped with a playful ‘Daddy Cool’ motif, Symthson’s black leather-bound notebook would be a lovely choice.

With 
so many ideas in one place, finding the perfect 
present has never been easier.

LoL, Sandra

Meet Havva Mustafa, the mastermind behind the new luxury footwear brand HAVVA. Born into a family of third generation footwear artisans and designers, and growing up with the curious shapes of patterns, lasts and heels – Havva’s interest and passion for footwear was stirred from a very early age.

Determined to preserve the family heritage and knowledge Havva followed in her father’s footsteps and studied at the prestigious Cordwainers Footwear College in London. Gaining invaluable experience she nevertheless became increasingly frustrated by the constraints and lack of vision encountered. When wearing shoes of her own designs she was frequently stopped in the streets and realised that she wanted to share her passion. She set about making that dream a reality and launched HAVVA in 2009, with the support and backing of her family who all contribute to the brands existence.

HAVVA shoes are truly precious objects of desire. Please find below an interesting interview that the beautiful designer gave Sandra’s Closet:

1.You were born into a family of  footwear artisans and designers. Did your family want you to follow in their footsteps? How has the experience that you have gained from a very early age helped you?

I remember growing up, I was constantly surrounded by shoes, around the dinner table normal conversation was, what leather, last or season trend was going to be appearing. My father and grandfather have always been in the shoe trade, I think it became second nature; it was always something I was going to go into, and wouldn’t change it for the world. As I grew up- my shoe collection gradually expanded until there was no space left- as you can image for a girl it was heaven. Going on holidays would never be the same if we didn’t stop in a few shops to check out the footwear, so I gained a great back round knowledge of the industry before I even went into it.

2. You studied at the prestigious Cordwainers Footwear College in London. How did you like the studies?
Studying there was great, I learnt from design to making which I think is very important to be able to know how the final product will be created. I made fantastic friends who are also in the shoe trade and we meet up all around the world.

3. Nicholas Kirkwood, who became very well known for his shoe designs, studied at Cordwainers, too. I recently did an interview with him. Have you ever met him?
No I haven’t but I would love to, his designs are amazing-what an imagination.

4. Could you imagine to do different collaborations with other fashion houses like he does? If so, which fashion house would be your prefered one to design shoes for?
I think collaboration is a brilliant idea. The creativity that you combine with a fashion house can produce beautiful creations. One of them would be Miu Miu- the shoes are fun and unique and every season I look forward to their collections.

5. Is there any other shoe designer that you admire? And why?
Rupert Sanderson’s footwear is pretty amazing; it’s great to see every brand has their own unique touch.

6. If you were able to dress the feet of a famous lady? Which ones would that be?
Dita Von Teese- she has such a unique style.

7. I like the idea of creating shoes inspired by modernist architecture. Your designs are very special. How did you come up with this?
My younger brother is an architecture student and I was flicking through his books and saw these amazing shaped 1960s buildings.  All of these shapes and designs represented progress and ‘moving forward.’ They symbolized to the people around them that everything, including architecture, was moving forward in some way or another.

The spiral staircase, Buhrich house, 1960, designed by architect Hugh Buhrich demonstrates the curve and shape that inspired Loretta, the swirling shoe boot with elements of the patterns from the 60s.
The design of the Hotel and Restaurant Astoria in Trondheim included various versions of the cone chairs lending itself to Gloria with the geometric lines and side scroll.
The Philips Pavilion designed by the office of Le Corbusier, had strong dynamically-angled contours, geometrical architectural sharp lines and pointing asymmetrical lines takes the form of the style Rene with its intricate diamond design.
The St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chicago is somewhat famous for its marching walls of blue diamonds and the architectural feature of a pediment in the shape of waves took to the patchwork layers of Venus- wave roofing’s and detailing was a feature of the 1960s architecture. The high shine leather metallic mix was a tribute to the futuristic movement called Googie.

8. Do you have a shoe no-go?
Shoes that don’t fit! It can ruin such a beautiful silhouette of a shoe. And always get your soles and especially your heels repaired-when i see a heel bending and the top piece has totally worn away into the actual heel its terrible.

9. Havva Mustafa in three words.
The person- Passionate, creative and bubbly.
The brand- Infinitely, lavish and innovative.

10. What are your plans for the future?
I hope that the HAVVA brand just carries on expanding and we become a known brand for creating beautiful footwear.

Havva’s amazing accessories collection for S/S 2011 includes beautiful headpieces.

I am sure that we will see much more of Havva Mustafa in the future! For store locations, please click here. Good luck, Havva! I am already a big fan of yours.

LoL, Sandra

Today, I have a little goody for my German speaking readers. My colleague Jeroen van Rooijen (NZZ) has published a book which includes the best of his fashion pathological stories “Zerlegt”.

The principle is pretty easy. Jeroen takes literally a seam ripper in his hand and diassembles must-have pieces like a Kelly bag by Hermès, a Mackintosh trenchcoat or a pair of Converse sneakers. During the process, he investigates thoroughly the craftmanship, the origin and the quality. A cute detail is the enclosed seam ripper with which you can open the sealed part of the book.
Available for CHF 39/ € 33. If you are interested, please click here.

Fashion on the morgue slab! A great gift for the mystery loving fashionista.

LoL, Sandra