Sandra‘s Closet

Rumors had been going on already, but only last week we got the confirmation that Hedi Slimane is leaving Saint Laurent. It was only a four-year tenure, but the designer wove a serious fashion tale, definitely in my closet. I went crazy when his first collection (Cruise 2013) for the French Maison hit the shelves.

In 2012, when Slimane started, he first changed the name YSL to a simple Saint Laurent and ushered in rock ‘n’ roll influences. He included menswear into the women’s runway shows and created iconic pieces such as biker jackets, the Janis heels, the Sac de Jour bag that he presented every season in other shades. Due to this, he designs never went out of style but on the other hand, it got a little boring after a while.

Saint Laurent is under the helmet of the Kering giant and to add fuel to the fire, a likely successor might have been already chosen: Anthony Vaccarello, who was handpicked by Donatella Versace to spearhead the Versus brand, and was named its creative director last September.

French Fashion carrousel is turning as Raf Simons (Dior), Alber Elbaz (Lanvin) and Alexander Wang (Balenciaga) had left their posts last year.

Below you can enjoy some of my favourite outfits that I wore during the last years designed by Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent.

LoL, Sandra

March 2013: At the Valentino S/S 2013 Fashion Show

September 2013: Piaget Movie Night in Zurich

October 2013: Tartan

November 2013: Driven By Something

December 2013: It’s a Plaid, Plaid World

December 2013: I See You in the Stars

January 2014: Place Vendôme

January 2014: Sense on the Edge

January 2014: Birthday Girl

May 2014: Vampires Everywhere

May 2014: Dressing in Black and White

July 2014: Party Time in Marrakesh

October 2014: Leather Rebel

October 2014: Into the Wild

November 2014: Milan

November 2014: Glitz and Glam

December 2014: Wherever You Go

December 2014: Clash of the Tartans

January 2015: Is It Friday Yet?

February 2015: Shoot for the Moon

April 2015: Oh La La

April 2015: Leo

May 2015: Everyone Is Fighting a Battle

August 2015: At the Alpina Gstaad

August 2015: Rive Gauche Summer Party

November 2015: Acid Leopard

March 2016: Spring Picnic

Photos: Courtesy of Saint Laurent and © Sandra Bauknecht

Reminiscent of a 16th century Italian palace, Palazzo Versace Dubai, a Neoclassical masterpiece with subtle traces of Arabian architecture and the most luxurious hotel the Middle East has ever seen, has opened its doors this November. Artistic director Donatella Versace has exclusively designed the interiors and furniture for each of the 215 rooms, bringing the opulent universe of Versace truly to life.

Grande Suite

Every detail is exquisite, from the ceilings hand-detailed in gold, to the finest marbles and mosaics.
Throughout the design run the iconic motifs of the Italian fashion house, such as the Medusa head, the Greek Key and the legendary prints, with many designs created exclusively for the Palazzo Versace Dubai.

The impressive lobby.

The grand lobby features an extraordinary 1000sqm marble mosaic floor, with bespoke furniture and textiles decorated with peacocks, falcons and horses.

Vanitas restaurant

For all-day dining, the Giardino has marble flooring and columns, with the walls decorated in a special edition of the iconic Jungle print from Versace Wallpaper collection. Meanwhile the Vanitas restaurant is like a classical Italian palace, with handmade wall decorations featuring the Grottesche Italiane.

Residence Living Room

Palazzo Versace Dubai will also be home to 169 residences, ranging from one to six bedrooms, each decorated and furnished in the true Versace style.

The pool

Situated in the heart of the city, Palazzo Versace Dubai is at the centre of the new Culture Village, located on a prime waterfront plot with unobstructed views of the Dubai Creek.

Palazzo Versace Dubai Executive Suite

This is the second Palazzo. The first, on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, is the world’s first fashion branded hotel concept. Following the opening of Palazzo Versace Dubai, the next Palazzo will be built in Macau.

Cannot wait to stay there the next time I will be in Dubai.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

On August 23rd 2014, Angelina Jolie married Brad Pitt in a secret ceremony in the South of France wearing a stunning Atelier Versace creation designed by Donatella Versace. The first photos are out and here is even the sketch of the amazing gown.

