Did you know that there were more that 2 million new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women in 2018? And every 50 seconds someone, men and women, dies from breast cancer?

It's statistics like these, as well as my best friend Zoë's ongoing journey with breast cancer, that inspired me to raise money for cancer research. I joined forces with Zoë to create this line of shirts and totes from which a percentage of sales is donated to cancer research. 

In honor of Pink October, or Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we have added a new design to our "FEARLESS:" line, hoping to raise more awareness and support. From 1989-2017, improvements in breast cancer detection and treatment have led to a 40% decline in breast cancer deaths. Now that's a statistic I'd like to see rise. 

As fall is just around the corner, I was wondering ... what are some of your favorite fall trends this year? ... face masks that match your outfit? Zoom-worthy loungewear? hand sanitizer that actually smells good? 

Everything these days seems to center around the dreaded "C word". Who would have ever guessed we'd be choosing masks that look good with our outfits? Seems crazy, right? 

You might be wondering what this has to do with products from Switzerland, and no, I'm not selling face masks with cows on them... (though I do sell a very good smelling hand sanitizer!)

In OUR attempt to curb the spread of the virus this fall, we've introduced wine charms to our inventory of unique Swiss goods - don't lose your glass or get it mixed up with someone else's! - get a set of 6 hand stamped wine charms with different Swiss themes - mountain peaks, Swiss wines, popular phrases. Now you can socialize with your super cute face mask AND be sure not to mix up glasses!

And if you ARE in to good smelling all natural hand sanitizers, or that comfortable loungewear, I just happen to have you covered there as well. 

Exprimer fièrement votre amour pour vos trois choses préférées ... c'est sûr d'amuser vos amis lors de votre prochain apéro...Santé !

For the past several weeks I have been listening, reading, discussing, and reflecting on this movement that is spreading through our communities demanding justice and calling on us to wake up and join the fight to help end racism. As an American and human being, I feel compelled to join the movement. I will be donating a percentage of all sales in the month of June to Color of Change, a racial justice organization that leads campaigns that build real power for black communities. I will continue to listen, educate myself and be part of the conversation. 

These are bizarre times…feels like I should be waking up from a bad dream or this movie should end…

Though I know we’re all in this together - no one knows what will happen or when it will end, but we are all affected and all of our lives have been upended. We have health concerns, economic concerns, will my business stay afloat concerns, mental health concerns, marriage concerns 😜 …this time is challenging us in every way. I am trying to stay positive and not let this new situation overwhelm me as I all of sudden have 4 kids to homeschool, on top of trying to keep my business running…

Speaking of my business, the shop in Champex is obviously closed indefinitely but my online store is still open. My local post office has closed but I still have access to another post office to be able to make your shipments. There’s an encouraging movement going on to support local businesses and it’s reassuring to feel this solidarity. As I work only with small local businesses, any business given to me, in turn helps other small businesses, so I will continue to promote for the good of all of my designers. Never before has this movement felt more honest and real to me. The Amazons of the world will survive this, but many small businesses won’t. To encourage business on my site during this period, I am offering free shipping within Europe on any order. This said, I may not be able to fulfill each and every order the day I receive it as my access to the post office is more restricted now, so I thank you for understanding. I will definitely have all shipments out within 1-3 days of the order being placed.

Back to staying positive…I’m trying to slow down, not worry about time, give myself some grace and know that I’m doing my best…we are all just doing our best. Hopefully we will get to some of those bigger projects like cleaning out cupboards, the garage, creating a compost, etc, though filling each day with 3 homemade meals for 6, 4 different homeschool programs, exercise (to stay sane), keeping the house clean and tidy, AND promoting my business, seems to be taking up all the hours in the day…

So take care of yourselves…take care of each other. We are all in this together. And thank you for supporting my small business, especially in times like the present!

I had the privilege of being able to do 2 pop-ups in popular shopping centers here in Switzerland, the Centres Manor de Monthey and Sierre to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th. Several women entrepreneurs from the region were invited to showcase their businesses in this public space and shine a light on what local women are creating as businesses - from fitness coaching, healthy food delivery, and natural cosmetics, to boutiques, such as mine as well as others. It was an honor to be able to use this space and have people take notice of the variety of businesses local women are creating and running. There was an article in the local press (and I happened to be featured!) about this event and the woman who organized it, Céline Knigge. She wanted to steer away from the stereotypical Women’s Day events - like deals on make-up and manicures and free flowers, and focus on what local women are doing in their communities and giving them a stage to present their businesses to the public.

To read the article, click here.

Les Centres Manors ouvrent leurs portes aux entrepreneuses de la région!

La boutique Vachement Suisse sera au:

• Centre Manor de MONTHEY le 5 mars, de 9h à 18h30

• Centre Manor de SIERRE le 6 mars, de 9h à 21h.

Venez découvrir toutes les créations de vos artisans suisses préférés.

Merci à Kantutita pour ce joli article sur son blog!

I am honored to be partnering with my good friend, Zoë Zenklusen Payne from Simply Zoë, to create a unique fundraising and shopping experience in Geneva. For three days only we will be opening a pop-up store to raise awareness and money for cancer research. We will have our usual products on display as well as will be revealing our new “Fearless.” line, from which a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to cancer research. Our pop-up event will be November 28 - 30, 2019 @HerStreet in Geneva, rue des Pierres-du-Niton 6.

