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Julia Brütsch and Juliette Chrétien are two talented young photographers out of Zurich, Switzerland. Shocked by a documentary on women trafficking, these two committed ladies decided to no longer just sit and watch but stand up against the injustice that is happening right in front of their doors. Consequently, they set up the fund-raising art auction that goes by the name of «Kunst gegen Frauenhandel» (refers to «Art against Trafficking»), which will be in Zurich on June 3rd 2010. We sat down with Julia and Juliette so that they could tell us more about this truly inspiring project.
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What’s «Kunst gegen Frauenhandel» all about?
Julia: «Kunst gegen Frauenhandel» is a fund-raising art auction against trafficking in Switzerland. Over the past couple of months, we were collecting pieces of 20 artists and photographers and are going to auction them in favour of an organisation called FIZ (advocacy and support for migrant women and victims of trafficking). FIZ is specialized in re-integrating the victims of trafficking in either Switzerland or their home country.
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What inspired you to set up this fundraiser?
Juliette: It was in January 2010 when Julia and I were in London to promote our photo portfolios. We ended up watching this documentary on trafficking one night, we were both shocked but didn’t talk about it. Instead, we went straight to bed and those pictures from the documentary haunted both of us in our dreams. The next morning at breakfast one of us picked the subject up again and we both agreed that we could no longer just sit and watch.
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Julia: This documentary was on women trafficking in Switzerland in particular. What shocked us both is the fact that trafficking is such a taboo subject in Switzerland. These women are treated against any rules of humanity right in front of our doors and we just ignored it. Since this organization, FIZ, was part of the documentary, we knew that if we set something up there would be a trustful organization to give the money to. This laid the foundations for the idea of setting up a fundraiser.
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What was it that shocked you so strongly in the documentary?
Juliette: There is this one scene that totally bowled me over. The documentary shows an interview with a procurer and he’s always referring to the women as «goods». The interviewer picks this up and asks back if he meant «women» when he said «goods», and he simply goes: «Yes, we gotta make sure these goods get here». This, I feel, implies all the disrespect and the inhumanity these women are treated with. It overwhelmed me the most. However, we ended up using this idea of women as goods for our visual too in the hope that this will shock people just as much as it shocked us.
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Julia: In my case it was the story of this one portrayed woman from Moldavia. She became a victim of trafficking but luckily made it back home. Then, back home, another guy throws her off the track again and makes her a victim of trafficking once again. She’s asked why she would let them fool her twice and she goes: «What other choice do I have?» This woman is the mom of a baby girl… I just couldn’t believe one could be so desperate to simply give oneself to their oppressor’s mercy.
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So what did you decide to do to make a change for these women?
Julia: When we decided to no longer sit and watch, we immediately thought we could help through our passion for art. We were aware that we had to set up something decent to get our message out there. So it basically took our strong network in the Swiss art scene and a couple of phone calls to get it all started. All the photographers and artists we asked for their pieces were more than happy to support us since they thought it was such a great idea. It was amazing to see what you can set up if you get a lot of dedicated people to contribute their part to the whole.
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How will the collected funds be used to change the future of these women?
Juliette: All the money collected during the art auction will be given to an organization called FIZ. FIZ is an organisation that is in charge of victims of women trafficking in Switzerland, it’s mainly financed by the government but also by private donors. The money we raise at «Kunst gegen Fraunehandel» is going to be invested in a project called «FIZ Makasi» that organizes «protected apartments» for the victims. FIZ looks back on 25 years of experience and we are really glad to be able to give the collected funds to such a committed and trustful organization. It’s good to know the money is in good hands and gets invested exactly where we want it.
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What was the reason that you decided to donate the money from the auction to an organization in Switzerland and not, for example, in one of the countries where the victims are from?
Julia: We thought about giving it to an organization in Moldavia first, but then we asked ourselves why invest in justice in another country when the crime was happening right here in Switzerland? If Switzerland really wants to position itself as a progressive country of the oh so well developed western civilisation, then we have to make sure our vest is untarnished before we begin cleaning someone else’s. We simply can’t no longer accept that this sort of inhumanity is happening right there behind the walls of Swiss houses.
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«Kunst gegen Frauenhandel» will be held for the first time next week. What are you expecting from the event?
Juliette: We of course hope there will be plenty of people to bid for the pieces. It would be nice if we were able to donate a fair amount of money to FIZ, but most important to us is in this first year is to attract the attention to trafficking and remind people that this is still happening. We want to get women that are as privileged as we are to remember that there are many of us out there who are still suffering because they were born as females.
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Julia: As this is the first year, we try to not expect too much but we hope to show that we can make a change without budget but committed people only. Who knows? Maybe we will inspire other female artists in Europe to stand up against this too and help our kind. We would feel honoured.
