Sandra‘s Closet

It is time again for a new contest. Style-setting starlet Rachel Bilson is starring in a three-piece film series inspired by Magnum Ice Cream and directed by global icon and creative visionary Karl Lagerfeld!

Create a chic red carpet look and include at least one Magnum ice cream bar as the ultimate luxury accessory.

Rachel Bilson will personally choose one winner to receive a trip to New York City to attend the Tribeca Film Festival debut of Karl Lagerfeld’s original film series starring Rachel!

Style away and enter the contest above for your chance to win!

Contest ends April 4, 2011 at midnight EST. All entries must be received until that time.

LoL, Sandra

I am in love with this outfit. The cropped metallic leather motocross pants by Balmain look so cool with a white tank top and the ivory wool tuxedo jacket. Opposite to the French house’s runway look, I would add an eyecatching pair of shoes in blue and match my nails. Make an unforgettable impression with a bold clutch like this appliquéd metallic leather one by Miu Miu.

Get the look by clicking on the links below, happy shopping!

LoL, Sandra

For my Swiss and German based readers: The first 2011 Weltwoche Style Edition is available now featuring 5 pages of my must-haves plus an amazing interview I did with Tom Ford and all you want to know about his new womenswear collection.

LoL, Sandra

It is fashion newest and definitely the most exclusive website for shopaholics. You can make your own buy of your runway favourites that will arrive in your closet in record time.
Heaven on earth for high-end shoppers that are always looking for those hard-to-get pieces and that are going to pay full price.

Aslaug Magnusdottir, former head of merchandizing at Gilt Noir (Gilt.com’s elite member group), founded the revolutionary new e-commerce site together with well-known Lauren Santo Domingo of Vogue.

Moda Operandi features collections from the likes of Alexander Wang, Vionnet, Proenza Schouler, Alberta Ferretti, just to name a few, for sale for a couple of days right after their runway shows. I think for a fashion addicted person like me it is just wonderful. You are not limited on what a department store’s buyers chose for their shop, you can choose from the entire collection yourself and very importantly, buy it in your size. No more wait lists!

Example of an e-mail that I am receiving from Moda Operandi

How does it work? Moda Operandi has started last month with a small, exclusive database from their network of influencers and friends. The membership is very limited, you can apply for it by clicking here.
Members can place their order with a 50% deposit. You will receive your pieces once they are produced, which means approximately 6 months later.
Moda Operandi offers a very professional way of shopping. It might not be for everyone.
You have to know what is going on and without the help of fashion magazines decide what will be a must for the next season. If you are an avid reader of Sandra’s Closet, there is no need to worry. I will keep you ahead of the game right after the runway shows and you will exactly know what to get.

Anyway, I think it is very interesting to see how the fashion world is moving in two directions. On one side, you have those high-street chains like H&M and Zara that offer the latests trends on a tight budget. On the other side, there are the high-end fashion designers who get copied very fast and who are trying to come up with more exclusive new marketing ideas like Tom Ford who refrained from releasing any images of his runway collections. He has built a buzz until the collection would actually be in stores…

From one die-hard fashionista to another!

LoL, Sandra

Today, legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79 of congestive heart failure surrounded by her four children at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The violet-eyed film goddess, whose sultry screen persona, stormy personal life and enduring fame made her one of the last of the old-fashioned movie stars, was born with two rows of eyelashes, something which got her noticed as a young girl, and helped to land her an interview with Universal Studios. Isn’t that a cool mutation that we all would love to have?!

This week, I flew to London to meet very talented designer Thakoon Panichgul. He was in town for a very intimate trunk show and presented his amazing F/W 2011 collection in the Net-à-porter offices to his very loyal long-standing English customers.

The Thai-born, Omaha-raised designer who is based today in New York has been an early forerunner of mismatched prints. For him, it is all about the silhouette, about a certain nonchalance, a modern and sporty way to interpret couture. He has a talent for intricate detail and loves to play with construction.

