Sandra‘s Closet

I’ve never believed that style should come with an expiration date. If you feel good in something, wear it. If it gives you confidence, even better. Fashion isn’t about age. It’s about attitude. That’s why I called this post Break the Stigma. We spend far too much time discussing what women should or shouldn’t wear at a certain age. I’ve never followed those rules and I’m not about to start now as you can see.

One of my favorite places in Saint-Tropez is Le Café. You can have dinner, dance, step outside for a quick game of pétanque, and then go straight back to the party. Effortless, joyful, and completely fun.

Wear the sparkles. Dance a little longer.

Also worn in Episode 71 of MY STYLE ROCKS SEASON 1.

My look: Crystal-embellished lace jumpsuit by Stella McCartney, feather-detail double-breasted blazer by Valentino, Hourglass crystal-embellished suede shoulder bag by Balenciaga, metal crystal CC long drop earrings by CHANEL, and beige leather Angel T-strap platform sandals by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography and @kazmva0
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Starting this May, the first Balenciaga shoes crafted in collaboration with Manolo Blahnik, featured in the Fall 26 Collection, Body and Being, launch in select stores.

The essence of couture is evoked through excellence and expertise: working with specialist artisans in defined areas to achieve superlative quality and preeminence in a medium. This ideology both defines the identity of the House of Balenciaga and shapes Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s distinct approach to fashion.

Consequently, Balenciaga has chosen to partner with Manolo Blahnik, a revered master shoe designer with over five decades of experience, for a trio of styles.

«This collaboration came to life for very personal reasons. I simply like Manolo. That’s it. I know him personally and have admired him for a long time. To me, Manolo Blahnik is synonymous with elegance and as he’s Spanish, like Cristóbal Balenciaga – there’s a certain shared sensibility there,» stated Piccioli.

Balenciaga | Manolo Blahnik comprises a low-heeled mule and a slingback with either a 105mm or a 50mm heel. Décolleté silhouettes reveal skin – the body- a display linked intrinsically to the human form’s primacy in Piccioli’s Balenciaga.

In and of themselves a dialogue, the styles draw from archival Manolo Blahnik designs chosen by Piccioli, executed in silk-satin, and lined with leather in Balenciaga’s signature grey.

Asymmetrical crystal leaf ornaments are handembroidered to drape across a low-cut vamp, echoing Blahnik’s distinct flair for applying equal parts preciosity and grace, fusing jewelry with footwear. These elegant gestures simultaneously recall archival 1960s Balenciaga bijoux, underscoring a consistent kinship and aesthetic symbiosis between creators.

A campaign of still life photographs shows the shoes in situ: closeups demonstrating their fine craftsmanship among other precious objects of the wardrobe.

TO SHOP THE COLLECTION ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balenciaga / Manolo Blahnik
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Sparkle and oversized denim. With a broken heart.

These photos were taken on my daughter Anouk‘s terrace in Boston, a place she called home for six years and is now leaving behind. Moving back to Europe is the right decision. It is also an emotional one. And sometimes the only answer to big feelings is an even bigger look.

And yes, oversized is not exactly the silhouette I reach for first. But that is precisely the point. Because the moment you stop reinventing yourself is the moment you start standing still. In fashion as in life: keep moving forward. That is the real secret to staying young.

My look: Oversized crystal-embellished denim shirt, and matching crystal-embellished wide-leg jeans, both by Stella McCartney, Cassandre cotton T-shirt by Saint Laurent, silver-tone faux pearl necklace, and faux pearl-embellished silver-tone charm, both by Simone Rocha, Hourglass crystal-embellished suede shoulder bag, logo baseball cap, and kit charm key ring, all by Balenciaga, Triple S sneakers in white with black stripes by Balenciaga x adidas.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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There are cities that dress you differently. Tbilisi is one of them. When I was planning what to wear for my first evening in Georgia, it felt only right to let the destination guide the choices, not just in mood, but in origin.

The bag I chose is Balenciaga from the Demna era. For those who don’t know: Demna Gvasalia, one of the most influential designers of his generation, is Georgian. His early work for the house carries something raw and architectural that, to me, has always felt deeply rooted in where he comes from. The necklace and the bodysuit are by David Koma, another Georgian talent who has built an international name while never losing that precise, almost sculptural approach to dressing.

Two pieces. Two Georgian designers. One city that made the connection feel inevitable.
More from this evening – and from Tbilisi – coming soon.

My look: Hooded wool mini dress by Alaïa, zebra macramé long sleeve bodysuit, and crocodile necklace, both by David Koma, Hourglass crystal-embellished suede shoulder bag by Balenciaga, patchwork belt with snake head buckle by Saint Laurent, and Kiki studded leather platform ankle boots by Marc Jacobs.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, taken at the Telegraph Hotel
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It’s truly board game season … Balenciaga created a limited-edition Monopoly game with fashion-themed tokens (like scissors, mannequins) and properties, as an exclusive gift for VIP clients, part of a luxury trend where brands sell culture and nostalgia through unique experiences, not standard retail products, focusing on brand exclusivity and high-value storytelling.

The goal is to generate buzz, reinforce brand exclusivity, and offer a unique, desirable experience rather than a mass-market product.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Balenciaga
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Following the recent Instagram trend, I decided to dive back into 2016, when fashion went full volume. Before quiet luxury, before restraint became aspirational, 2016 was about impact.

This was the era of Vetements energy, Balenciaga proportions, and Gucci maximalism. Oversized silhouettes pushed to excess, hoodies and bombers worn like armor, chokers framing the neck with intention, distressed denim taken to extremes, thigh-high boots paired without hesitation. Logos weren’t whispered, they were declared.