The white silk-satin gown was gathered at the bust with an elongated train, detailed with the embroidered drawings of her children that got reproduced also on the silk veil. Donatella Versace accessorised her creation with a pair of white Versace silk satin pumps. “Beauty, class and brain. That’s you Angelina. I wish all the best and happiness to you and your wonderful family. Love, DV“

To the newly weds, all the best! They are really an amazing couple and it was a true pleasure meeting them. Enjoy some of their best moments below…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Hello Magazine, Bunte, People Magazine, US
© Sandra Bauknecht, Sketch: Courtesy of Versace

“In the new campaigns, I wanted to express the power and freedom of Versace today. The women’s images are about strength and sensuality, with women in total control.
The men’s campaign stands for a man’s right to be whoever he wants to be.”

Donatella Versace

It is this time of the season when all the new ad campaigns are popping up. I have to admit that I love observing who shot which campaign and how each brand likes to present itself. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott are definitely some of the most successful photographers when it come sot campaign shooting. For Versace, the duo showed, under the creative direction of Donatella Versace, supermodels Anna Ewers and Stella Tennant in a world of femininity and strength, dramatic and provocative.

The men’s campaign is about the individuality and self-expression of the Versace man. The images are shot on an entirely plain set, as the Versace man needs nowhere to hide. The models Filip Hrivnak and Daniel van der Deen wear pieces from the F/W 2014 collection inspired by the biker and the Wild West.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

Lady Gaga is the face of Versace‘s S/S 2014 campaign, the first time that the famous singer has starred in any fashion advertising. Channeling Donatella’s iconic look, the very long platinum blonde hair, Lady Gaga appears in a series of images shot in London by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, wearing pieces from the new summer collection along with some must-have accessories, such as the new Palazzo bag, which was introduced at the S/S 2014 show.

The campaign marks the latest stage of a continuing friendship between Donatella Versace and Lady Gaga. It began with Lady Gaga wearing archive Versace pieces in her video for Edge of Glory, with most recently Lady Gaga titling a track on her new Artpop album Donatella. “I am honoured that my friend Lady Gaga is the face of our new Versace campaign. I wanted to capture her true beauty and spirit in images that are elegant and alluring. She is like family to me, the embodiment of the Versace DNA.”

TO SHOP VERSACE ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

It is official, Alexander Wang is Balenciaga‘s new Creative Director and will replace Nicolas Ghesquière at the French fashion house, who officially leaves today, after 15 years at the helm.

Alexander Wang with me

Rumors had been out quite awhile that the American designer  would be the perfect choice for the PPR-owned fashion house Balenciaga, because Wang knows how to make edgy and groovy commercial. Congrats, Alexander, well-deserved! (If you are interested to read an interview, I did with Alexander Wang two years ago, please click here!)

Christopher Kane with me

Another one, editors were considering for the job, was Christopher Kane, who has just left his position at Versus to focus on his own line.

Gianni Versace Spa follows a new strategic repositioning of the Versus brand. Digital is the key word and under Donatella Versace’s creative leadership, there will be collaborations with young designers, stylists, and creatives from different walks of life, to develop capsule collections, co-branding projects, limited editions. Yesterday, the first designer to create a capsule collection for Versus has been announced: Jonathan Anderson, the designer behind the J.W. Anderson fashion label for men and women. The launch event is planned for March/April 2013 in New York.

Bruce Weber, 1996

For the capsule collection, Jonathan Anderson was particularly inspired by an image from a campaign shot by Bruce Weber with Donatella in 1996. “For me,” said Jonathan, “this iconic image says it all, that’s how I see Versus. It’s all about the relationship between a boy and a girl, a girl and a girl, a boy and a boy. Purity.”

The New York Times is reporting rumours that Nicolas Ghesquière‘s next move might be his own label at LVMH. It seems like this time , the designer carrousel is one where everyone turns out to be a winner.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versus, Style, J.W. Anderson, © Wenn, © Sandra Bauknecht

Another blockbuster fashion event took place this week in NYC. One evening after the Maison Martin Margiela with H&M launch party, Donatella Versace hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the opening of her new Versace boutique in Soho on 160, Mercer Street followed by a dinner at the Waldorf Towers.

A huge variety of celebrities chose to attend both events, with everyone from Gerard Butler and Kanye West to supermodel Linda Evangelista and close friend of the House Lady Gaga.

Carrying both menswear and womenswear ready-to-wear collections in addition to accessories, the store will also house special collaborations.

Kicking off the shop’s opening, Donatella Versace tapped Christopher Kane, who also creates the Versus line, to design a capsule collection of tees and other items with iconic Versace images pulled from the archives, which will be sold exclusively at the Soho store. With printed T-shirts being so à la mode, be sure that those tops will activate another fashion hype!