I had a really nice conversation with him. Thakoon is such a lovely guy. He told me that his passion for fashion started at a very early age because his mom and grandma were both seamstresses. He started his career first in production, then merchandising for J.Crew. Later on, he spent four years as a writer and editor for Harper’s Bazaar and took courses at Parsons School of Design. He also earned a business degree at Boston University. I would call this a very profound foundation to start a successful company which he did in September 2004. He has quickly become a shooting star to emerge from the New York fashion scene.

His fan base is huge. Hollywood celebrities like Jessica Biel or Drew Barrymore and  fashion A-listers like Sienna Miller belong to it. His probably biggest supporter is Michelle Obama. America’s First Lady is often seen in Thakoon’s designs.

Thakoon thanked Natalie Massanet for giving him a voice. He explained: „First I did five pieces and thought it was a collection. Net-à-porter bought all of them and has been so supportive since then.“

Natalie Massanet answered: „We are all about great products!“
The founder of the well-known online platform Net-à-porter was like me crazy for the gorgeous sleeveless blazer in yellow and black.

Thakoon’s collection for F/W 2011 reminded me of Marie Antoinette as an African tribal warrior.
The designer kept the juxtapositions going in all ways. A long-in-back ball skirt worn with a checked puffy coat was among my favourite looks. See below some of the best looks. The pieces were a little big on me as they were the sample sizes.

Please click here to shop Thakoon’s beautiful collection.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I received many e-mails from my American friends to tell me that my photo was in The New York Times. Can you imagine how excited I was?! Above you can see it on top to the left, for the whole report you can click here.

On the streets in Paris during Fashion Week, the first signs of spring have brought a welcome change of colour. Bright, vibrant, energetic, the hues put you immediately in a good mood.

I loved the look of this Asian girl. Tangerine and electric blue are the shades of the season and combined together they just look amazing.

Get her look: Blouse by Gucci, tailored blazer, flap messenger bag, and two-tone shoes, all by Zara, cotton pants by See by Chloé, sunglasses by Ray-Ban.

The Zara shoes and bag are wonderful eyecatchers without your budget going overboard. Get the look by clicking on the links below.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

During London Fashion Week, I was photographed by Marie Claire Brazil. I am showing you this to demonstrate how one pair of bright patent pumps can change a whole outfit. This season, those vibrant coloured heels are a must and absolutely worth the investment.
Mine are by Miu Miu. Coat – Etro, Scarf – Alexander McQueen, Cardigan – Miu Miu and Boston Bag – Céline.

Please enjoy the nice selection of the best pumps available at the moment, from YSL to Brian Atwood to Miu Miu and Christian Louboutin. Happy shopping!

LoL, Sandra

It is just so extremely saddening what  is currently happening in Japan. In this difficult situation, there are many possibilties to help the victims of the catastrophe.

French concept store Colette for example says: „We love Japan“ and helps to raise funds for the country’s disaster relief.
Several designers have contributed: Kuntzel+Deygas buttons, an original drawing by Fafi, bracelets by Aurélie Biderman, Cool Cats T-shirts , a “Rescue Jacket” by Kitsuné, teddy bears by Vika Gazinskaya, Case Scenario x Keith Haring iphone cases, Olympia Le Tan brooches, Eiko Maekawa rabbits and many more to come.
100 percent of the proceeds of the sales of these products will be directly donated to the JAPANESE RED CROSS SOCIETY.

I am working since many years with the SWISS RED CROSS and this amazing organisation is always one of the first ones to help. Your contribution will truly make a difference.

That is us: The ladies of the Swiss Red Cross ball committee.

For other organisations that are collecting funds, please click here.
My heart is with Japan and the Japanese people.

LoL, Sandra

Any idea what Emilio Pucci, Barbara Bui, Hervé Leger, Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler and the Russian star designer Igor Chapurin might have in common?
They are all available in Zurich’s new shop Bloom’s. After Ruth Reinger’s success with her Designer am See store in Kilchberg, she decided to open a second one, located in the center of the city close to Paradeplatz at Poststr. 10.
Have fun shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Ruth Reingers and her team