Sandra‘s Closet

May 1st is not just a date on the calendar. In France, it is la Fête du Muguet, a centuries-old tradition of gifting lily of the valley to those you love as a token of luck and happiness. The custom is said to trace back to 1561, when King Charles IX received a sprig of the delicate, bell-shaped white flowers and, enchanted, decided to offer them to every lady of his court each spring. The tradition has never really stopped since.

For Christian Dior, the muguet was nothing short of a religion. He was never without a sprig in his buttonhole, his florist grew lily of the valley year-round in a specially heated greenhouse just to ensure that. He also kept some in a finely-wrought box in his pocket, and during preparations for his fashion shows, he would ask his petites mains to sew sprigs into the hem of a sleeve or a dress. A man who understood that good luck, like good style, requires daily commitment.

Anouk and I with Carlos Bueno, General Manager at Raffles Boston, a hotel I can highly recommend.

So what better flower to wear on a day like this? My dress and jacket are embellished with lily of the valley, which felt entirely right, not just seasonally, but spiritually. We were celebrating Anouk’s graduation, and if ever a moment called for a little extra luck and a lot of elegance, this was it.

The evening unfolded in the only way it should: drinks at the Raffles, my favorite hotel in the city, followed by dinner at the French restaurant Bistro du Midi where the night gently dissolved into laughter, good wine, and the kind of conversation that makes you feel like time is standing still in the very best way.

The Long Bar & Terrace is amazing place to enjoy drinks before dinner …

… with spectacular views over the Boston skyline during sunset. I recommend the Boston Sling.

Graduation dinner at Bistro du Midi, that has the best bouillabaisse.

And my bag? A frog. A little sculptural frog clutch that caused more commentary than any It-bag ever has. Let me be clear: this is the only frog I kiss. Because when you’ve spent enough time in fashion, you learn quickly, better a frog bag than the wrong prince.

Bonne chance à tous. And to Anouk, the luckiest thing about this day was you.

My look: Addison bow jacket, and Velia floral appliqué bandeau minidress, both by Alice + Olivia, silver-tone crystal necklace, and heart shaped earrings with pearls, both by Alessandra Rich, Aevitas leather platform boots in black by Versace, floral tights by Calzedonia, and frog resin clutch by JW Anderson.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Oh, how wonderful spring is! With its bees, flowers, sun and now finally rain, it is my favorite season. One tradition I truly adore is the gifting of lilies of the valley on the first of May as a symbol of springtime and to wish happiness which is very popular in France. In many countries, the first of May is also National Labor Day. As a result, it is a public holiday that we get to enjoy.

My first of May outfit: Lily of the valley-print pussy-bow silk blouse and Lily of the Valley-print pleated silk skirt, both by Valentino

Legend has it that the custom began on May 1, 1561 when King Charles IX received a sprig of the tiny flower as a token of good luck from knight Louis Girard. It is said that whoever finds a lily of the valley with 13 small bells will be particularly lucky.

The king liked the idea so much that he decided to start a tradition and presented a bouquet of lilies of the valley to each of the ladies of his court each year on the same day. And thus began the Fête du Muguet as it is called in France, or May Day.

Christian Dior dedicated his whole Spring 1954 collection to his favorite flower.

The lily of the valley was also Christian Dior’s favorite flower and one of his lucky charms. Faithful to tradition, he offered it each May 1st to all his petites mains and clients. Christian Dior so cherished this spring flower that his florist, Madame Dedeban, grew it for him year-round in a specially heated greenhouse!

The Dior Hommes Fall 2014 collections full of lily of the valley details.

Thus, summer or winter, he was never without a sprig of it in his buttonhole. He also kept some in a finely-wrought box in his pocket. During preparations for his fashion shows, he would ask his petites mains to sew some sprigs of lily of the valley into the hem of a sleeve or a dress. Being the talisman it was, he was also prone to pinning it to the underside of the lapel of the suits worn by his models.

The original Diorissimo bottle of 1956

His beloved flower was also present in his collections each season. He devoted an entire line to it for spring 1954, and, two years later, with Edmond Roudnitska, the couturier realized his dream of capturing its green and floral fragrance. And so, 1956 saw the launch of his third opus, Diorissimo, a triumph of olfactory prowess.

Dior Haute Couture S/S 2016

Lily of the valley has inspired the House’s perfumes and designs ever since, as it did the S/S 2016 haute couture collection. Sprigs of lily of the valley, traced out in beads and sequins, bloomed across a white Bar jacket, the result of over three hundred hours of embroidery.

Kirsten Dunst at the 69th Festival de Cannes in 2016

Later in 2016, at the 69th Festival de Cannes, Kirsten Dunst ascended the famous steps in a white silk gazar Dior haute couture dress embroidered with 300 lily of the valley flowers.

The famous dress Muguet from 1957 was on display at the amazing V&A exhibition «Christian Dior Designer of Dreams»

This special creation was inspired by the dress Muguet, designed by Christian Dior for his S/S 1957 collection in which the flower also blossomed on a dress named Mois de Mai.

Surprise for my daughter today: The beautiful Lucky scent engraved with her name and sign.

In 2018, the Maison launched Lucky as part of their Maison Christian Dior Collection – another fragrance that features lily of the valley, in combination with white flowers and ozonic notes. The nose behind is Francois Demachy, Parfumeur-Créateur Dior, who says:. “Christian Dior was very superstitious and would stitch a stem of lily of the valley into the seam of his dresses for good luck. I wanted to represent the perfume of this hidden lily of the valley, sewn into metres of silk, with a profusion of white flowers and freshness. The scent of his favourite flower gradually reveals itself. Lucky is a good luck charm and the perfume to wear whenever you want to cross your fingers.”

Dior’s new Lily of the Valley china is so beautiful, click here for more infos. 

And last but not least, a very sweet fairytale tells of the affection between the lily of the valley and a nightingale. Once upon a time, every night, the nightingale would come to the garden to sing. However, the lily of the valley was shy and hid herself from the bird. The nightingale was lonely and said he would no longer sing unless the lily of the valley revealed herself, and promised to bloom every May for all to see. And so she does.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dior, Giambattista Valli, Vogue and © Sandra Bauknecht
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