Sandra‘s Closet

Last Sunday, we celebrated a «’70s» gala at MY STYLE ROCKS. My look was an homage to one of the most iconic fashion stages of all time: Studio 54, a place that wasn’t just a nightclub, but a runway, a cultural phenomenon, and a temple of 1970s style history.

Celebrating that glamorous, decadent spirit: I went for this shimmering lamé dress and sequined blazer from Michael Kors’ F/W 2019 collection, which itself was dedicated to Studio 54, paired with a fabulous turban by Saint Laurent and the perfect accessories to finish it off.

Many didn’t realize, but this is exactly what the Seventies were about: drama, sparkle, individuality, and unapologetic glamour. Studio 54 wrote fashion history with its fearless outfits, where designers, muses, and icons all came together to create legendary moments that are still inspiring runways today.

Worn in Gala Episode 113 of MY STYLE ROCKS Season 2 with the theme «70s».

My look: Sequin tuxedo blazer with feathers, knotted stretch-lamé midi dress, Studio 54 sandals, and logo crossbody bag, all by Michael Kors Collection (F/W 2019), Aurora oversized butterfly acetate sunglasses by Zimmermann, Egyptian style necklace by CHANEL (Métiers d’Art Pre-fall 2019 Paris – New York collection), rings by Roberto Cavalli, and braided sequined stretch-crepe and lamé turban in black, all by Saint Laurent.

So here’s to bringing back that magic and showing that true seventies style never goes out of fashion.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @enesskulaberr
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Fierce meets feline – wearing the iconic Roar Bag by Cavalli. Bold lines, luxe details, and one unexpected guest on today’s catwalk.

Worn on MY STYLE ROCKS Season 2 in Episode 72.

My look: Sequined dress with zebra print sleeves by Halpern, mini Roar bag, vintage roar necklace, and matching ear cuffs, all by Roberto Cavalli, Aevitas pointy stud leather platform pumps by Versace, Alva bow embellished velvet barrette by Jennifer Behr, and Miu ombre sunglasses in purple with chocolate brown lenses by Miu Miu.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @kazmva0
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The Roar Bag by Roberto Cavalli is a striking fashion accessory that perfectly captures the brand’s bold, luxurious spirit. Designed under the creative eye of Fausto Puglisi, the bag is inspired by a vintage Cavalli necklace and is instantly recognizable thanks to its distinctive handle – two sculpted tiger heads adorned with shimmering crystals. These fierce details symbolize both power and refined elegance.

With Fausto Puglisi, who designed the Roar bag, for the first collection under his creative direction.

Crafted from premium materials like crocodile-embossed leather, the Roar Bag comes in several sizes – mini, medium, and large – plus in a hobo shape, offering something for every style and occasion. Its sleek shape and jewel-like hardware make it a true statement piece, whether you choose a classic color or one of the vibrant, jewel-toned versions from the S/S 2025 collection.

Wearing my vintage Cavalli necklace that inspired Fausto Puglisi to create the Roar bag with its distinctive handle.

Harald Glööckler and I wore our Roar bags (large and small size) in a recent episode of MY STYLE ROCKS.

This season’s update includes new mini formats and richly embellished designs that push the boundaries of Cavalli’s glamorous aesthetic. Whether paired with a minimalist outfit or used as a bold contrast to casual wear, the Roar Bag is designed to turn heads and elevate any look.

TO SHOP THE ROBERTO CAVALLI ROAR BAGS, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Roberto Cavalli and © Sandra Bauknecht / @kazmva0
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Happy Tuesday to everyone! I am on my way back to Istanbul to film more episodes of MY STYLE ROCKS.

Today’s outfit post shows the look I wore last week in Episode 39 of Season 2.

With this combination, I wanted to embody confidence, creativity, and a touch of bold elegance. This look is all about power dressing with a twist – a statement oversized suit paired with a signature turban. Effortlessly sharp, unapologetically expressive.

My look: Belted textured-wool blazer, and matching Alina textured-wool wide-leg pants, both by Victoria Beckham, VLogo leather-trimmed jacquard shoulder bag, and matching twisted floral-brocade headband, both by Valentino, Jeanne embellished glossed-leather slingback pumps by Saint Laurent, logo earrings by CHANEL, and statement ring by Roberto Cavalli.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / @kazmva0
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Breaking news today. Roberto Cavalli (November 15, 1940 – April 12, 2024) has died at age 83. The «King of Bling», who has been synonymous with vibrant animal prints and sand-blasted denim, has died in his hometown Florence.

