Sandra‘s Closet

Today, three years ago, I published my first post and Sandra’s Closet was born. My blog has taken me on such a beautiful adventure. I would like to thank you all for following me and supporting my work. Without you, the success wouldn’t have been possible.

This year was so exciting for me, I walked in my first runway show during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, designed a T-shirt in collaboration with Closed and hosted a beautiful dinner at my house for the new Caviar & Oyster collection by Bobbi Brown. There were so many other highlights, it would take too long to name them all. A very big one will follow this year, stay tuned for an event with Montblanc in December to celebrate the launch of something truly amazing. To whet your appetite, there has never been anything like it…

Below are some press features of me during Paris Fashion Week that I have meant to show since a pretty long time. Enjoy!

Featured in Marie Claire: Me in Mary Katrantou’s beautiful Ivory dress.

Featured in Marie Claire: Me at the last day of Paris Fashion Week.

This look was also seen in Harper’s Bazaar.

French Vogue showed some details of my look that I wore to the Valentino S/S 2013 show.

Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis wrote in her column for American Vogue about our fun trip to Mary Katrantzou’s showroom (all the details to be posted soon).

The gang: Eugenie Niarchos, Sandra Bauknecht, Elena Perminova, Miroslava Duma, Mary Katrantzou, Tamu McPherson, Elisa Nalin, Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis and Viviana Volpicella.

Featured on Treetslook at the Stella McCartney S/S 2013 show.

OMG! On Fausto Puglisi’s website, I am featured among celebrities such as Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Madonna. Scroll through!

This weekend, I will publish some amazing contests. Please stay tuned to find out more about the great prizes that you can win during the next two days.

LoL, Sandra

Nancy Gonzalez understands the importance of the relationship between a woman and her handbag. “I incorporate elements to each piece that make us smile: a colour, a texture, a detail, a surprise,” the Colombian-born handbag designer said about her creations.

Gonzalez sets out to establish an emotional connection between her clients and their bags by adhering to the highest level of quality, exclusivity, authenticity, and timelessness when designing her collections. Her unique combinations of rare exotic materials and bold colours make her a leader in the accessories world.

During Paris Fashion Week, I had the honour to meet her son Santiago Barberi Gonzalez, President of Nancy Gonzalez. I was able to browse through the new S/S 2013 collection in the showroom located at the famous Plaza Athénée on Avenue Montaigne and was truly impressed by the love for detail and the outstanding craftsmanship and quality of the products.

By artfully combining eclecticism and exoticism, Nancy Gonzalez revolutionizes the luxury handbag. From electrically hued crocodile to three-dimensional ostrich flowers, this S/S 2013 collection proves that timelessness is not without whimsy.

SHOP THE NANCY GONZALEZ S/S 2013 COLLECTION NOW BY CLICKING HERE. The trunkshow ends on Thursday, October, 25, 2012 at 11pm EDT.

Finally, let me introduce you to an amazing art and charity project for which matte white crocodile leather was used as the “canvas” for each bag: THE ARTIST TOTES.

Will Cotton/ Nancy Gonzalez 2012 crocodile with suede lining and acrylic polymer. Will Cotton used the tools and vocabulary of cake decoration to re-imagine the bag as a frosted confection.

Nancy Gonzalez and her son share a passion for art. Therefore they have collaborated with TWO x TWO to create ten “priceless” artist totes. Those extraordinary collector’s items will be auctioned off tonight, Saturday, October 20, 2012, at the TWO x TWO for Aids and Art gala at Howard and Cindy Rachofsky’s Richard Meier designed home in Dallas, TX. 100% of the proceeds will be benefitting TWO x TWO for amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art.

If you are interested in placing an absentee bid, send an e-mail to . For the full catalogue, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Jim Hodges/ Nancy Gonzalez 2012 crocodile with suede lining, silver, japanese silver, charcoal, and 24k gold on paper. Jim Hodges created a separate artwork apart from the bag, boxed and wrapped inside the bag, packaged so that only the winning bidder will unveil his artwork.

Raqib Shaw/ Nancy Gonzalez 2012 crocodile with suede lining, enamel, glitter, and rhinestones. Intricate designs adorn both sides of the handbag, while a crowned alligator, Santiago’s logo, reigns on the bottom of the bag.

Josephine Meckseper/ Nancy Gonzalez 2012 crocodile with suede lining, fur tails and metal fixture, acrylic, fabric, and paper on canvas with metal chain. Josephine Meckseper built upon the handbag to create a wearable sculpture.