Streetwear and high fashion didn’t just meet. They collided.

The current return to 2016 isn’t accidental. It follows a widely discussed ten-year cultural cycle, a moment when fashion and internet culture begin to reject hyper-curation and visual restraint. As the polished, controlled aesthetics of the early 2020s lose momentum, there is a renewed appetite for excess, imperfection, and emotional immediacy. What resurfaces isn’t a replica of the past, but the attitude of it: fashion that allows scale, provocation, and unapologetic presence.

For me, 2016 wasn’t a reinvention. It was a moment of alignment, when the dominant fashion language finally mirrored an intensity I had always embraced. Gucci’s eclectic maximalism, Vetements’ provocation, Balenciaga’s scale: the visual vocabulary of that year allowed fashion to be excessive, expressive, and unapologetically styled.

What followed didn’t soften. It intensified.

My style didn’t pivot after 2016, it escalated. Proportions became sharper, contrasts more extreme, statements more deliberate. Not in response to trends, but through a long-standing instinct to push silhouettes further rather than edit them down.

This post is a curated edit of my favorite looks from 2016, a year defined by volume, attitude, and fashion without restraint. If you like to see all the details of the respective looks, I invite you to visit the previous post MY FAVORITE OUTFITS OF 2016.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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During Paris Fashion Week, I had the pleasure of joining Lanvin and designer Peter Copping for an intimate dinner, a night filled with conversation, creativity, and the quiet glamour that only Paris can offer. For the occasion, I wore a dress and cardigan from Lanvin’s current F/W 25 collection, pieces that perfectly capture the season’s understated sophistication. I styled them with vintage pearl necklaces and glossy red pumps from my own archive, adding a personal twist to the look. To complete the outfit, I carried a vintage Balenciaga bag, a subtle nod to Peter’s past at the house, and, as he shared with me that evening, to his many visits to Zurich during Demna’s early days there.

My look: Cropped open-knit cardigan, and matching paneled knitted midi dress, platform heels in red patent leather, long necklace with pearls, feathers, ribbon and rhinestones, and long multi-strand pearl necklace, all by Lanvin, and suede opera clutch bag by Balenciaga.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Erika Kostialova
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For our «City Girl» theme on MY STYLE ROCKS, where we asked contestants to create a look inspired by their favorite city, I simply couldn’t choose just one, so I wore them all.

I chose a fabulous Balenciaga dress printed with iconic skylines from Paris, London, Tokyo, and Berlin, paired with heels featuring the Big Ben and Eiffel Tower sculpted into the heels. To top it off, I carried a sparkling Eiffel Tower clutch bag, because every city girl deserves a little extra shine. 

Worn in Gala Episode 107 «City Girl» of MY STYLE ROCKS Season 2.

My look: City print dress by Balenciaga, leather wedges with city icons in heels by Jimmy Choo x Jean Paul Gaultier, Eiffel Tower crystal-embellished silver-tone clutch by Judith Leiber Couture, New Wave 181 LouLou heart shaped sunglasses by Saint Laurent, silver-tone crystal clip earrings, and crystal drop choker necklace, both by Alessandra Rich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @yayhan
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

This Sunday on MY STYLE ROCKS it’s K-POP madness – and your favorite juror (yes, me) showed up like a glitter explosion met a rainbow in Seoul. 🦄💥

I’m rocking:
🖤 A black tulle skirt with maximum drama.
👢 Platform boots that make me 2 inches closer to stardom.
🌈 A denim jacket in rainbow realness (yes, the back is a whole mood!).
💎 A glitter top because subtlety is not in the K-Pop dictionary.
🌙 Space buns? Of course. Iconic, intergalactic, indispensable.
(All details below, just click on the links to be transferred to the respective websites.)

And wait for it… one of the fabulous contestants dedicated a glowbiotic with schisandra to me. I’ve officially made it – skincare meets fan culture meets fashion fantasy.

You do not want to miss this episode. Fashion, fun, and fabulous chaos – just the way we like it.

📺✨ Tune in, scream, screenshot. K-pop your life up.

Worn in Gala Episode 97 of MY STYLE ROCKS Season 2.

My look: Denim jacket «Late» by Mira Mikati, tulle crop top with crystals by Prada, rainbow sautoir by Matthew Williamson, mini tulle skirt by Simone Rocha, strawberry clip earrings by Alessandra Rich, toy choker necklace, rainbow choker necklace with medal, and Hello Kitty printed leather tote, all by Balenciaga, necklace with pink bag charm, and leather gloves with bow, both by CHANEL, Aevitas leather platform boots in black by Versace, and round sunglasses in shiny pink by Loewe.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @whbeyaz
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise

Plaid meets chambray, and a sweater joins the crew – casually tied around the waist, pulling the whole look together.
It’s all about smart layering and unexpected pairings that just work.
Every piece brings its own vibe, but together? A perfect match.
Texture, tone, and a touch of creativity – this is what true #TeamWork looks like.

Worn in Episode 71 of MY STYLE ROCKS.

My look: Chambray blouson jacket, check-pattern mini dress, boat-neck top with extra long sleeves, wool tube top, crystal logo hair clip, and poplin and lace logo scarf, all by Miu Miu, Xpander cat-eye frame sunglasses by Balenciaga, Santia Botta crystal-embellished suede knee boots, and  Palmette crystal-embellished suede cross-body bag, both by Christian Louboutin.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @kazmva0
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.