My Look: Tea Time in Zurich

The day I forgot my trousers. At least, that’s what it looked like.

The first outfit post of the year began on one of those icy Zurich mornings where the air feels almost unreal. It was bitterly cold, birds were circling around me, and for a moment the whole scene looked like something generated by AI, perfectly surreal, but completely real.

I was wrapped in a knitted ensemble that instantly steals the spotlight. A crystal-embroidered coat, a matching sweater, and the most unexpected piece of all: a tiny knitted short that almost looks like underwear. Bold, playful, and definitely not what winter dressing usually looks like.

This is exactly what I love about fashion, the tension between classic elegance and daring proportions. The craftsmanship feels timeless, while the short length of the knit adds a modern, almost cheeky twist. Unexpected combinations like this create the most exciting silhouettes.

The day itself felt just as special as the outfit. My daughter invited me for tea time at Mandarin Oriental Savoy, and I can only recommend it. Warm interiors, beautiful details, and a sense of calm luxury, the perfect contrast to the freezing streets outside.

An outfit that surprises, a moment that feels cinematic, and a reminder that sometimes the best way to start a new year is by breaking a few styling rules… or at least pretending you forgot your trousers.

My look: Gianni embellished wool-blend coat, Coraline embellished wool and cashmere-blend sweatericon, and Georgie crystal-embellished wool and cashmere-blend shortsicon, all by Simkhai, Brides de Gala forever scarf 90 in Noir / Crème / Gold, and scarf ring 90 Trio in Palladié, both by Hermès, Georgina embellished wool-felt fedoraicon by Eugenia Kim, velvet over-the-knee boots by Miu Miu, vintage logo shopper and square sunglasses with heart mirrors at the side, both by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Hermès Forever Scarves 2024

The forever scarves are heritage scarves, authentic and alive, that honor the original design in a unique and emblematic color. Neither reworked nor redesigned, they are presented in all their simplicity, true to the original drawing of the artist. This year there are four designs being honored.
This essential Hermès accessory complements any outfit. It can be worn many ways – around your neck, as a top, at the waist or as a headscarf!

COUVERTURES ET TENUES DE JOUR Forever Scarf 90

Designed by Jacques Eudel (1974)
Crème / Rouge H / Bleu / Multicolore

This emblematic scarf is part of the history of the House, whose primary inspiration has always been the horse. It offers us a beautiful glimpse of equestrian coquetry. Elegantly framed by leather bridles, ten stepping horses are having a fitting as their schedule, their stable, their wait or their presentation requires a different and adapted accoutrement. A «French-style», «American-style» or «net-style» blanket, or a chain mail camel or camarillo, Jacques Eudel’s colorful brushstrokes are so realistic and precise that the most difficult task will be to choose one.

JUNGLE LOVE Forever Scarf 90

Design by Robert Dallet (2000)
Marine / Vert / Orange

Just like these two leopards, Robert Dallet had no equal when it came to magnifying – with a continuous concern for truth – such incomparable coats, the strength of their features and the power of these feline bodies. As a collaborator of the Natural Museum of Natural History in Paris and a staunch naturalist, his work is a vibrant and necessary tribute zo the wonders of the wild. Here, he illustrates a page of love that has become an emblematic scarf in the House’s heritage. At the heart of the jungle, the lovers observe each other, a courtship performed under the curious eye of parrots, butterflies and galagos surrounding them.

EPERON D’OR Forever Scarf 90

Designed by Henri d’Origny (1974)
Caramel / Crème / Or

At first glance, it is a skillfully orchestrated composition of leather and metal, loops and circles intertwined in complex harmony – a rosette in the form of a scarf. But as the eye focuses it discerns each of the elements that give this movement its rhythm in a repetition that is as soothing as it is intriguing. An urge draws us to follow this mysterious network with no beginning and no end. Spurs, stirrups, rein hardware and riding crops with three rings of gold: the curves and straight lines of horse tack used by Cadre Noir master riders of France’s prestigious Saumur riding school established in the 19th century.

BRIDES DE GALA Forever Scarf 90 

Designed by Hugo Grygkar (1957)
Noir / Crème / Gold

In 1957, Robert Dumas worked with Hugo Grygkar. He placed two bridles face to face on the floor, and immediately it became clear that the composition was perfect, a scarf with unparalleled simplicity came to life. This was followed by the talent of a precise and subtle hand, which is so dear to the House. This design reflects the first love of a House of saddlers, its attraction to the beautiful, useful, and durable, as well as the enduring legacy of a title whose sounds evoke, as Jean-Louis Dumas once noted, «dazzling ceremonial garments». The interlaced harnesses feature pieces from the Émile Hermès collection. Objects sometimes have a truly wonderful destiny.

LoL, Sandra

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