«Surround yourself with love, because love will be the beacon of your life.» – Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli launched his eponymous label in 1970 after his textile print studies and presented his first prêt-à-porter collection at age 30. He rose to fame extremely fast thanks to a revolutionary printing procedure on leather that he patented. He went on to open his first boutique in Saint-Tropez in 1972, and was soon after invited to present at the Sala Bianca in Florence.

With Roberto Cavalli in 2011.

Throughout his career, Roberto Cavalli created very sexy clothes in bright and bold colors. Animal prints were in his DNA as well as a very innovative approach to fabrics. He went on to introduce additional lines, including RC Menswear, Just Cavalli, which was marketed to a younger consumer, and a children’s collection. The brand also expanded into hospitality, opening its Cavalli Café in Florence in 2002, a concept it eventually brought to other cities, including Milan, Ibiza and Miami.

According to BoF, his company has faced a series of challenges in the last decade: In 2014, it began posting annual losses. In 2015, the Cavalli family sold 90 percent of the business to private equity firm Clessidra Capital Partners. In 2019, it closed its US stores and laid off 93 employees. It filed for bankruptcy in Italy in March 2019. The company went on to be acquired by Dubai-based real estate devloper Vision Investment Co. LLC later that same year.

With Fausto Puglisi in Café Cavalli in Milano in 2012.

The Cavalli collections are currently designed by Fausto Puglisi.

At the home of Roberto Cavalli were lots of animals.

Personally speaking, I met Roberto on several occasions and was invited to his house several times in Florence. He loved animals and was a very kind man who loved to host. RIP, Roberto, you will be missed and I feel privileged to have so many beautiful outfits from you in my closet.

In Roberto’s living room in his house in Florence.

If you are interested, I invite you to read an interview with him from 2011 here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Roberto Cavalli
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I will be off to the Salon del Mobile in Milano this week. As I am in the process of furbishing our new home, this is something very exciting and fun for me. Something that has caught my eye are the 20 limited-edition pieces from Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors, the so-called QUEEN OF CAVALLI CHAIRS, designed by my lovely Fausto Puglisi, the Italian brand’s Creative Director.

Fausto Puglisi with me at the Cavalli Club in Milan a few years ago.

The chair’s neoclassical structure is sculpted out of carved wood with a matt black finish and upholstered in fabrics printed with the artwork, focus on recent collections.

Animal print motifs representt the United States of Cavalli, celebrating the brand’s DNA alongside prints that explode with bright hues of sunshine yellow, fiery red, deep purple, the indispensable black and white, and a striking emerald.

Behind the backrest, a metal plaque with a brushed gold finish carries the name and series number of the chair, marking an extraordinary item that straddles the boundaries between art and design. The limited edition brings the synthesis of classic rigor and irreverence to the finest in Italian furniture, conveying the maximalist yet multifaceted style that disguises the brand collections.

The QUEEN OF CAVALLI CHAIRS will be officially presented as part of the Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors stand at the Milan Salon del Mobile. The limited edition may also be admired at the Roberto Cavalli Boutique in Via Montenapoleone, where it will star sth the centerpiece of a special installation.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Roberto Cavalli, © Sandra Bauknecht
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Happy Halloween weekend to everyone! It will be just me dancing with my skeleton friend due to the current pandemic.

My look: Arm-slit chantilly-lace cape, Frankenstein-print dress, lightning-bolt heel satin pumps, and devil earrings, all by Prada, red lips bag by Moschino, crystal-embellished cat-eye acetate sunglasses by Saint Laurent, skull ring and Swarovski toad ring, both by Roberto Cavalli.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: David Biedert Photography
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Great news, the first luxury fashion designer has launched custom-print unisex medical-grade masks, the same kind doctors and nurses wear in the hospital. Peter Dundas has transformed what is typically in a shade of icy blue into something fun, and insisted on black straps instead of white. In vibrant florals and animal prints plucked from his runway collections, the face masks are extremely soft and comfortable to wear, much better than the usual medical-grade ones we know.