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For more details, you can check the facebook event here

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Lauren is a novelist and screenwriter who published 3 novels under the name LAUREN MCCROSSAN – Water Wings, Angel On Air and Serve Cool – before writing as LAUREN DAVIES the multi-award winning documentary Waveriders and most recently Cloud 9 about the 9-times world surfing champion, Kelly Slater. Lauren began writing for magazines while working as a lawyer after graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge. She then chose to pursue her dream career full-time when her first novel was published by Time Warner paperbacks in 2001. Lauren is currently writing a film adaptation of Water Wings as well as a new romantic comedy novel and a television series. We bugged that talented writer to tell us more …
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How and when did you get started as a novelist?
I think my talent for writing was there from the moment my mum taught me to read and write and books were always my escapism. I used to hide under the covers in bed as a child and read with a torch. I dreamed of writing a novel but I thought Law would be a more secure career, so I did a Law degree and a Masters at Cambridge, then Law School before becoming a corporate lawyer in London. I learned important skills, which I have carried with me into my writing career, but I hated the job. My husband, Gabe Davies, encouraged me to begin my novel and I then took the plunge and left Law to try and find a publisher. After two years of working in quirky jobs to make ends meet, I sent my book direct to Time Warner. Within a week, I had my first two-book deal. That was a life-changing moment.
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How did you go from novel writing to movies, documentaries and TV show writing?
I was in Ireland writing my novel ‘Water Wings’ and met the Irish Director, Joel Conroy. We started talking about a film idea and I helped him write the first treatment. ‘Waveriders’ became a passion project and took 7 years to complete. We then won the Dublin Film Festival and many other awards, so we knew we had done something right! The highlight for me was winning the Surfer Poll in America as we were the first Europeans to do so. I then met Nicolas Dazet in Hossegor and we talked about a film project, which became ‘Cloud 9’. I’m now writing for a film company in London and I was approached in LA to write scripts. Really it has been about forging relationships with people I enjoy working with. Filmmaking can be stressful at times so we have to have fun as a team along the way.
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Describe a typical day in the life of a screenwriter?
I have breakfast, walk my dog, then settle at my desk with a coffee and get to work. I do have quirks. I can only concentrate when my office is tidy and I can only listen to Coldplay, Jack Johnson and Ben Howard. Their lyrics inspire my mood for writing. Often I surf in the afternoon and then work into the evening. When I am travelling, I love to write in cafés where I observe people and write longhand. Sometimes I have two different jobs to do in a day, so I may write book chapters in the morning and then film scenes in the afternoon. The fun part of the work comes when I get to leave my office and glam up in a Quiksilver Women dress for the film premiere!
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What is the difference between being a novelist and being a screenwriter?
As a novelist, I am working alone with my imagination, so it can sometimes be a lonely existence. You do have to be disciplined and passionate about the book and its characters. Screenwriting also involves the long hours in front of a computer but I work in conjunction with a Director and sometimes a whole team. Respecting each other’s opinion and sharing a vision is important. Screenwriting is a different art form, as one has to be much more succinct with the language. I did a screenwriting course and I study films and read scripts constantly. I love the fact that I can buy books and watch movies in the name of research!
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Is it harder to succeed as a screenwriter or a novelist?
I’m not entirely sure as I have thankfully had relative success in both but the book world has become tougher. There are fewer bookstores and so much rides on marketing and hype. It can be a disillusioning world at times. Writing books is a long process and it’s tough to have written 100,000 words that end up on the scrap heap! With my second book, I had a new editor who kept asking me to make changes until the book no longer felt like mine. Eventually, I threw the whole book in the bin and started ‘Angel On Air’. I think by that point I had written half a million words. I believe every new piece of work should be better than the last, so I am always trying to improve my art. As my agent, once said to me, ‘Just write something exceptional and it will all be fine’. I’m still aiming for that!
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Where do you find the ideas behind your novels? What about your documentaries?
I dreamed all my novels. Often, as soon as my head hits the pillow and the mundane worries of the day start to dissipate, I get ideas. I always get up and write them down in case I forget them by morning. I people watch and I write observational comedy. My latest novel began with the title, which my brother’s girlfriend came up with and then grew from there. With ‘Waveriders’, I brainstormed with Joel then I worked on the story, weaving in the cast and the poetry I chose to add throughout. With ‘Cloud 9’, I was passionate from the outset because it was about Kelly Slater who is a great friend of mine. He has such an interesting character and of course has achieved an awe-inspiring amount in his life, so I wanted to do him justice. Nicolas Dazet and I instantly gelled as a team and inspired each other. Basically, you have to keep your eyes and ears open to inspiration as it can hit you when you least expect it.

