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Sara Streule

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Sara is in Love with… Swarovski Mother's Day Collection Kuoni
Sara is in Love with… Swarovski Mother's Day Collection Kuoni

In collab with Swarovski and Kuoni, I present this year’s Swarovski Mother’s Day collection. The theme of the collection is “You are my sunshine” and I express the bond I have to my mum with a letter to her.

Dear Mama, Among all the important people in my life, you claim a special place. I want to thank you for being so bold and deciding to bring me into this world. I can barely imagine what it means to say yes to filling the universe with a new life. You used to call me your little swan, almost like you always knew that this strange kid would turn out well and become a woman that makes you proud.

I share a lot of things with dear people – moments, stories, experiences, laughter and tears. But you are the only person who shared her body with me and this is truly remarkable and connects us like no other. I imagine sometimes it must have been difficult for you to see this daughter who was not like you in a thousand ways and you might have wondered why I was the way I am. You always supported me in many ways and let me make my own experiences. When they turned out to be wrong decisions, you were there until I was ready for new adventures.

Sara is in Love with… Swarovski Mother's Day Collection Kuoni
Sara is in Love with… Swarovski Mother's Day Collection Kuoni

One of the most important things I learned from you is to go my own way no matter what people think. I have thousands of memories that connect us, let me pick one especially dear: I am so grateful that we travelled a lot together as soon as I could walk, collected memories and spent the most beautiful hours on the Nile when I was a kid.

This time taught me to be curious, open-minded and to embrace different cultures and views. We discovered the pyramids, spent weeks sunbathing at the Red Sea, went to places your teenage daughter wanted to see because she read about them in magazines. You trusted me when I tried to explain the taxi driver in Cairo that I wanted to go to an island in Cairo he never heard of, you sat next to me on a long train journey through the whole country and you made the ship crew cook vegetable soup for me when I was sick.

You never learned a foreign language, but you communicated with anybody no matter where in the world. Your smile won them over and it usually took a few minutes until our table in the tea house was filled with laughter and jokes. Sometimes we all didn’t know what we were laughing about and it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that you were successful in making people burst out in laughter and fill their life with sunshine.

I choose this memory for today’s post because the sparkling jewellery reminds me of the warm Egyptian sun we enjoyed together. The pieces sparkle in the light like a pharaoh treasure, while they are delicate and elegant. Mama, I hope reading this makes you smile, happy Mother’s Day!

P.S: I am sorry I put your flowers on my head, but know you understand my eccentricity. I promise I’ll get you more beautiful ones. 😉

Sara is in Love with… Swarovski Mother's Day Collection Kuoni

Pictures: Marco Borromeo. Jewellery kindly gifted by Swarovski, I was not paid for this post and the content reflects my own opinion. Pictures are my own.

Sara is in Love with… Jacqueline Loekito fashion blogger
Sara is in Love with… Jacqueline Loekito fashion blogger

Dear Viviane, I didn’t know you, but I imagine you were beautiful, strong and smart. Sadly you passed away before your time, cancer stole you from this world.

While the world is a more silent place without your laugh, your memory stays with us. You found immortality through fashion, in Jacqueline Loekito’s collection Viviane’s Last Kiss that is a celebration of your life. And what a collection it is: Full of colours, bold shaped and the unambiguous message “Fuck Cancer”.

Here I am, Sara, standing in a (more or less) enchanted garden in your city Basel, wearing the wedding dress from your homage collection. My face is hidden behind a pink veil, so I am halfway Sara, halfway Viviane – like a ghost between the worlds. I’m borrowing you my skin for a moment, turn into a symbol of you for a few minutes captured by the camera to remember the people who loved about you. I step into your shoes and walk a path your feet might have touched when you visited your friend Jacqueline. Dear Viviane, what we have in common is the love for pink, a dear common friend called Jacqueline and the kiss of a pink veil.

 Thank you, Viviane, for letting me be the bride for an afternoon.

Sara is in Love with… Jacqueline Loekito fashion blogger
Sara is in Love with… Jacqueline Loekito fashion blogger

My Outfit
Dress with veil and Shoes:Jacqueline Loekito, Tights: Falke

Pictures: Cherry Greta/Jacqueline Loekito

Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat

How much time do you spend doing what fills you with joy and how much is taken for obligatory tasks? Does the ratio feel balanced or do you wish to be less exhausted or overwhelmed by numerous demands and to-dos?