Photos: Courtesy of Nancy Gonzalez, Moda Operandi and © Sandra Bauknecht

On the last day of Paris Fashion Week, my schedule was extremely tight and I didn’t have time to change my outfits in between. I went to the S/S 2013 presentations of Louis Vuitton, Talbot Runhof, Miu Miu and Elie Saab (posts coming up soon) before heading to the airport.

My colourful look for the day: Margerita wool-blend brocade coat, matching cropped pants and suede and snake-effect leather ankle boots, all by Miu Miu, hat by Louis Vuitton, bi-colour silk shirt by Céline and Muse Two bag by Yves Saint Laurent.

Pantsuits are a huge trend for F/W 2012 and personally speaking, I have loved the ones that Miuccia Prada designed for Miu Miu the most.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday before the Valentino S/S 2013 show, I spotted Anna dello Russo in this opulent look which I have liked a lot. This black mesh dress was undoubtedly Dolce & Gabbana’s F/W 2012 collection’s hero piece, with hand-embellished gold discs, freshwater-inspired faux pearls and breathtakingly intricate beads paying tribute to homespun Italian artistry. Crafted with a shape-cinching built-in body and a skirt that flares as soon as it hits the hips, this structured style will sculpt the label’s beloved hourglass silhouette. To shop her outfit, please click on the highlighted product descriptions below.

Embellished mesh dress, mini shoulder bag and embroidered Mary Jane pumps, all by Dolce & Gabbana.

And if you were asking yourself, why Anna didn’t close her dress properly. It is a showroom piece and therefore it didn’t fit her perfectly. But nevertheless, she looked awesome in it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Personally speaking, I am hopelessly devoted to Mary Katrantzou‘s designs and her F/W 2012 collection is my favourite for the next season. During Paris Fashion Week, I went to the London Showrooms to explore her amazing creations. I love Mary. She is so crazily successful but still completely down to earth and took all the photos of me in her to-die-for dresses. We went for lunch and played dress-up afterwards. I have fallen in love with every single piece.

“A pencil, a spoon, a hanger, a chess piece, a hedge, a typewriter: For F/W 2012 Mary Katrantzou discovers the beauty in the everyday, elevating the mundane to the sublime in a collection where product placement becomes placement print.”

For the first time, Mary decides to match: To match everything. The collection is divided into seven distinct sections, each featuring prints composed from objects associated with a single colour in shades of white, blue, green, ivory, yellow, red and black, Models are saturated in a statement hue, from head to toe, working through a colour spectrum as graphic and striking as a Crayola crayon box.

Finally the wait is over! The new-season is here! Prepare to get lost in dizzying detail and sumptuous colour of the princess of print, with luxe embroideries and outstanding cuts that are all highly collectables at the end. Available from today at net-à-porter.com and matchesfashion.com.

Please enjoy all the photos below of my must-haves and see Mary’s love for detail!

LoL, Sandra

WHITE & IVORY

Gleam Coat

Ivory Dress with many layers of chiffon and painted leather sleeves

Powdy Dress with long sleeves, Powdy Biker Jacket and Powdy Scarf

YELLOW

Powder Gun Dress

The most breathtaking dress of the collection: Sprinter Fritz Dress
It came straight from the Ritz for me where Anna Dello Russo had tried it earlier that day. Those bendable pencils are absolutely divine! This dress is a piece of art!

Sweet Mary brought it to perfection on me!

RED

Typo Dress – Let me be your secretary!

Roseterrier Dress, printed leather with pleated skirt – amazing!

BLUE

GREEN

Expandit Dress with bolsters and embroideries by the famous French Haute Couture Embroidery House Lesage who collaborated for the first time with a London designer

BLACK

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Advertising 1: Transsibérien Bags

“For our Fall/Winter 2012-2013 campaign, we wanted to continue the journey we started with the fashion show,” says Louis Vuitton Artistic Director Marc Jacobs. “Our aim was to recreate, in a cinematic manner, the glamour of travel and the romance of going somewhere, of meeting someone, of looking out a window…”

To this end, the interior of the Louis Vuitton Express, which brought Paris Fashion Week to such a memorable conclusion, was reconstructed, in all its exquisite and extravagant detail, in a New York studio – the locomotive itself having already set off on a new adventure. Winding its way East across two continents, the Louis Vuitton Express is scheduled to pull in on Shanghai’s famous Bund on July 19th.

