Sandra‘s Closet

In spring 2023, the House of CHANEL is making it loud and clear: color has flair—the flair of the person wearing it. With the latest edition of its 24-hue LE VERNIS range, which includes 17 new nail polish shades, CHANEL has issued a creative manifesto that puts the spotlight on color as a way to satisfy every desire.

This season, the CHANEL Makeup Creation Studio has proven that it has creativity at its fingertips; in revisiting the LE VERNIS line, it has designed a rich, expressive collection that matches every mood and every emotion.

It was envisioned as a language, conceived to reflect a style, like the detail that makes all the difference in a look. CHANEL explored the subtlest hues in its color vocabulary to form the new palette, whose 24 shades range from vibrant to mysterious, giving every personality and every creative spirit a voice.

Because wearing fiery red, light pink, or khaki gray nails means stating exactly who you are at this very moment. Uncompromisingly. Unapologetically.

For this collection centered on five main color families, CHANEL, a master of emotion-conveying and sensation-provoking color, has given each nail polish its own character traits.

COLORS THAT ENERGIZE. Radiant shades that can boost your energy in a snap: a fiery red, a vibrant fuchsia pink and a bright coral, an intense plum.
COLORS THAT SOOTHE, that comfort. Soft neutrals that inspire calm and serenity: a light pink, a latte-colored beige.
COLORS THAT BRING JOY. Fresh, light, and optimistic hues that encourage playfulness and mischief: a cloud blue, a fresh lilac, a zesty yellow.
COLORS THAT DISRUPT, that break the rules in order to establish their own. Subtly dimmed and muted shades that do not fit the mold. In between two worlds, in between two shades: from pink-infused terracotta to androgynous gray with khaki accents.
COLORS THAT PROVIDE STRENGTH, designed to be worn as a manifesto: three assertive and alluring shades of red.
And finally, the finishing touch, a hint of luxury: a festive antique gold shade that rounds out the palette.

So, in this very moment, who are you? What story do you wish to share? The story of a whim, a crush, a case of the blues, a wake-up call… This May, be EMOTIONAIL.
Iconic, like latte-colored Légende beige. Calm, like moonlit Insomniaque white. Surprising, like tangy Ovni yellow. Rebellious, like bluish Pirate red. Now, it is your turn. Your turn to create. Your turn to dream up vibrant and lively color combinations and, for a limited time, adorn nails with House emblems. To design looks that are graphic, artistic—iconic, even.

LE VERNIS
INSOMNIAQUE: a white
PARTICULIÈRE: a taupe
FAUSSAIRE: a rosy beige
PREMIÈRE DAME: a bright coral pink
MUSE: a cloud blue
OVNI: a tangy yellow
DUELLISTE: a khaki gray
SORCIÈRE: a mauve
OISEAU DE NUIT: an aubergine
INCENDIAIRE: a red-orange
POMPIER: a raspberry red
PHÉNIX: a gold
LÉGENDE: a latte-colored beige
BALLERINA: a light pink
PASSE MURAILLE: a brownish rosewood
FABULISTE: a terracotta
FUGUEUSE: a deep blue
CAVALIER SEUL: a sage green
IMMORTELLE: a lilac
ACTIVISTE: a deep plum
DIVA: a fuchsia pink
PIRATE: a bluish red
ROUGE NOIR: a rouge noir
LE DIABLE EN CHANEL: a black
Each CHF 37.00

SET LE VERNIS DE CHANEL – LIMITED EDITION
Limited-edition SET LE VERNIS, for creating unique manicures
LE VERNIS Incendiaire
LE VERNIS Insomniaque
LE GEL COAT
NAIL DESIGN : One sheet of 45 iconic nail sticker designs in black + one sheet of 45 iconic nail sticker designs in white.
CHF 111.00

LA BASE CAMÉLIA CHF 38.00
LE GEL COAT CHF 37.00
In stores Mid May.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL #BeEmotioNail #CHANELMakeUp #CHANELNails #CHANELBeauty
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Inspired by the Met Gala 2023 theme, where many celebrities wore versions of the two shades at the one of the year’s biggest fashion events, I would love to show you a monochromatic black and white CHANEL look that will always be in style.

My look: White leather jacket with black piping (Look 3 Cruise 2021), white wool sweater with logo detail (Coco Neige 2021), black wide pants, black and white sneakers, black and white belt bag (Look 27 Cruise 2021), necklace with bag charm, and white resin cuff bracelet with faux grey pearl CC logo (2015), all by CHANEL, silver-tone, crystal and faux pearl clip earrings by Alessandra Rich, Carrera Automatic Chronograph by TAG Heuer, and Tallow cat-eye sunglasses by Zimmermann.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
The photos were taken in 2021 at the Clinique La Prairie.
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«Fashion does not belong in a museum.» – Karl Lagerfeld

Probably one of the only quotes of Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019), I don’t agree with and obviously the Costume Institute neither. Its spring 2023 exhibition «Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty» will examine the work of the late designer. Focusing on his stylistic vocabulary as expressed in aesthetic themes that appear time and again in his fashions from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019, the show will spotlight the German-born designer’s unique working methodology. Most of the approximately 150 pieces on display will be accompanied by Lagerfeld’s sketches, which underscore his complex creative process and the collaborative relationships with his premières, or head seamstresses. Lagerfeld’s fluid lines united his designs for Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi, CHANEL, and his eponymous label, Karl Lagerfeld, creating a diverse and prolific body of work unparalleled in the history of fashion.

I had the honor to meet and work with Karl on several occasions, as a young fashion editor, later on as editor-in-chief and also as a customer of his work, may it be fashion or art. If you interested in some anecdotes, I invite you to read this obituary.

Mannequins specially made for the exhibition, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, reflect the renowned fashion designer’s aesthetic tastes.

Exhibition Dates: May 5–July 16, 2023
Exhibition Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, The Tisch Galleries, Gallery 899, Floor 2
The Met Fifth Avenue, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028, Phone: 212-535-7710

Special Access
Evening Hours: Every Sunday until 9 pm. (The rest of the Museum is not open during these hours.)
Met Member Morning Hours: 9–10 am every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday starting May 6.

The exhibition has a virtual queue which you can join via QR code only once inside the Museum. No advance or timed tickets required. Access is first come, first served and subject to capacity limitations.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Lagerfeld, Costume Institute, #ALineOfBeauty
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In 2020, tweed entered the world of CHANEL jewelry: a first collection of 45 exceptional pieces dedicated entirely to this fabric, reproducing its suppleness and subtleties through the skilful use of articulations. With «TWEED DE CHANEL», inspired by the richness of the tweed weaves and transforming tweed into a precious fabric, Patrice Leguéreau, Director of the CHANEL Fine Jewelry Creation Studio, opened up a new chapter in CHANEL High Jewelry.

In 2023, Patrice Leguéreau returns to the magic of tweed for a second time, with the audacious creation of 64 new High Jewelry pieces. «For this new High Jewelry collection dedicated to Tweed, I wanted to go further in the interpretation by creating a veritable fabric of precious stones that is light and supple.»

Centerpiece of the collection is the «Tweed Royal» necklace. The yellow gold weave of the plastron necklace, intricately crafted and trimmed with a chain, is set with diamonds and a magnificent ensemble of 37 rubies. The lion’s head at its centre can be worn as a brooch or as a necklace on the plastron, while the magnificent 10.17 carats D FL Type IIa pear-cut diamond that adorns it, can be detached to be worn as a ring.

The «Tweed Royal» truly expresses the expertise, creativity and excellence of CHANEL High Jewelry. A true feast for the eyes. Below you can enjoy the making of photos to see all the amazing craftsmanship behind.

LoL, Sandra

Step 1 – Making a resin maquette to create the full shape of the «TWEED ROYAL« necklace.

Step 2 – Positioning of the pavé-set elements on the design for the «TWEED ROYAL» necklace, followed by polishing.

Step 3 – Checking and adjusting the articulations with set elements and resin rubies on the design for the «TWEED ROYAL» necklace.

Step 4 – Final assembly and positioning of the center stone on the «TWEED ROYAL» necklace.

Step 5 – Dismantling and polishing of the «TWEED ROYAL» necklace.

Step 6 – Making, pinning and assembling the lion motif on the «TWEED ROYAL» necklace, transformable into a brooch or ring.

Step 7 – The finished «TWEED ROYAL» necklace.

Photos: © CHANEL #TweedDeCHANEL #CHANELHighJewelry
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Back in 1927, Mademoiselle Chanel bet on the on-the-go lifestyle, supporting women as their way of living evolved. Ever the innovator, she decided to make her line of skincare and makeup products available in smaller sizes. Daily essentials that could easily be slipped into a handbag, evening clutch, or small piece of luggage for spur-of-the- moment getaways.