Honestly, I often wish I had more time for myself or imagine there was a second me who could take care of certain things in my life. Most of the time it’s not the others who put pressure on me, but myself. I want to have a clean home, perfectly died hair, ironed bedsheets, healthy food, and perfect Instagram pictures, while being a good friend, daughter, girlfriend, neighbour and much more at the same time.

Sometimes it’s frustrating that it seems impossible to fulfil all the roles in my life to the hilt and I end up running after things while cutting the time I have for myself on behalf of other tasks. I don’t read the book I anticipated to read for ages, I don’t turn on my telly to watch that movie from my watch list or skip my weekly face mask or don’t turn up at the gym. Even worse: Sometimes I forget to enjoy the fun while thinking of my long to-do list awaiting me when I come home. But then I ask myself why don’t we grant ourselves more time to just do what makes us utterly happy or gives us pleasure and peace? Because in the end isn’t it that what counts? Nobody cares if your laundry is not all ironed or if your windows are spotless.

So let’s stop the guilt of not ticking off all the bullets on the to-do-list and spend more time enjoying. Live your life and don’t let the task lists rule!

This post is an example for taking the time: We shot the pictures a few weeks ago when there was still snow on the ground and I got very excited about how well the colours of my hair and the coat fit with the location. I haven’t shown them to you until now because of prioritizing to edit looks with gifted items. So here we are, the snow is gone and I finally I took the liberty of showing you my dream winter coat while everybody is longing for summer already. But you know what: I feel great and that’s priceless. Next time, I shall do what I love earlier!

Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat
Sara is in Love with… Zurich pink haired fashion blogger Shrimps coat

My Outfit
Coat: Shrimps, Top: Nina Yuun, Skirt: Vintage, Boots: Dr. Martens, Hat: Manor,
Bag and Choker: H&M x Moschino, Tights: Calzedonia  

Pictures: Marco Borromeo

Sara is in Love with… blogger beauty Pixi review

Pixi just took over my daily skincare ritual when their cruelty-free Rose Collection with its cute pink and pastel green packaging landed on my shelf. I am a fan of products that contain roses in general and this collection is a winner. Who needs a bachelor, I have all the roses bottled!

One thing ahead to not disappoint you: Even if the products are all called Rose, their scent is very subtle and your skin will not smell like a whole rose garden after using them. But they do a more than average job in what you wish from skincare: Make you look radiant and let your skin shine. Let’s have a closer look at the products:

Sara is in Love with… blogger beauty Pixi review

Pixi Rose Cream Cleanser

The first step of skincare is always the cleansing and this cream with rose, avocado, and camomille is gentle and soothing, yet effective. It helps to strengthen and soften the skin and it’s even suitable for very sensitive skin.

You’d think all cream cleansers would be moisturizing, but my experience taught me they often don’t, unlike the Pixi Rose Cream Cleanser. I use it twice a day and it has become my new fav cleanser since the fresh and clean feeling it gives me is amazing. Thumbs up!

Rose Tonic

You can use the tonic right after cleaning your skin and it helps to balance the PH, minimize redness and calms the skin. I think the Glow Tonic – probably Pixi’s most famous product – might be better for younger skin that needs exfoliating, while the Rose Tonic is more soothing. It also helps the skin to absorb more moisture which is great when you continue your skincare ritual with the Rose Ceramide Cream.

I am already a big fan of the Rose Tonic since it’s just what I need for my skin that tends to get red.

Rose Ceramide Cream

This very rich cream is infused with ceramides and rose oil and works for normal to dry skin. It deeply hydrates and nourishes and has a very smooth texture. Its antioxidant-rich botanicals help to improve the elasticity of the skin and protect it against environmental aggressors.

Without exaggerating, this is the best cream that I tried in a while and even if my skin is completely dry the Rose Ceramide Cream makes it soft and look smooth all day in a second. Despite being very rich it doesn’t cake under my makeup and my rather sensitive skin seems to be more balanced since I use it. Will definitely repurchase this!

Rose Oil Blend

A luxe, youth-boosting oil that enhances the elasticity of the skin and leaves it luminous. You can either apply two or three drops on its own or mix it with the Rose Ceramide cream. The mix of sweet almond, rosehip, jojoba, pomegranate, and rose geranium is a wonderful treatment that feeds your cells.