While battling breast cancer, Zoe realized there was a limited choice of lingerie available to women who had lumpectomies and mastectomies. Her dedicated brand Simply Zoë aims to empower breast cancer fighters and survivors with the right to feel beautiful, sexy and feminine, creating choices for post-surgical lingerie, fashionable swimwear, stylish surgical drain bags, and gorgeous head scarves, while understanding the unique needs and sensitivities of those undergoing treatment. Shoppers will have the unique opportunity to try on the specialist items and Zoë will be fully available to share her experience of living with breast cancer.

I am proud to be working with Zoë on this event and collaboration. She has been an inspiration to me throughout her battle with breast cancer, as well as during the recent loss of her father to lung cancer, and we’re passionate about raising money to donate to cancer research.

Stop by Nov 28 - 30 at HerStreet to check out Zoë’s specialty items as well as all your favorite products from Vachement Suisse. Take care of all your holiday shopping while raising money for a good cause!

HerStreet Rue des Pierres-du Niton 6, Geneva

November 28 13h - 21h

November 29 10h - 19h

November 30 10h - 19h

Thank you to Simi from Mummy in the Mountains for the chance to share my story!

Champex is known for its beautiful scenery and is a great spot for sports enthusiasts. Whether it’s a stroll around the lake, hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc or paddle boarding, there’s something for everyone. Champex also attracts many bikers who love the challenge of the steep climb. On Saturday July 20th, the Italian “Tour du Val d’Aosta” will include an entirely Swiss stage and pass through Champex! This bike race is reserved for bikers under 23 years old who are part of the UCI Continental circuit. The bikers start in Orsières at 11h30 and are expected to pass through Champex at 11h45.

Following this Italian bike race is the 5th annual IAM Challenge, open to the public. It makes its ascent to Champex from the other side of the mountain - Bovernier. It’s a 12 km ride - short but steep, climbing 844 meters. For children there’s a shorter race, from Champex d’en Bas, covering a distance of 3.5 km. Both races are free for participants.

The shop will be open all day to welcome visitors coming to watch or participate in these events!

For more info on these events check out the Champex tourist office.

These wool sneakers are moisture-resistant and temperature-regulating, ready to take on any spring weather. They are naturally antibacterial so reduce the chance of stinky feet...even without socks! These shoes don't even need to be worn in - super comfortable from day one!

If you are interested send me an email before it’s too late! vachementsuisse@gmail.com

Just back from a great family holiday over Easter break. The shop will remain closed until this summer but please feel free to contact me if you’d like to visit it. I am happy to open it by appointment! And as usual, keep checking the site for new arrivals and sales or sign up to receive all info and special offers! Happy shopping!

This Saturday, January 26, 2019, join Le Nouvelliste, Provins, the Valais Snowsports Fondation and Sonoval for a free aperitif at La Breya in Champex-lac! From January to April, the Nouvelliste is taking us on a tour through the Valais to discover different ski resorts. There will be a DJ, contests, photos, activities and food!

The boutique will be open in the afternoon so stop by to see what else Champex has to offer!

Learn more about #enpistes

The locals call it “le creux de janvier” or the “hole” - it implies that January is a very quiet month in regards to tourism, sandwiched between the busy Christmas and New Year’s holidays and the February winter breaks. It’s actually a great time to check out the resorts and miss the crowds if you have the flexibility to do so!

Due to the “creux” my shop will be open upon request (and I really will open if you’d like to visit!!). But my online shop of course remains open 24/7! Happy January!

The shop is open every afternoon during the winter holidays from 14h to 17h! Hope to see you!!

Enjoy a different discount every day in December! Check out my Instagram page @vachementsuisse to discover each day’s deal!

The snow is melting, the chair lifts have closed, the ski season is over, and it’s still too early to lace up the hiking boots and go for a proper hike in the Alps, so what are all these people doing walking through Champex with backpacks, hiking boots and skis on their backs??? It’s that time of year, in-between seasons, where serious mountain lovers take on the "Haute Route", originally known as "The High Level Route".  The Haute Route is a trail between Chamonix, France and Zermatt, Switzerland where serious mountaineers do a combination of skiing and hiking to cover a 180km trail, taking anywhere from 7 to 12 days. They go from the base of Mont Blanc to the base of the Matterhorn, 2 of the most famous mountains in the Alps.  Spring is definitely a quieter time of year in the mountains and resorts, so if you’re looking for a real physical challenge and some peace and quiet in nature, this might be the thing for you ! And if you’re looking for a great place to stay in Champex,  try the Hotel Mont Lac (with spa !) to rest for the night and recuperate for the next day ahead! 

Switzerland may seem like the picture of perfect - serene, picturesque, clean, neutral, but there are some elements of Swiss culture that may surprise you. This particular tradition is specific to the Valais region, where I live. This unexpected tradition is cow fighting, otherwise known as "Le Combat de Reines", or the fight of the queens…

Every spring the cows belonging to the Hérens race instictually instigate a fight with their female counterparts to determine the "Queen" of the troop and who will lead them up the mountain to pasture.  This practice happens spontaneously between the cows. One female will turn towards another, snort, and paw the ground to let her know she wants to fight. The opponent will either return the gesture or just walk away. If she accepts, they lock horns and continue to push each other with all their strength until one backs down and turns away. It is a bloodless and harmless fight .

In addition to these spontaneous combats,  it has also become an organized spectator’s sport in the Valais . You can attend numerous fights throughout the spring and even place bets on your favorite. 

This is an extremely unique event that the Valaisans are quite proud of and is growing in popularity in the realm of Swiss tourism. So next time you’re in the Valais and looking for something to do, check with your local tourist office to try to catch a "combat". You’ll get a real taste of the Valaisan spirit – anything but serene and neutral !  

Get your very own hand carved fighting cow here!