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Surf seems to be your main inspiration. It’s a theme we find as much in your novels as in your documentaries. Why?
My first and second novels had nothing to do with surfing but after marrying a pro surfer, I based my third book on an actress learning to surf. Writers often write about what they know. I also wrote for surf magazines and I suppose along the way I proved I could write about surfing whether it be from a comedic or a technical viewpoint. However, variety keeps the work interesting and I have other passions including football and cycling, which are the subject matter of more recent work. My latest book is completely different again, being a romantic comedy based in the North of England about the economic downturn.
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How do you make the link between your passion for surfing and your job?
After meeting Gabe, I started to travel and surf and I began to understand why it becomes a passion. As well as being a subject I love writing about, surfing is a great form of escapism. When I am in the ocean, I forget about life’s niggling worries. With the cobwebs washed away, my mind is clear to write. I have to be careful to prioritise work over surfing, though, as perfect waves can be a terrible distraction. When I have a deadline and the sun is shining on clean surf, I have to shut myself in my office and force myself to concentrate!
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What advice would you give to aspiring novelists or screenwriters?
Don’t be afraid to dream! If you have always wanted to write then do it. Find the place you are happiest writing, find time and mind space and then go for it. Starting is the hardest thing and I am always full of self-doubt at the beginning of every new project. I never show my work to anyone until I am happy with it, because I feel as soon as someone makes a comment, it breaks the magic for me. We all want to read fantastic novels and watch life-changing films, so if you feel you have one in your head, don’t deny the world; get it out there!

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Version Française ci-dessous
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With a particular fondness for Brazil in her heart, Caroline Manuel, the founder of ‘L’atelier des Dames’ (The Ladies Jewellery Workshop), discovered a surprising activity in Cabo Frio: fish scale recycling! To improve their standard of living, fishermen’s wives from this historical town in the state of Rio de Janeiro siphon off fish scales from their husbands catch, then use a unique process to work the scales into jewels and decorative items. Drawn to promote this unique craft, Caroline created ‘L’atelier des Dames’ at the beginning of 2008, launching the first costume jewellery brand with an eco-label certification. She was soon joined by her business partner, Quitterie Devilder, in June 2009 and the adventure has been getting more exciting ever since. So impressed by their creations we bugged Caroline to tell us more…
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Who are the people behind L’Atelier des Dames (The Ladies Jewellery Workshop)?
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‘L’atelier des Dames’ is the story of two women; I created the brand in March 2008 before Quitterie joined this crazy venture in June 2009. I’m a blond hair girl who loves vintage stuff, pink, kitsch and sings really bad. Quitterie is a brunette who doesn’t really like pink, but loves anything beautiful, anything classic and peoples hidden charms.
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How and when did this adventure begin?
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During a trip to visit my father, who lives in Brazil, I met the women who create these beautiful items using recycled fish scales. I spent a bunch of time with them from which came the idea to create a rose using the scales as petals. Then I put the rose on a chain and the first long necklace was born. When I came back to France, all the girls (including my now business partner, Quitterie) were jealous of my necklace, so I created L’Atelier des Dames - designed in France, Made In Brazil.
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Why ‘L’Atelier des Dames’ (The Ladies Jewellery Workshop)?
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‘L’atelier des Dames’ is a reference to the all female team that we are; ten women in Brazil, two here in France. We don’t really need men…Well, except to go fishing and bring us back scales that is…
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What is a typical day in the life of a designer?
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Everything depends on the season because we make everything by ourselves. During slack times, we think about new ideas and creations, we make a lot of drawings that often go in the bin and design a lot of prototypes. Roughly speaking, we make mistakes before creating the pieces we love, and sometimes we argue because we don’t have the same tastes at all! Then come the trade shows and distribution of the collection, which is a really hard time - too hard in my mind. To finish, there is the more exciting part: making the press packs, preparing photoshoots, updating our website, building partnerships, organizing shows. Then, of course, the less exciting part: accounting, administration, posting boxes, and sometimes bad meetings with people that are not very kind to you at all.
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What sense of satisfaction does it give you?
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Today ‘L’atelier des Dames’ brings me a lot of little pleasures. My first great satisfaction was when I saw a girl wearing one of my creations. Although, she didn’t know the story of the brand when I asked her if she knew where her lovely necklace came from, but at least she was wearing it I guess… It’s also a great feeling when shops like Franck & Fils and Galeries Lafayette present your new collection to all your girlfriends. The satisfaction of winning a designer contest, to live for your true passion and to do what I want to do is also great.
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What advice would you give to aspiring designers ?
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My first bit of advice is a cliché, but true; “never give up”. Yes, the French administration is long, it feels like it’s never ending and it’s always complicated with banks. What’s more, so many people around you might not understand your concept. This period is definitely the hardest one, winning some recognition and finding crazy people to follow you !
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Particulièrement attachée au Brésil, Caroline Manuel, à l’origine de L’Atelier des Dames, a découvert une activité surprenante à Cabo Frio : le recyclage des écailles de poissons ! Pour améliorer leur niveau de vie, les femmes de pêcheurs de cette ville historique de l’Etat de Rio de Janeiro récupèrent les écailles et les travaillent selon un procédé unique pour créer des bijoux et des objets de décoration. Souhaitant valoriser ce savoir faire, Caroline crée début de l’année 2008 la première marque de bijoux de haute fantaisie labélisée commerce équitable : ‘L’Atelier des Dames’. C’est en juin 2009 que Quitterie Devilder, l’a rejoint dans cette aventure. Rencontre avec cet artisan de la fantaisie equitable …
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Qui se cache derrière L’Atelier des Dames ?
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‘L’atelier des Dames’, c’est l’histoire de deux dames, l’une a créé la marque en mars 2008, Caroline et l’autre l’a rejoint dans sa folle aventure en juin 2009, Quitterie.
La première est blonde, aime bien le vintage, le rose, le kitsch et chante très faux, l’autre est brune aime le beau, le sobre, pas trop le rose et les trucs qu’on ne voit pas sur tout le monde !
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Comment et quand a débuté cette aventure ?
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Lors d’un voyage pour aller voir mon père qui vit au Brésil j’ai rencontré ces femmes qui créaient des objets de décoration en écailles de poissons recyclées. En passant beaucoup de temps avec elles, est née l’idée de faire une rose avec des écailles comme pétales, puis je l’ai montée sur une chaine, le premier sautoir était né. A mon retour en France, après avoir fait de nombreuse jalouses (dont Quitterie aujourd’hui mon associée), j’ai crée ‘L’atelier des Dames’, création en France, fabrication au Brésil.
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Pourquoi L’Atelier des Dames ?
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‘L’atelier des dames’ c’est une référence à cette équipe ultra féminine que nous sommes. Dix dames au Brésil, deux ici en France, en fait on n’a pas vraiment besoin des garçons (bon pour aller pécher le poisson et nous ramener les écailles en fait c’est vrai !).
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Quelle est la journée type d’une créatrice ?
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Tout dépend de la saison de la journée type, car on fait tout nous mêmes. Alors pendant les périodes creuses, on pense, on réfléchit à de nouvelles créations, on fait beaucoup de dessins qui partent à la poubelle, on fait beaucoup trop de prototypes, bref on se trompe avant d’arriver à ce qu’on adore et des fois on se bat un peu l’une contre l’autre car nous n’avons pas du tout les mêmes goûts.
Puis pendant les salons et le démarchage, on passe au côté commercial, beaucoup trop dur à mon gout ;o) Mais bon il faut vendre ses créations pour vivre, ce n’est pas nouveau !
Et puis après il y a tout le reste, tout ce qui est super sympa : faire les dossiers de presse, shooting photo, mise à jour de notre site internet, faire des partenariats, des défilés… Et puis le côté beaucoup moins sympa : la compta, l’administratif, la poste et les mauvaises rencontres, les gens qui ne sont pas gentils du tout avec vous !
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Quelle satisfaction cela t’apporte t’il aujourd’hui ?
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Aujourd’hui L’atelier des Dames m’apporte de nombreux petits plaisirs ;o) Mon premier vrai plaisir a été lorsque j’ai croisé une demoiselle qui portait l’une de mes créations, bon elle n’avait pas retenu toute l’histoire quand je lui ai demandé d’où venait ce magnifique sautoir, mais au moins elle le portait ! Ensuite évidement, il y a toutes les autres satisfactions, celle d’avoir des magasins comme Franck & Fils, Galerie Lafayette, celle de présenter ta nouvelle collec à tes copines sous un thème de soirée entre fille, celle de gagner des concours de créateurs, celle de vivre de sa passion, celle de se dire je me donne les moyens de ce que je veux faire…
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Quels conseils as-tu à donner pour les apprenties créatrices ?
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Je leur donnerai le premier conseil cliché mais vrai : « ne vous découragez pas ». Alors oui, l’administratif c’est long, les banques c’est compliqué, les démarches sans fin, et l’entourage ne comprend vraiment pas toujours cette décision folle qui un jour nous passe par la tête. Cette période là est la plus dure, acquérir un peu de légitimité pour faire valider son projet, trouver des fous pour vous suivre !