Below, find a complete list of celebrities who chose to wear Versace:

Donatella Versace entered the cocktail party at the boutique in a Fall 2012 black corset top with a Swarovski encrusted jewelled cross emblem on the front with a velvet pencil skirt (see photo below with Princess Charlene of Monaco).  She changed later for the dinner into another look from Fall 2012 (as you can see above with Lady Gaga) – she was perfect in a black Versace leather top with crescent-shaped neckline with Swarovski crystal details and Versace leather pants, completely embedded with Swarovski crystal details from the knee down.

Princess Charlene of Monaco wore a chic black Versace cocktail dress paired with thigh-high leather Versace runway boots with a gold capped-toe. She finished her look with a black Versace cashmere waistcoat with leather inserts.

Linda Evangelista wore a black velvet Versace coat from the Fall 2012 runway enriched by Swarovski crystal crosses.

Doutzen Kroes wore a Versace Fall 2012 black coat with flared skirt covered entirely in Swarovski crystals.

Bar Refaeli looked amazing in a fitted black leather cocktail dress with Swarovski crystals detailing with a matching leather jacket and black Versace booties.

Coco Rocha wore a black dress with metallic detailing from Versace Fall 2012 paired with black Versace Fall pointed toe pumps.

Alexa Chung here with Christopher Kane wore a look from the Versus Fall 2012 runway: a burgundy knit turtleneck top paired with a matching leather miniskirt.

Karolina Kurkova wore a black leather bomber jacket with intricate floral detailing with a pencil skirt with a matching pattern, paired with black Versace pumps and a black Versace clutch.

Leigh Lezark sporting a yellow cocktail dress with leather cutouts at the hem and on the side with a modern crescent shaped neckline. She completed her look with black Versace shoes.

Tali Lennox, daughter of Annie Lennox, wore a full look from Versus Fall 2012 – she looked fabulous in a fuchsia top, miniskirt, and huge fur coat. She completed her outfit with blue booties with fuchsia inserts.

Hunger Games star Alexander Ludwig chose a Fall 2012 look – he wore a blue floral printed suit with matching tie. He completed his look with Versace Fall boots with gold buckles and a black Versace belt with a medusa buckle.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

I know it is not even summer yet, but in fashion you are always thinking ahead. The first pre-fall pieces have been arriving in stores and Versace is the first of the major ad campaigns for F/W 2012 to be revealed.

Shot by photographer duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott in a studio in London, it features model Elza Luijendijk with the same blunt razored bangs and bleached eyebrows that were present at the runway show, very gothic and dark. The men’s campaign shows male models Philipp Schmidt, Dmitriy Tanner and Kacey Carrig.

“I’m really thrilled with our new campaign. The result is bold, strong, iconic and perfectly conveys the sexy rock vibe of our Fall/Winter collection.”

– Donatella Versace

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace

Here is your sneak preview of Versace’s S/S 2012 advertising campaign for Young Versace that features 10-year old Kaia Gerber, the daughter of Cindy Crawford, one of Gianni Versace’s supermodel muses.

Young Versace is a brand-new collection for boys and girls aged from 0-12 which offers the quintessential Versace style with a youthful rock ’n’ roll twist, including playful prints, vibrant colors, mixing of patterns and a reinterpretation of the house’s iconic Greek key motif and Medusa head logo. The collection is available at the Versace Young boutique in Milan and worldwide in select multi-brand stores specializing in childrenswear.

Beautiful Family: Cindy Crawford with husband Rande Gerber, son Presley and daughter Kaia.

“Like her mother, Kaia has a very special gift. The camera really, really loves her,” said Donatella Versace, Creative Director of Versace. “Having Cindy on-set for the shoot took me back to all the amazing Avedon shoots we worked on together. It was such a special treat watching Kaia walk in her mother’s footsteps!”

“I’m so thrilled that Kaia was chosen to be part of the first Young Versace Campaign,” said Cindy Crawford. “I have so many fond memories of the times I spent with Gianni and Donatella. There is something so very special about the House of Versace. Being on-set with my daughter watching her in front of the camera was a fantastic experience. I am so proud of her.”

The campaign was shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott and art directed by Giovanni Bianco.
Doesn’t Kaia looks so much like her famous mother?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Versace, © John Sciulli/Getty Images North America

Donatella Versace called Givenchy’s F/W 2011 collection an homage to Versace and she is definitely not mistaken with her statement. I truly love the panther and floral prints reminiscent of Gianni’s early patterns.

My look: Flower print sheath dress by Givenchy, stretch-jersey thigh boots with hoop detail by Givenchy, “Nightingale” bag with black panther print by Givenchy and glitter sunglasses by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht