Sandra‘s Closet

London’s oldest luxury hotel has handed three of its finest bedrooms to Sir Paul Smith, and the result is one of the most charming things to happen in Mayfair this summer. Opening in July 2026, the Paul Smith Grand Suite at Brown’s Hotel is conceived as a private London residence rather than a hotel suite, with three generous bedrooms connected by a bespoke Paul Smith corridor.

The collaboration brings together two great British institutions: Brown’s, the grande dame of Albemarle Street, and one of Britain’s most beloved designers, Paul Smith, who started his design empire in a small Nottingham shop in 1970. Created with Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, the new suite evolves the much celebrated Sir Paul Smith Suite into something larger, warmer and even more personal.

Everything here carries his handwriting. Curtains in the iconic Signature Stripe, developed with Maharam Fabrics, are tied back with original Paul Smith ties, a detail I find completely irresistible. Rugs from the 2026 collection with The Rug Company anchor the rooms, while Harris Tweed adds a quiet nod to his current ready to wear collection.

British craftsmanship runs through the whole apartment like a red thread. Hand painted porcelain lamps by Lyngard, ceramics commissioned from Charlotte Salt and Elaine King, glass pieces by Emsie Sharp and Stewart Hearn. Add English antiques, historic Japanese screens and Sir Paul’s own collected treasures, and you have a residence with layers, humour and a real sense of a person living in it.

Mayfair, tailored.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Brown’s Hotel
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From Mayfair to the South Downs: Brown’s Hotel Unveils the Town & Country Retreat

Mayfair in the morning, the rolling chalk hills of East Sussex by afternoon. Brown’s Hotel in London and The Star in Alfriston have joined forces to launch the Town & Country Retreat, a four day journey that pairs the cultural riches of the capital with the quiet beauty of the South Downs National Park.

On paper, the two hotels could hardly be more different. In spirit, they are kindred: both family run, both shaped by the unmistakable hand of designer Olga Polizzi, and both devoted to seasonal cooking, personal service and experiences rooted in their surroundings. Together they reveal two perfectly complementary sides of England, one urban, artistic and full of possibility, the other rural, unhurried and exceptionally beautiful.

Two Nights at Brown’s Hotel, London

The retreat opens with two nights in a newly renovated Deluxe Room at Brown’s, Mayfair’s grande dame. A curated programme grants guests rare access to the city: private backstage tours of the Royal Opera House or the Royal Ballet, a walk through Mayfair’s celebrated gallery scene with art historian Maeve Doyle, including exclusive entry to the Colnaghi Gallery, or a stroll in the footsteps of writers, artists and royals with historian Andy Williamson.

Come Thursday evening, After Dark Jazz fills the Drawing Room Bar with cocktails and live music, before dinner at Charlie’s under chef Adam Byatt brings the London chapter to a delicious close.

Two Nights at The Star, Alfriston

From London, guests travel by chauffeur or train to Alfriston, one of the prettiest villages in the South Downs. At The Star, run by Olga and Alex Polizzi, the pace slows beautifully: gentle hills, historic lanes and English country house charm, paired with a kitchen that celebrates seasonal produce and Italian inspired cooking.

Days here might mean hikes along the Seven Sisters, walks through Friston Forest or cycling across the national park. Culture lovers can book private tours and tastings at Rathfinny Wine Estate, visit Charleston, the former home of the Bloomsbury Group, or admire the famous murals by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Berwick Church. Private watercolour workshops, a visit to the former home of Lee Miller and stargazing in the South Downs dark sky reserve round out the programme. Even inside the hotel, art is everywhere, with works from Olga Polizzi’s personal collection lining the walls.

Two addresses, one journey, and the very best of England in four days. I already know which side of the wardrobe to pack for each.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Brown’s Hotel and The Star
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Some prints never lose their power, and leopard is the queen of them all, especially in gold. On my way to a wonderful event in London, I slipped into this stunning look by Alessandra Rich, a designer whose creations I have adored for years. Mayfair deserves nothing less: a great city calls for a great outfit, and London always inspires me to dress the part.

With lovely Alessandra Rich

More soon from London, my loves!

My look: Crystal-embellished leopard-brocade dress in gold, matching jacquard pumps with red bow tie, silver-tone crystal heart shaped clip earrings, and crystal and chain necklace with bangs, all by Alessandra Rich, Kelly Cut clutch in black Swift leather with gold hardware by Hermès, and logo net gloves by Gucci.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
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Air conditioned by design in the London Heat. The city is at its best in sunshine, and so, I decided, was I.

A dress in neon green and yellow, with no interest in subtlety, different, rounded, sculptural, almost egg-like, it holds its own shape rather than the body’s, which leaves room for air to move. Comfort engineered to look like drama – I like!

