My Personal Fashion Zoo

DO I NEED THE CANARY?

There is a little yellow bird that has been keeping me up at night. The JW Anderson Canary Clutch exists in the world, it is sitting somewhere out there in resin-cast, 3D-printed perfection, and I do not own it yet. Which means my personal fashion zoo has a vacancy.

Because that is exactly what my wardrobe has become: a zoo. And I say that with complete pride.

Jonathan Anderson once described his creature clutches as the kind of throw-away and unexplainable items you would find on the dusty top shelf at a garden centre. That is precisely the genius of them. They are absurd. They are hyper-realistic. They make people stop mid-sentence and stare. And season after season, I have been powerless to resist.

My collection currently stands at six: the Pigeon, the Frog, the Hedgehog, the Puffin, the Victoria Sponge, and the Walnut. Yes, the walnut. Each one is sculpted in resin and brought to life through 3D printing technology, so convincingly real that guests at mine regularly lean in for a closer look.

The Pigeon, which started the whole madness back in F/W 2022, opens up at the wing to reveal a polished interior.

Pigeon Clutch
Worn in: My Look: Some Days

 

The Frog snaps shut with a magnet on the tip of its tongue, flashing a vivid red lining when you open the mouth.

Frog Clutch
Worn in: My Look: First of May

 

The Hedgehog, with its airbrushed finish and hundreds of tiny resin spines, is the one that fools people most completely.

Hedgehog Clutch
Worn in: My Look: Kinky Boots

 

The Puffin arrives in that signature black, white and orange.

Puffin Clutch
Worn in: My Look: Fashion Fairy

 

Victoria Sponge Clutch
Worn in: My Look: Minnie

 

The Walnut is simply the most elegant nut in the history of fashion.

Walnut Clutch
Worn in: My Look: Dots

I love them all. Each one has its own personality. Together they are a collection that is equal parts sculpture, humour and genuine fashion statement.

But back to the canary. The little yellow bird debuted to considerable fanfare and has been singing its siren song ever since. Does my zoo feel complete without it? Probably not.

Now over to you: which piece from my JW Anderson collection is your favourite?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @georgiashane / Erika Kostialova /Beyza Babacan / @yayhan
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My Look: First of May

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
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.