«We’ve always wanted to be a feel-good brand,» Dundas said to Vogue. «I truly believe our colors and patterns make you happier. They light up your life like a bouquet of flowers. Wearing a mask and hiding your face is a challenge, and if we can make people feel better about it, that’s a good thing.» I couldn’t agree more.

Peter Dundas with me

Dundas sat at the helm of Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci and Emanuel Ungaro, before he gave fans what they wanted by launching his own eponymous label. He made the announcement in such a cool yet unconventional way, debuting his first designs with three custom-made looks for Beyoncé at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Created with partner Evangelo Bousis, the brand is inspired by the duo’s travels and the glamorous, jetsetting women in their inner circle.

After placing an order on dundasworld.com, the face masks arrived the next day from Italy. They will also launch on Amazon Fashion in the coming weeks. A pack of 50 masks costs €85.

He and Bousis are also donating boxes to children’s hospitals, the Art of Elysium, and the LGBTQ Center in New York, so health care workers and patients alike may have a little dose of that Dundas glamour all love! Bravo!

LoL, Sandra

Stills: Courtesy of Dundas, Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Norwegian designer Peter Dundas trained at Parsons in New York before moving to Paris in the early 1990s. He then moved to Italy where he worked his way to the top of Italian fashion, helming some of the country’s biggest design houses, such as Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci and Emanuel Ungaro.

With Peter Dundas

 So it was only a matter of time before he gave fans what they wanted by launching his own eponymous label. He made the announcement in such a cool yet unconventional way, debuting his first designs with three custom-made looks for Beyoncé at the 2017 Grammy Awards, who was pregnant with twins at that time.

Beyoncé in Dundas at the 2017 Grammy Awards

Created with partner Evangelo Bousis, the brand is inspired by the duo’s travels and the glamorous, jetsetting women in their inner circle. Dundas’s designs became a red-carpet favourite thanks to his brand of high-octane glamour that championed feminine silhouettes and intricate embellishments – an aesthetic he carries through to his own label. The selection of thigh-skimming dresses, suits, and separates are a study in dramatic decadence.

You can shop Dundas at NET-A-PORTER, MATCHESFASHION, FARFETCH and MYTHERESA.
Here are some of my favorites available at the moment:

Ruched sequined tulle and lace mini dress by Dundas

Embroidered chiffon mini dress by Dundas

Lace-paneled embellished silk-georgette mini dress by Dundas

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Dundas, Vogue and © Sandra Bauknecht

Paul Surridge, Creative Director of Roberto Cavalli, designed 11 footballs for the Pitti Immagine Uomo 94 project “Fanatic Feelings- Fashion Plays Football“, a broad multimedia presentation that will highlight the pioneering impact football has had on the world of men’s fashion, curated by Marcus Ebner, founder of German fashion magazines Achtung Mode and Sepp Football Fashion and contemporary art critic Francesco Bonami.  These unique “one of a kind” footballs will be sold for charity in the dedicated “Market” pop up store.

“Men’s fashion is going through crazy times where the worlds of tailoring, sports, active and street wear are one big melting pot. Football Fashion as an expression of style will be manifesting itself more and more. Why not wear your team’s jersey with a great suit? The show will give weight to this argument” says Markus Ebner who has been one the football fashion trail since 2002.

The 11 footballs by Roberto Cavalli represent the powerful language of graphics in sport, especially in the football world and these prints are part of the S/S 2019 men’s collection. The flamboyant designs are a craft of very graphic and camouflage effects along with the prominent Roberto Cavalli logos.

Paul Surridge’s first collection for Roberto Cavalli Men S/S 2019

The footballs are made out of genuine leather and exotic python skins hand crafted one by one by the Italian artisans within the Roberto Cavalli supply chain. They are aspirational luxury design objects rather than sport gears.

Some of the 11 footballs will be showcased and retailed in top Roberto Cavalli flagship stores such as Milan, Rome, Paris, London and Berlin to celebrate the Soccer World Cup 2018.

The generated revenues will be donated to The Foundation “Together To Go ONLUS”, supporting children with a free of charge rehabilitation program to recover from affects by Central Nervous System lesions in Milan.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Robert Cavalli and Pitti Imagine Uomo