Naver Couture's sewing workshops are a wonderful way to be sociable and creative whilst having fun. We caught up with Nathalie Underhill to find out more.
Why did you start Naver Couture? What has been the inspiration?
I wanted to inspire people to get back to basics by teaching them how to sew for themselves, and by practising this great skill we learn to value and appreciate our clothes much more and at the same time build a conscious closet.
I run classes to help people build their own home sewn wardrobes, make alterations for a better fit and up-cycle second-hand clothing to promote circular fashion. Students of all levels come to see me. There are classes that follow a set program and others that enable students to work on their individual projects. I help my students to understand how the various machines work, how to overcome sewing technical issues, how to use, hack and adapt commercial patterns and to create unique made-to-measure garments.
We all know it's hard to find clothes that fit correctly if you are slightly outside the regular cookie-cutter size template, especially for petite, tall, curvy or larger women.
I really enjoy interacting with people and sharing my knowledge. Seeing people's confidence grow as they master the various skills is very rewarding. The camaraderie that builds up in the various workshops really makes it fun! The classes are in English or French and sometimes both so we get a good mix ideas and people.
Have you been working on this idea forever, or was it something that came to you recently?
I was trained as a Fashion Designer at the Rhode Island School of Art and Design and worked for fashion houses in the US, the UK, Belgium and Switzerland. With the arrival of my children I decided to set up my own business from home making made-to-measure garments, alterations and curtain-making. It was not until two years ago when I accepted to give a few private sewing lessons to a client who was very keen to learn herself that everything changed. I discovered a new passion of teaching and I am now actively teaching people of all ages and I love it.
L'Entreacte Nomade
As of February 2020, Le Court du Mois offers short films their big comeback in cinemas. Every first Friday of the month, starting on 7 February 2020, around 140 cinemas throughout Switzerland will screen the same Swiss short film before all the day's screenings.
Every first Friday of the month
The short film is making a big comeback in Swiss cinemas thanks to the Court du mois, a project launched in May 2018 by Base-Court. The association Base-Court in Lausanne programs short films all year round throughout Switzerland: notably during the Short Film Night Circuit (Tournée de la Nuit du Court Métrage) co-organised with the International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur festival, or via projects as varied as the Entracte Nomade in Yverdon or during the CinéTransat festival in Geneva - among many other events.
Send in your submission
The vocation of Le Court du Mois is twofold: on the one hand, to bring the short film format back to the cinema screens, and on the other, to give special recognition to recent, prolific and high-quality Swiss productions that circulate little outside the festival circuit. Le Court du Mois is also an opportunity to offer a springboard with exceptional visibility for local filmmakers, with an average of 26,000 spectator-ices per month. Nearly 140 cinemas throughout Switzerland are responding to the call of Base-Court and are already partners in this project, in all the French-speaking cantons and in four German-speaking cantons. The programing is monthly: every first Friday of the month, a Swiss short film of up to 4 minutes is shown in all partner cinemas, before all the programs of the day - and of course at no extra cost to the public. Le Court du Mois 2020 is supported by Swissperform.
Do you have questions about how to register for the 2020 elections? Would you like to get an early jump on receiving your ballot? What if you have never lived in the US? Or perhaps, you wonder if your absentee vote makes a difference in an election’s outcome?
An estimated 9 million Americans live abroad, and Switzerland is home to about 20,000. Few Americans exercise their right to vote while living outside of the US, but there are good reasons to make the effort. As the 2020 primaries are right around the corner, it’s a good idea to register as soon as possible. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to add voter registration to your annual New Year to-do list, as most states require you to register and request your ballot every year you intend to vote.
Will your vote make a difference?
Absentee votes have decided the outcome in several recent races for federal/gubernatorial office, including Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina (2016), Senator Maggie Hasson of New Hampshire (2016), and Ohio Rep. Troy Balderson (2018).
And, as always, your vote is your voice. If Americans abroad choose not to vote, then issues that directly affect them are not addressed by lawmakers. Double taxation is a perennial issue that many Americans would like to see modified, for example.
When Sandrine and Roxane met, one active for many years with local children's events and the other in the field of entertainment events, the idea of Une Bulle d'Event was born. Une Bulle d'Event offers 2 main products: bespoke parties for children and digital wall games. We asked Sandrine a few questions about what was behind the company.
How did this concept come about?
Approached by the company DIGI-SPORTS, creator of digital wall games, we decided to combine our know-how, complementary styles, and creativity to satisfy demanding customers who are always looking for the next new thing.
What was the biggest obstacle you encountered?
Honestly, we had not had any obstacles to overcome; the bank, and even an association (Grand Annecy Initiative), encouraged us and helped us to make this happen! Once they met with us, they were convinced we were on to a winner and have been a great support. At the moment, we are now trying to reach the French market as well; we both are fortunate to have loyal customers in Switzerland already.
By Fergus Dullaghan
Several years ago my wife was mugged just outside Geneva. It was a terrifying experience for her. The damage wasn’t limited to stolen items and a trip to hospital in the back of an ambulance – it was the aftermath. Months (maybe years) of jumping at shadows, disrupted sleep and anxiety.
As a former professional martial artist, I have wanted to help other women in the area avoid the same fate for a long time. Now, I have the opportunity to do so. To make it accessible I have tried to keep the price as low as possible. I would like to offer some very simple, but highly effective strategies to stay safe if you are ever attacked.
We will cover:
- The anatomy of an attack - understanding how a mugging happens
- The psychology of an attack
- Pattern disruption - how to stop an attack before it begins
- Behavioural habits - maximising your chances of a good outcome if you are attacked
- Instinctive defence - how to survive physically
- The aftermath - being aware that the attack itself is just one part of the process
- How to deepen your knowledge (suggested books, blogs and local training possibilities)
