Sandra‘s Closet

«You use the way you dress to give a message to someone else. So I don’t understand why sometimes it becomes so controversial.» – Franca Sozzani

She was much-loved, Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani passed away in Milan on Thursday after a year-long illness. She was only 66 years old.

Franca Sozzani in her home office in Milan.

Having led the magazine for 28 years, she has transformed Vogue Italia into a platform for honoring the power of the image and of photography. For me, she has always been an idol with her great style, the long wavy blond hair and her warm-hearted and elf-like appearance. She was very open, never shied away from pop culture, gifting Kim Kardashian her first Vogue appearance and defending fashion bloggers well before they were an established part of the industry.

Always smiling, never pretentious, Franca front row.

A modern woman, who combined motherhood and business. She was extremely close to her only son, Francesco Carrozzini, who in the final year of her life directed a well-respected documentary about her, which commentators described as a love letter between a mother and a child. He was at her side when she died.

With her beloved son Francesco Carrozzini.

The fashion world has lost an icon. RIP Franca – you will be missed!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Peter Lindbergh, © Angelo Pennetta for WSJ Magazine, © The Satorialist, © Bruce Weber for Vogue October 2016, © Vogue Italia

Unfortunately, I have another sad news for you: The fabulous fashion writer and style icon Anna Piaggi passed away this morning at the age of 81. The gorgeous lady was famous for her double-page spreads in Vogue Italia as well as her vibrant wardrobe.

Her fans range from Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to her pal Manolo Blahnik, who called her ‘modern beyond belief.’

Young Anna with Karl Lagerfeld

Vogue Italia’s Franca Sozzani tweeted:  “23 years of working together, thousands of D.P. carried out together. I will always remember you, Anna.”

I took this photo of Anna at the Louis Vuitton S/S 2011 show in Paris.

Anna, you will be missed! Thank you for making our world so much more colourful!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue Italia, Style and © Sandra Bauknecht

At the moment, I am in Paris for many exciting events and I have so much to show you. Let me get you started with this:

Welcome to Prada’s “24 h Museum“, designed by Francesco Vezzoli with AMO, Rem Koolhaas‘ think tank. It has been open in Paris for 24 hours only, from yesterday till today in the historic Palais d’Iéna, the building designed by Auguste Perret between 1936 and 1946, today home of CESE (Conseil Economique, Social et Environnemental), the French ‘third Chamber’.

Miuccia Prada & Francesco Vezzoli

AMO’s installation for the “24 h Museum“ is divided in three sections, each inspired by a particular type of museum space: historic, contemporary and forgotten. The three sections are instrument to the sequence of events that take place during 24 hours in different areas of the ground floor of the Palais d’Iéna. The central space is a large metal cage made from grills and neon lights that encloses the work by Francesco Vezzoli.

In the three sections – historic, contemporary and forgotten – Vezzoli is creating a “non-existent museum“ where he shows his personal tribute to the eternal allure of femininity through interpretations of classical sculptures that make reference to contemporary divas.

At the top of the stairway, epicentre of the building, Vezzoli is placing a majestic sculpture of a female, reinterpreted with the features of a mysterious goddess. Vezzoli’s vision is of a museum that exists for just 24 hours and which is also a celebration of a collective rite that mixes visitors, red-carpet, Oedipus’ complex and night visions.

Yesterday night, the museum turned into a disco-club where I spotted Kate Moss who was djing and Dita von Teese who was rushing through the exhibition. Different events will be following the next few hours.

LoL, Sandra

Kate Moss

Don’t we just love Caroline Issa’s Prada earrings?!

A very special moment: A happy Anna Wintour with Jonathan Newhouse and Franca Sozzani.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Courtesy of Prada

Last week in Milan, there was quite a party stress going on.
Across from the Gucci party on Via Montenapoleone, Louis Vuitton celebrated the re-opening of their shop on the famous street, followed by a dinner and later a party with cocktails and music to toast the exhibition “The Art of Fashion” curated by Katie Grand which is on show at La Triennale di Milano until October 9th, 2011.

The interior of the Louis Vuitton Via Montenapoleone store.

Gorgeous decoration.

Party people

Lots of celebrities were there.

Beautiful Isabeli Fontana (right) in a sequined dress from the Louis Vuitton Pre-fall 2011 collection.

Anna dello Russo in a head-to-toe look from the Louis Vuitton F/W 2011 runway

Enjoy those photos from the exhibition:

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, © Sandra Bauknecht

LoL, Sandra