My look: Cotton-blend moire midi dress by Christopher John Rogers, Bow Chain embellished satin platform pumps by Mach & Mach, Tro crystal-embellished mini bag by Oscar de la Renta, pearl and crystal necklace, and heart shaped earrings with pearls, both by Alessandra Rich, and neon yellow sunglasses by Versace.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
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Where Fashion Meets Wallpaper:
A Morning at Annabel’s with Martin Brudnizki and de Gournay

Few interiors in London stop me the way Annabel’s does. As a member of the Membership Committee at the club, I spend a fair amount of time on Berkeley Square, and yet Martin Brudnizki’s work hits differently every single time. His studio MBDS created something genuinely unique here: a universe of controlled fantasy, English eccentricity and absolute attention to detail. The kind of space that makes you want to dress up just to be worthy of it.

Last Tuesday, I was at the club for breakfast with Martin Brudnizki and Hannah Cecil Gurney of de Gournay to see a new installation celebrating the English summer, which London, with its characteristic sense of humour, chose to mark with a day of horizontal rain. Inside, none of that mattered. The new de Gournay panels are breathtaking: a sweeping floral composition alive with birds, painted in that unmistakable hand that de Gournay has made its signature. Lush, layered, luminous. The moment I saw them, my mind went immediately to the Erdem collaboration, and for very personal reasons.

Those who have followed my interiors journey over the years will know that my previous home was conceived as a love letter to fashion. I dedicated each room to a different designer, with de Gournay as the connective thread running throughout. My study was entirely devoted to the Erdem x de Gournay collection: chinoiserie of birds and blossoms, handpainted in watercolour, in a design that Erdem Moralioglu and Hannah Cecil Gurney brought into being with a shared obsession for the handmade, the romantic and the rare. I lived inside that collaboration, quite literally. And I dressed to match it.

So when I sat down for breakfast last week, I wore my Erdem x de Gournay Giudita tie-neck belted floral-print silk-voile dress. The only possible choice. It felt like a small homage, and it was received as such.

Over breakfast, Martin and Hannah spoke about something that I think many people do not fully understand about the de Gournay design process: the role of the client. The vision, when it is strong and specific, is not a constraint. It is the starting point from which something truly singular can be made. My own vision for that home was fashion, always fashion. With de Gournay, we translated it into walls, into rooms, into an entire way of inhabiting a space. A collaboration in the truest sense of the word, unfolding slowly, with intention.

I will write more about this process another time, because it deserves the space to be explored properly. For now: a dress that was exactly where it needed to be, a room that understood it completely, and a conversation at the table as beautiful as everything else around it.

LoL, Sandra

With my beautiful girlfriends Marijana Matthäus and Monica Perlman.

Photos: Courtesy of Annabel’s / © Sandra Bauknecht 
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London is having a moment. Galleries are unveiling new exhibitions, restaurant terraces are buzzing with an international crowd, and the city’s royal parks are drawing the global it-set like nowhere else this season. At the centre of it all sits The Lanesborough Summer Picnic, a collaboration with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé that turns an afternoon in Hyde Park into a masterclass in effortless luxury.

Forget the beach. The most stylish escape this summer comes in a picnic basket from one of London’s most storied addresses. Perched at the edge of Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, The Lanesborough has long been synonymous with Regency grandeur and impeccable service. Its 93 rooms, 48 suites, and signature butler service set the tone before you even step outside.

Executive Chef Shay Cooper has designed a menu that feels as considered as a couture look: smoked London Cure salmon with blinis and capers, burrata with Marinda tomatoes and pomegranate, wild mushroom and truffle filo parcels, and a Sutton Hoo chicken terrine. Scones with clotted cream and fresh English strawberries with vanilla Chantilly cream bring things to a deliciously classic close. Every course finds its match in a perfectly chilled bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé.

Available daily until 6 September 2026, priced at £295 for two with champagne included. Summer in London, done right.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of The Lanesborough
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Yesterday in London was one of those days that remind me why I love this city so much.

TABAYER

Two invitations, both about jewelry, both in the hands of houses that understand beauty as something more than surface. First, lunch at Hide in Mayfair with Tabayer hosted by The Floorr.

With the loveliest hosts Lupe Puerta (The Floorr) and Nyree Tanielian

Founded in 2021 by Nigora Tokhtabayeva, it is one of the most quietly compelling jewelry brands to emerge in recent years. Each piece is rooted in the ancient symbolism of protection, reinterpreted through a modernist, sculptural lens and crafted in Italy using Fairmined certified gold and ethically sourced diamonds. The signature Oera collection draws on Inanna’s Knot, a Mesopotamian symbol of fertility and guardianship, distilled into forms that feel both elemental and entirely of the moment. Jewelry that carries weight, in the most beautiful sense of the word.

With my dear friend Lupe Puerta, founder of The Floorr.

With my dear friend Anouschka who flew in from Frankfurt for the occasion.

BVLGARI

Lupe and I on the steps of the Bvlgari store on New Bond Street.

Later in the evening, I headed to Bvlgari for a truly special night filled with champagne, whisky tasting, and inspiring conversations. The event celebrated the latest creations presented during Watches and Wonders, including the stunning new Bvlgari Octo Finissimo timepiece, which once again showcased the brand’s incredible innovation and elegance.

With Catherine Eberle-Devaux, Bvlgari Watch Communication Director, and Dr. Bill Lumsden, who heads up Glenmorangie’s innovations and has been with the company for more than 25 years. I had met him before at an event in Zurich and it was lovely to see him again.

But beyond the jewelry and watches, evenings like these are always about something even more meaningful to me,  reconnecting with friends in London, sharing conversations, exchanging ideas, and simply enjoying the atmosphere of being surrounded by beautiful things and inspiring people.

With lovely Akram from the Bvlgari London team. We have been knowing each other from Valentino.

It was one of those rare days that felt effortless from beginning to end, and I went to bed feeling genuinely grateful.

LoL, Sandra

With fashion designer Olga Vilshenko.

Beautiful Bvlgari handbags designed by Mary Katrantzou.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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London has a way of making you feel anything is possible. Standing in front of the Corinthia Hotel, one of the city’s most iconic addresses, I chose to show up in full bloom: a floral dress, an oversized studded denim jacket, and zero apologies.

Yes, it is a young look. And why ever not? Age is not a dress code. The only rule that matters is whether you feel alive in what you wear. Wear the dress. Add the jacket. Own it completely.

My look: Grizzo oversized studded denim jacket by Khaite, floral dress with white collar by Miu Miu, Cherry leather platform ankle boots, and Niki mini studded quilted textured-leather shoulder bag, both by Saint Laurent, Aquanaut Luce in khaki green by Patek Philippe, and My Monogram square sunglasses by Louis Vuitton.

Stay wild. Stay free.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @georgiashane
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Where Wine Meets Performance: L’oscar London Launches Cabaret & Cabernet

Some evenings are simply dinner. This is not one of them.
L’oscar London, the discreet five-star boutique hotel housed in a former Baptist church off Holborn, has created something genuinely hard to categorise. Cabaret & Cabernet is a monthly experience series launching this summer, held on the first Friday of each month in the hotel’s extraordinary Committee Room. Just 25 guests per evening, no exceptions.

The premise is seductive: each wine is not merely poured but performed. Working with Crowd Pleaser Events, a collective with over two decades of theatre production experience, L’oscar has choreographed bespoke cabaret performances for every pour. Movements mirror tannins, rhythm follows acidity, gesture tells the story of origin and vintage. The table becomes a stage. The glass becomes a prop. The sommelier, armed with expertise and a flair for dramaturgy, guides the room through it all.

Executive Chef Arturas Kondratjevas completes the picture with a multi-course menu designed not to accompany the wines but to meet them as equals. Textures, temperatures and flavours are calibrated with precision, always leaving space for the real conversation happening between glass and stage.

The setting feels almost inevitable for this format. Teal walls, peacock motifs, bespoke chairs and a sweeping 19-foot table create a room that sits beautifully between opulence and intimacy. Jacques Garcia’s baroque reinvention of the original church interior is the kind of backdrop that makes everything feel slightly theatrical already.

Cabaret & Cabernet runs on the following Fridays in 2026: 5 June, 3 July, 7 August, 4 September, 2 October and 6 November. More at loscarlondon.com.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

L’oscar London, 2-6 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AA
+44 20 7405 5555

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © L’oscar London
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I’m not feeling blue, I’m wearing blue. Some shades don’t reflect the mood, they define it.

A fur-print dream on denim illusion by Area, paired with the perfect step forward, a collaboration with Sergio Rossi. London feels a little softer when you dress with intention. Grosvenor Square, but make it fashion.

My look: Valette denim jacket by Isabel Marant, fur-print denim sleeveless godet mini dress by Area, matching denim pumps by Area x Sergio Rossi, 2024 mini flap bag in turquoise blue by CHANEL, fishnet tights with Swarovski stones by Calzedonia, and silver-tone crystal clip earrings by Alessandra Rich.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / Felicia Sewerinsson @feliciasewerinsson
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.