As a wannabe beauty guru, I am a sucker for face oils and swear on their ability to make my skin look radiant. The Pixi Rose Oil Blend is one of my favourites yet and I intend to stick to it since it’s far better value for the price than the other oils that I like.

Pictures: Sara Streule. This post contains sponsored products.

Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland

Fashion designer Bill Blass said “Whenever in doubt, wear red.”, can he be right?

Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland

Did you ever notice that in movies there is often a woman in a red dress that plays a small, but not insignificant role? She is usually the sensual, beautiful vamp, that makes heads turn when she enters the room.

Just think of the scene in “The Matrix” when they enter the agent training program and there is this woman in red in the crowd, catching the eyes of the subject and smiling flirtatiously. Or Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit in her sparkling sequin dress, the probably most well-known animated sex symbol ever.

There is absolutely no way Jessica Rabbit could appear in a blue dress and still be the same! So what is it about a red dress that no green or yellow can do? Fashion designer Bill Blass said “Whenever in doubt, wear red.”, can he be right?

I read there is a phenomenon called the “Red dress effect” which says that people wearing red clothing are perceived as more desirable and attractive. I wanted to know more and put on a red dress myself, and what I experienced was surprising indeed: My outfit seemed to be an attention catcher, people noticed my dress by far more than most other looks and in a positive way.

To not be too blatant, I toned my outfit down with a turtleneck and an oversized coat. One doesn’t want to lose her reputation as a man repeller 😉 But I think the red dress might have won and the colour of fire, love, and passion does its magic. Yes, we do need more red dresses in our wardrobe!

Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland
Sara is in Love with… blogger influencer Switzerland

My Outfit
Skirt: Devoi, Jumper: Asos, Coat: Vivetta, Kneesocks: Becksöndergaard,
Shoes: Ego, Bag: Mama Tierra, Sunglasses: Asos, Hat: Lack of Color, Belt: Vintage,
Flamingo Ring: Animazul, Rose Quartz Ring: Tenebris

Pictures: Marco Borromeo. This post contains sponsored products.

Wow, Switzerland you amazed me again! Last weekend, I attended the Doing Fashion Graduate Show in Basel by the Institut of Fashion Design/FHNW Academy of Art and Design and it was bolder, wilder and better than anything I expected! 21 graduating students (aka players) presented their powerful creativity in the parking lot of the Grand Casino Basel and they took the risk of not being afraid to leave the paths of commercial demands.

The whole show, I was sitting on my chair with a big wide grin when collection after collection passed the catwalk to drumming beats and not a single one was about simplicity. Yes, the topics of the moment such as playing with genders and sustainability were present too, but not in a dull or oversaturated way. This is what I wanted to see for a long time in Switzerland. Players, you used your cards very well!

Let me share my favourite moments with you:

Doing Fashion Graduate Show, Janine Reitmann, Switzerland Basel

Janine Reitmann
What you have killed you must also love

One of the most iconic moments of the show was when the model wearing this look stepped on the catwalk. It was like an unknown painting by surrealist painter Magritte has come alive and started to breathe. Most models had their faces hidden behind fabrics and there was a melancholic beauty in the air. Were they beautiful corpses or artworks coming alive? Either way it was absolutely magical, theatrical and a moment of fashion that will linger on my mind for a long time!

Doing Fashion Graduate Show, Victoria Waltisperg, Switzerland Basel

Victoria Waltisperg 
You say Witch like it`s a bad thing

A very strong collection about sisterhood, feminity, and sensuality. The models looked like mystical goddesses, wearing Victoria’s creations and the symbol of the all-seeing and the closed eye was omnipresent. Witches see the outer and the inner world and this is the fashion for strong, confident women. “Poor are those who cannot see,” it said on a veil and I’d say who doesn’t see the beauty of this collection is poor indeed.

Jana Colic 
It will be once upon a time

My fav look of the whole evening was part of the pastel-coloured collection of Jana, who created her own world driven by nostalgia and gratitude for the two worlds – Western and the Serbian – where she is at home. I fell in love with the dichotomy between voluminous shapes transforming bodies and the cheekiness of revealing skin. And of course this wonderful cloud print. Can I wear them, please?

Lida Nobakht 
More is More

What better thing could happen than when your life motto is turned into a collection? Lida wanted to create sovereignty by adding more fabrics to her looks and came up with a colourful and playful collection. She was inspired by Iranian artist Monir and her mirror artworks as well as the love for Iran, where Lida’s roots lie. A bright collection with artful accessories that unites heritage and modernity. I’m sure Lida’s idol Monir would love it too!

Doing Fashion Graduate Show, Eva-Maria Schmid, Switzerland Basel

Eva-Maria Schmid
Revue

A collection dedicated to a new club called Revue, where the bouncers wear colourful clothing and all guests are dressed in the vibrant creations of Eva-Maria. For sure all eyes would be on the girl dancing to rave music while wearing this amazing voluminous dress with the wild print mix. She would be the star of the club. This is how a modern, techno-crazy Marie Antoinette would look!

Last but not least: 
I love my fashion gang

If life would be a never-ending fashion show I’d be the happiest girl on earth! When the hammering music fills the halls and the models walk in I’m excited. But not just because of the inspiring looks that are far from what you see on the street, but as well since wherever there is a fashion show, my gang is not far away. Thank you Jacqueline Loekito, Gerold Brenner and Cherry Greta for being my quirky crowd!

Pictures: Elisabeth Pantaleo / NOWFASHION

Sara is in Love with… blogger pink hair Tukadu jewellery, Asian fan

Let’s just close our eyes and dream of places far, so far away
In a bamboo garden, we mingle with the pretty Chinese girls 
Look how their delicate fans move through the damp summer air
And their silken kimonos move with the slightest hint of wind  

Let’s just close our eyes and far away is suddenly right here
We have all the exotic wonders of the world at our feet
Fans are dangling on my ears while my chopsticks clap
The pink kimono is revealing the secrets of our Chinese dream

Sara is in Love with… blogger pink hair Tukadu jewellery, Asian fan

My Outfit
Earrings: Tukadu, Sunnies: Vintage, Dress: Mukzin

Pictures: Marco Borromeo

Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist
Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist

Sometimes when life seems all about deadlines, full calendars, and endless to-do-lists it might feel overwhelming and all you’re longing for is some me-time. This is the perfect moment to book a facial! In my twenties, I didn’t grant myself this luxury, but since my first treatment, I was convinced it’s worth the money and time and astonishingly helpful to regain the balance of the skin.

SkinTherapist Zurich is a place I can highly recommend because trust is important for me when it comes to my skin and the owner Cornelia Fäh has totally gained mine. Her treatments put the individual needs of her clients first and she works only with selected, high-quality products. The wonderful ambience of her salon, which is located just a short walk from Sihlcity, does the rest. Cornelia offers facials, massages, manicures, pedicures, makeup, permanent makeup and a wide variety of holistic and medical skin treatments, such as the fire & ice facial (you might have encountered this in magazines since stars like Gwyneth Paltrow or Halle Berry swear on it).

Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist
Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist
Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist

When I visited Cornelia, she recommended me the St Barth Pureness face and décolleté treatment including a hand massage after asking a lot of questions about my health, nutrition, and habits. It’s an intensive, cleansing and relaxing treatment which takes 90 minutes to purify the skin. St. Barth is a luxury line that has been creating products that unite outstanding results with unbeatable quality for over 30 years. They create their products in their family business on the island Saint Barthélemy using natural ingredients with Carribean floral overtones to create a sensual harmony.

The treatment felt like one of the best things I ever experienced and Cornelia is a very kind and calm person. Generally, I find it very hard to relax and just close my eyes, but in Cornelia’s hands, I felt so well it happened easily. One of the strongest memories is the beautiful smell of the products and how radiant my skin looked afterwards. I was not surprised to hear that Cornelia has clients who return to her salon for years and hope I’ll be back too! Some St. Barth products moved into my shelf as well (Cornelia’s secret advice to calm my skin that tends to redness: The Aloe Vera gel with mint. I would have never tried this since it’s labelled as an aftershave, but I’ve been using it on my face for a while now and it’s a little miracle) and I now use them on a daily base, to keep that glowing skin as long as possible.

Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist
Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist
Skintherapist, Zurich, facial, Skin Thearapist

Pictures: Marco Borromeo.

Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women

Let’s not celebrate the 14th of February as a commercial event and get told by shops to buy flowers, perfume, and sweets as proof of our love! Let’s celebrate love all the time and make a difference this 14th with V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against all women and girls – transgender and cisgender and those with fluid identities!

Tell the world we don’t accept harassment, oppression, rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation, and sex slavery. We are women, we unite and we shall support each other!

According to the United Nations, one of every three women does personally experience physical or sexual violence during her life. 1998, author and playwright Eve Ensler started the V-Day movement after experiencing sexual trauma and the desire to reclaim her own body. The V stands for Victory, Valentine, and Vagina according to her. She created a play called the “Vagina Monologues” and took a step further into action to start a movement as a call for women’s rights.

Since its start, the V-Day movement has raised more than $80 million for their anti-violence programs and safe houses in The Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Egypt, and Iraq. V-Day organizes thousands of events in over 140 countries.

The vision of V-Day is a world where women live safely and free. The organization is fighting for it with art, by spreading lasting social and cultural change, by giving local women who know their community a voice and leadership and by looking at the intersection of race, class, and gender to understand violence against women.

Find out more about the movement here: vday.org
Join the first V-Day event in Zurich: vdayzurich.ch

Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Find out more about the movement here: vday.org Join the first V-Day event in Zurich: vdayzurich.ch
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women
Sara is in Love with… V-Day blogger end violence against women

My Outfit
Dress: Sara Al Ojayan, Bag: Mama Tierra, Bag Strap: Tauta Home, Headwrap: Hanimanns,
Earrings: L.O.M., Flamingo Ring: Animazul, Sunglasses: Gucci, Shoes: Kat Maconie,
Kneesocks: Becksöndergaard, Coat: Lazy Oaf  

Pictures: Marco Borromeo

What’s hot 2019 in Switzerland? We all asked and Mode Suisse answered in their 15th edition, showcasing curated designers and schools. Hammering beats opened a show that let forget Switzerland’s not a forward fashion country.

Newspapers might ask where the market for this edginess and forwardness might be, I say this is just what we need: Bold inspiration, designers that are not afraid of stepping out of mainstream boredom and create for the sake of fashion as an art instead of seeing their trade as a money machine. Let me show you my favorite moments:

Amorphose:
New Silhouettes for Heroines

Designer Giancarlo Bello put the audience under a spell with his feminine and dramatic collection. His play with the silhouette and his vision of women as strong yet beautiful creatures is extraordinary. Especially the red futuristic look (worn by Toni Dreher, winner of Germany’s Next Top Model) who surrounds its wearer with a kind of a red shield was amazing in his freshness and visual boldness.

Jacqueline Loekito:
Heartbreak in Pink and Red

Dedicated to a dear friend who died from cancer, Jaqueline Loekito’s collection is not what you expect from a traditional mourning outfit: The Basel-based designer stays true to her favourite colours red and pink and her habit of breaking gender rules. Statements like “Fuck Cancer” and broken hearts are part of the bittersweet looks. Long lives the hope that the most extraordinary knitwear on the catwalk will heal hurt hearts!

Rafael Kouto:
Upcycling the future

The collection of Locarno-based designer Kouto is a wild fusion of cultures, colours, shapes, and fabrics: Africa meets the West in his upcycled creations made of mass-produced and discarded garments. It was refreshing how new old can be in a throw-away society. We need more of this as an alternative to current production!

Mourjjan:
The Roaring Times are Back

Zurich/Mykonos-based designers Roland Rahal and Raphael Muntinga presented their creations of luxury, glitter, glam and chic. The new collection featured their take on a beaded flapper dress bringing up pictures of the Roaring Twenties and this showstopper of a dress. 20s meets the now and it’s wow!

Forbidden Denimeries: 
A new approach to masculinity

If you ever doubted if men should wear skirts, here is the final reason why they should! Newcomer Mikael Vilchez shared a new vision of a modern man that was refreshing and far from stereotypes with us. This denim look and how it combines sportiness with feminine masculinity is what dreams are made of!

Quynh Bui:
Fading in Vibrance

While the collection of Head Genèva alumni Quynh Bui was inspired by 19th- and 20th-century workwear and featured a lot of denim, this orange splash of an outfit excited me most. The designer combines used and new materials, giving a new life to the existing pieces. The whole collection is sustainable and wants to bring awareness to a fabric that is a major contributor to pollution.

Last but not least:
The company

Besides being thrilled by the shows, what I love about events like this is the company of like-minded fashion people. It’s like a family meeting where everybody gathers together, like Christmas in fashion. I spent the eve with two of the best people in the universe, Gerold Brenner and Cherry Greta and enjoyed to see a lot of lovely faces during the eve. It was a blast, thank you Mode Suisse, please come back soon!

Pictures: Mode Suisse Edition 15 Alexander Palacios/Eduard Meltzer

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