CHANEL was inspired by these formats, which are as fun as they are practical, for its 2023 LES BEIGES collection. The House has revisited its iconic LES BEIGES products, offering them in limited-edition travel sizes. The LES BEIGES Summer To-Go collection captures the very essence of a radiant complexion and a healthy glow makeup look in miniature formats. As sensorial and intuitive as ever, LES BEIGES essentials are the perfect companions for achieving a fresh, luminous glow, anytime and for any occasion.

A HINT OF FRESHNESS IN A BOTTLE
Dazzlingly sheer, LES BEIGES WATER-FRESH TINT Travel Size (15 ml) is a water-based complexion product infused with micro- droplet pigments that leave a nearly imperceptible, luminous veil on the skin. Its 8 shades cater to all skin tones, giving the complexion a beautiful sun-kissed look.
LES BEIGES WATER-FRESH TINT Travel Size – 15ml – CHF 53.00
Light – Medium Light – Medium – Medium Plus – Light Deep – Deep – Medium Deep – Deep Plus

AN ULTRA-RADIANT COMPLEXION
As light as a caress, LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM Travel Size (15 g) warms up the skin, creating the illusion of having spent a weekend in the sun. When applied to the cheeks, nose, forehead, and décolleté using the fingers or a brush, this cream-gel bronzer delivers an ultra-natural makeup look. It is available in 3 shades for a customizable sun-kissed glow.
LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM Travel Size – 15 g – CHF 43.00
SOLEIL TAN BRONZE – A golden caramel
SOLEIL TAN MEDIUM BRONZE – An intense warm deep beige
SOLEIL TAN DEEP BRONZE – A chocolate brown slightly satiny gold

SUMMER ON YOUR SKIN
A true light catcher, LES BEIGES ILLUMINATING OIL Travel Size (50 ml) envelops the skin, leaving it with an iridescent shimmer. Enriched with jasmine oil, it gives skin a slightly coppery, golden glow. Apply to the face, shoulders, décolleté, arms, and hair for instant radiance.
LES BEIGES ILLUMINATING OIL Travel Size – 50 ml – CHF 66.00
One universal, sheer shade with shimmering gold and copper flecks

HARMONY OF LIGHTS
OMBRE PREMIÈRE LAQUE coats lids with a golden shimmer and is featured in two iconic jewel tones: RAYON, a soft, luminous beige, and QUARTZ ROSE, a radiant pastel pink.
ROUGE COCO BAUME (CHF 45.00) delivers a light, fresh lip look with two new shades: PINK DELIGHT, an ultra-natural, soft pink, and SWEET TREAT, a semi-matte brownish mauve.
To round off this sun-kissed look, CHANEL has designed two new shades of ROUGE COCO FLASH (CHF 48.00) with evocative names. DESTINATION, a rosy beige that enhances lips with its nude shimmer, and ESCAPADE, a slightly warm sienna red.

Available from Mid May 2023.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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CHANEL is returning, as it does every year, to Saint-Tropez to celebrate the summer. For one season, the House is leaving La Mistralée townhouse and settling in the heart of the village. Built on a little town square with typical Provençal charm, a large 340m2 ochre stone residence with blue shutters has been transformed into an elegant boutique hosting the ready-to-wear and accessories collections by Virginie Viard, a selection of jewellery and watches, as well as a range of perfumes.

As if entering a holiday home, clients are welcomed into a shady garden with an outdoor salon surrounded by Mediterranean species. The boutique opens onto a vast vestibule decorated with a stained-glass window – a reference to the stained-glass of the Aubazine abbey where Gabrielle Chanel spent part of her childhood.
The ground floor then unfolds around a single large room punctuated with black columns contrasting with a terracotta floor and white walls set with panels of beige zellij or quilted-effect fabric. A minimalist two- tone architecture where warm spaces are created by sets of furniture, such as the curved lamps and the light-coloured rugs hemmed in black.

This spacious salon presents the S/S 2023 ready-to-wear collection and pre-collection, to be joined in the coming weeks by the CHANEL – Dakar 2023 Métiers d’art collection. Styled on mannequins, the looks are also shown in understated dressing rooms made of stretched woven fabric textured like white tweed. Accessories, small leather goods and costume jewellery mingle with books and decorative objects in large bookcases. Les Eaux de CHANEL fragrance collection also occupies these shelves, like a row of invitations to visit Deauville, Biarritz, Paris, Venice, Edinburgh and of course, the landscapes of the Riviera. The ground floor is also home to two other spaces. The first one is devoted to bags, including the iconic 2.55 and 11.12 bags, along with seasonal creations and new versions of the CHANEL 22 bag. The second one is dedicated to summer with swimwear and beach accessories, sunglasses and from May onwards, a preview of the CHANEL COCO BEACH collection.

Upstairs, the decor combines modern furniture with elements inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s own apartment: a wheatsheaf table and decorative objects in bronze and rock crystal by Goossens, screens and mirrors. A second stained-glass window softens the sunlight while a space like a contemporary boudoir is home to the Watches and Fine Jewelry, notably the COCO CRUSH and N°5 collections, and the J12, Première and BOY·FRIEND watches. Pale fabric sofas for visitors to try on the season’s shoes, nestle by dressing rooms presenting further ready-to-wear silhouettes. Three large fitting rooms complete this welcoming holiday home, steeped in the art de vivre of the French Riviera.

The CHANEL seasonal boutique in Saint-Tropez will open its doors from 8th April until October.
CHANEL Boutique
78, boulevard Louis Blanc 83990 Saint-Tropez France +33 4 94 49 07 47
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday 10am to 1pm and 2 to 9pm

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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Classy with a savage side… I love juxtapositions. Traditional bouclé tweed that emphasizes the shape of the body is mixed with oversized velvet for a fierce yet sweet look. I got many compliments walking around the sunny streets of Boston in this beautiful outfit. Here you see me in front of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Newbury Street that is located right next to my hotel, The Newbury Boston.

My look: Double-breasted velvet jacket by Saint Laurent, bouclé tweed jacket, and matching mini bouclé tweed skirt, embellished silver-tone belt and silver-tone, crystal and faux pearl clip earrings, all by Alessandra Rich, cropped top with logo, and bouclé tweed cap, both by CHANEL, black suede boots by Prada, cutout acetate butterfly sunglasses in shiny black smoke by Fendi, and VSLING mini top handle handbag in black with sparkling embroidery by Valentino.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Boston, Boston, Boston, you have grown on me so much. I don’t want to leave. Wandering around Boston Common (America’s oldest public park, 1634) and the Public Garden ( America’s first botanical garden, 1837) is one of my most favorite things to do. Every morning, I wake up to this stunning view in my suite at The Newbury Boston.

Depending on the season, you can ice-skate on Frog Pond, play softball or tennis, or simply lounge with a book on the 50-acre Boston Common. Across Charles Street, the smaller Public Garden shines in its own right. It’s the perfect park, with pathways designed for promenading, formal flower beds and a petite lagoon fringed with weeping willows.

My look: Knit vest, knit cardigan, knit top and knit skirt (Look 7 Pre-Fall 2021 Le Château des Dames Métiers d’Art), quilted lambskin mini vintage classic flap bag, earrings and necklace, all by CHANEL, Dior Empreinte heeled boots by Dior.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht 
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Every season, CHANEL releases what I like to call a unicorn bag, a very beautiful and special bag, which is hard to get and very desired. With the increase in pricing and the lessened supply, there is even a higher demand for CHANEL bags.

For the 23C (Cruise 2023) collection, it is in my opinion this stunning CHANEL Rainbow Classic Flap bag. As the name suggests, the classic flap comes in the colors of the rainbow, in yellow, orange to red, pink, purple and green. In one bag, you have many different colors, which means it is a very versatile model to carry. If you love vibrant colors, then this is a must-have for you.
The bag retails at CHF 11240.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL and © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography
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Birthdays at Gstaad Palace are birthdays well spent. My friends and family spoilt me to the fullest and I got surprised with many orange boxes. I have such a thing for zodiac signs and am a proud aquarius girl. Therefore I truly love the Zimmermann F/W 2022 collection dedicated to astrology.

My look: Celestial Zodiac embroidered mini dress, and embellished knee-high boots, both by Zimmermann, Lotus bead-embellished pleated leather tote by Ulla Johnson, earrings and pearl waist belt, both by CHANEL.

LoL, Sandra

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