Advertising 2: Leopard Bags

Shot by Steven Meisel, this is the first Louis Vuitton campaign ever to evoke so exactly the ambiance of the fashion show. Unprecedented levels of know-how and attention to detail were deployed to create a compelling restatement of the romance of travel, true to the heritage of Louis Vuitton. In the role of the travelers, ten young models – accompanied by four porters – showcase the collection’s gracefully elongated A-line silhouette, embellished with jewel buttons and opulent brocades.

In keeping with the theme of travel, Louis Vuitton’s iconic Monogram canvas luggage, stored in an overhead rack or carried by a porter, shares the spotlight with the season’s standout bags, including the Monogram-sequined Sunshine Express, the black and white Leopard, and the spectacular Transsibérien, with its jewel buckle and dip-dyed goat hair.

Advertising 3: Sunshine Express Bags

“All of these glamorous travelers have an imaginary voyage in their head, which is wonderfully captured by Steven Meisel,” continues Marc Jacobs. “I cannot think of anyone who could pack a train with so many beautiful young women and their porters, and still make the ambiance feel light and romantic. As opulently dressed as the girls are, there is a lightness and a magic to everything this season – and that is reflected perfectly in these images.”

The Louis Vuitton F/W 2012 advertising campaign, comprising a total of 10 single and double-page visuals, will break in the August 2012 issues of magazines worldwide.

I am so in love with this collection… so amazing! Below you can also enjoy some behind the scenes shots.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

This was my look on the last day of Paris Fashion Week. I started off at the Louis Vuitton F/W 2012 show with a ponytail. Later at the Miu Miu F/W 2012 show, I opened my hair and wore my little tiara.

You might recognize the dress from a previous post. As you see, I am following my own recommendations.

My look: Floral leather biker vest and matching tote bag, both by Céline, neon lace-sleeve wool-blend crepe dress by Christopher Kane, coat, suede booties, earrings and tiara headband, all by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Last Sunday, Albert Kriemler presented his Akris S/S 2012 runway show during Paris Fashion Week and surprised us with some amazing prints which have become his signature.
Ladies, start your engines!

Like Miuccia Prada, the designer got turned on by cars this season and seeked inspiration from John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film Grand Prix, set in Monaco.

One print is a shot of the Hotel de l’Hermitage at Monte Carlo on a racing day with people watching the event from the balcony:

This dress would be the perfect look for Princess Charlene next May at the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 race, don’t you think? The princess, who has been seen many times in Akris, sat front row at the show and I am pretty sure that she was kind of Albert Kriemler’s muse for this collection.

Anna Wintour, Peter Kriemler and Princess Charlene front row at the Akris S/S 2012 show.

Haven’t seen Anna that happy in a long time…she must have really liked the collection.
Princess Charlene, Albert Kriemler and Anna Wintour.

Sport is an important trend for next summer and Akris offers some clean and crisp choices. But my favourite part of this collection is definitely the motor sports section!

Enjoy the looks! For my Zurich based readers, Gassmann carries a large selection of Akris.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Akris

Hitting the shops on November 17th, here is your sneak preview of what is to come for Versace’s upcoming collaboration with H&M.
The looks are very „Versace“, reminiscent of the famous `80s prints, bright, colourful and boy-con. The leather pieces are embellished with a lot of studs. Thanks to Vogue Russia, I can show you some of the pieces. The ad campaign featuring Sasha Pivovarova, Lindsey Wixson and Daphne Groenwald also gives a wonderful insight into the highly anticipated Versace for H&M collection.

Photos: Courtesy of H&M, © Getty Images and Vogue Russia

Besides Donatella Versace being the first to wear the leather studded dress (for photos click here for the previous post), of course Anna Dello Russo has not to wait until November. She was spotted in the same dress during the beginning of Paris Fashion Week.

Let the madness begin…

LoL, Sandra

Today, I received many e-mails from my American friends to tell me that my photo was in The New York Times. Can you imagine how excited I was?! Above you can see it on top to the left, for the whole report you can click here.

On the streets in Paris during Fashion Week, the first signs of spring have brought a welcome change of colour. Bright, vibrant, energetic, the hues put you immediately in a good mood.

I loved the look of this Asian girl. Tangerine and electric blue are the shades of the season and combined together they just look amazing.

Get her look: Blouse by Gucci, tailored blazer, flap messenger bag, and two-tone shoes, all by Zara, cotton pants by See by Chloé, sunglasses by Ray-Ban.

The Zara shoes and bag are wonderful eyecatchers without your budget going overboard. Get the look by clicking on the links below.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht