All Images: François Marclay | Featured Skier: Laurent De Martin | Words: Jordy Grant-Krenz
It’s tough to hold on to individual creativity in any profession. Skiing is no exception. The mind wants one thing, consumers ask for another, and the ever-changing demands of the industry never cease. Occasionally, items are created that hinge between product and art, pulling our attention and pushing away the previously established status quo. That’s what Swiss skiers Laurent De Martin and Sampo Vallotton have set out to do through their brand, Simply. Recreation Club. And so far, they’re succeeding.
For three years, the iconic duo has quietly crafted one of the most finely-tuned aesthetics in skiing, and they’ve done it without bowing their heads or compromising their goals. Three ski models and two films later, Simply.RC is on the up and up. Their 2024 film, “OIWAI,” seems at first glance like a magnum opus; a project that could only emerge after years of development. In a way, it was a long time in the making, as both Vallotton and Martin have been around the block enough to know what they’re after. But according to the pair, the film is just one step of many for the relatively young company.
FREESKIER dialed up our Swiss compadres to gauge their thoughts on “OIWAI” now that it’s circulated the internet, and to peer into the creative process that brought it to life. From skiing in Japan and building the perfect pow tool, to the importance of music and the current state of the ski industry, there are few stones we left unturned.
Sampo and LDM, thanks for talking guys. It’s been a few months since “OIWAI” premiered online. What kind of feedback have you received so far?
SV: We’ve gotten some good feedback on the internet, which is always a pleasure. We wanted to make our own style of film regardless of what others think, but it’s still great to hear that people enjoy watching what we’ve made. When we released the movie, people were surprised by it because it’s a different kind of ski movie I would say. Overall it’s more of a visual experience than a freeski movie, but that was the goal.
LDM: Yeah, “show, don’t talk” was a theme of this film. From what I heard at the premiers, people seemed stoked. A lot of those who know us were expecting a video like this. But what I found even more interesting were the people who didn’t know what we were doing; people that aren’t skiers or hadn’t seen our other projects. Without much of a storyline, we got those people to have a nice moment, you know? The feedback they had was never about skiing, it was always, “oh, that was a great experience.” That’s what we were going for, so to hear that is very rewarding.
Was the goal from the beginning to create surrealist film, or did it morph into that as you sorted and edited footage?
SV: That was always the thought. A lot of projects seem self-centered today, which isn’t always bad. It’s very cool to hear people’s stories and why they love the sport. But in my opinion, a movie should be self-explanatory. If you show some emotional skiing or a shot that has artistic thinking behind it, that should speak for itself. I think this is why people are stoked on “OIWAI,” because you can craft your own interpretation from it.
LDM: How you present your skiing is just as important as the skiing itself. But even though that idea was there, we didn’t know what it would look like until the end. We wanted the presentation to reflect the same level of enjoyment and passion as the skiing.
The film is shot entirely at home in Switzerland and overseas in Japan. Why was Japan the right choice to pursue a project like this?
SV: We went to Japan because it was the logical spot to test our new Simply powder ski, the Celebration. You can test those skis to their full potential with the snow there, so it worked perfectly. It was truly a dream trip. [Laurent] and I were like kids when we were there, just looking around and enjoying every bit of it. I think that was visible in the shots as well. You can tell that we aren’t looking to find the most gnarly stuff, because the idea of the trip was just to enjoy the skiing.
Of course, if we had found a big gap or anything interesting to film, we wouldn’t have turned it down [laughs]. But we weren’t looking for that. The idea was to show our skiing in a nice way and to do something different than what’s been done before, so Japan checked all the boxes.
LDM: Like Sampo said, it started with wanting to test our powder skis, and Japan made the most sense. We had struggled with finding the right conditions to test them in the previous year, so this was logical, and the next step became figuring out how we could capture the journey creatively.
How does “OIWAI” as a film align with the identity of Simply? Do you see video projects as a key part of the brand, even as much as the skis themselves?
LDM: Generally speaking we want movies to be a big part of Simply. Creating films has always been one of my favorite parts of skiing since, as I mentioned, how you present your riding is just as important as the riding. We have a chance to showcase our entire experience, and we want to seize that opportunity. As for “OIWAI” itself, I think yes, it certainly shows part of the vision Sampo and I have.
That being said, I wouldn’t say this film is a complete representation of what we want the brand to be. There’s more to be shown, and other aspects of what we’re trying to build that will be explored. Films like this are so important, but it’s just one of many ways to bring people together.
SV: Simply came about because we were feeling stuck in the industry, so these films are our way of presenting what we think is cool without having to compromise for anyone else. As long as we like it, then I think it aligns with the brand, you know? Of course, we still hope people enjoy the movie. Let’s be honest, that’s always a benefit.
The idea behind Simply has always been to create something that inspires others to join us on this journey. We just want to be honest and create what we like. The ability to be authentic might be the best part about the whole thing in my opinion. The artists and videographers and photographers that have helped us so far, they just want to be a part of [Simply] because they appreciate what we do, which is refreshing. It’s not like our vision is better than anything else out there, though. I think it’s just the authenticity that is attractive.
Speaking of community, you’ve hosted a handful of demo days now. What have the reactions been like, and how have most people responded to the skis?
LDM: The ski tests have been important because people are obviously skeptical about a new brand with atypical skis, so giving them a way to actually feel the ski is necessary. It’s really rewarding to watch people get excited about something we’ve made. Skiers come back to us with smiles, which is the real goal.
SV: My favorite part has been talking with people who are just amazed that a ski can feel so different. Some of them have probably been riding the same ski for many years, so they didn’t even know that something like this existed. And that was a point of the brand, to make something that wasn’t and isn’t available on the market.
Do you find most people are skeptical of the unorthodox shape, flex and overall design of the skis?
SV: For sure, which is understandable. In Switzerland for example, most people use a World Cup [racing] ski, because that’s what they see as the standard. So when they approach us, they’re often curious about why our skis are softer, why there’s no metal in them, they ask all those questions.
LDM: Yeah, Simply [skis] are usually not what they’re used to, but we always encourage them to give it a try. Whether they come back raving about the ski or not, we hope it gets them to look at skiing in a new perspective and maybe start imagining a new standard.
I love how the Carver, Recreation and Celebration models are so unique, down to the flex pattern of each length. Why create three offerings for different conditions instead of trying to make a “do everything” ski?
SV: It never made sense for us to make skis that act the same. If you have three different models in three different widths, you want them to behave a bit differently. We want each model to perform well no matter where you’re skiing, but the skis are specifically made with either groomers, park and off-piste, or powder in mind.
I think [Eric Hjorliefson] Hoji has a quote about making skis where he says if you make something that’s supposed to do everything really well, it won’t do anything very well.
SV: Yes, that was our thinking. Of course, it’s a bit of a gamble, because we want all our skis to perform well no matter where you’re riding, but we want them to be specific tools. The Carver is perfect for piste laps. The Recreation and the Celebration, both have the ability to perform well in powder and on the slopes, but you also have different levels of pop and stability in each that differentiates them.
LDM: That’s a good way of summing it up, yes. We made adjustments to the skis based on the length, flex pattern, and even the width underfoot. For example, the Recreation (190 cm) is 102 mm underfoot, while the Recreation (170 cm) is 98 mm. The goal was to ensure that the experience always remains personalized.
These themes of craftsmanship and enjoyment are really common all of your works. The last segment of “OIWAI” is a great example of this. It’s so unique and masterfully done, but it’s still easy to watch and enjoy. What were the inspirations behind those shots?
SV: We had three people film for the movie, so we needed to figure out how to bring it all together. Our editor, Jules Guarneri, had us listen to a horror movie soundtrack when we were talking about how we were going to mesh these shots together. I don’t remember which film it was, but that song is basically pulled right from a horror movie.
That track created a feeling of being in the shots. It pulls you in, like a horror movie, you know? At least for me, watching that part makes me feel like I’m not sure where it’s going, but I know I’m along for the ride. I don’t know how to explain it well, but I sure liked what we got [laughs].
LDM: That last part serves as a cliffhanger or a teaser too, because our friend [Jackson Lana] filmed those final few minutes, and he’s filming our whole project this winter. It’s a great representation of the cinematography and the emotion we want to bring to the new film. We’re excited to work with him more.
I certainly want to give a shoutout to Tyndall Wells too, because he filmed all of the Japan shots in “OIWAI” and really did an incredible job. I’m sure he’ll have more great work coming out this winter that people should keep an eye out for.
After the project was finalized, was there a moment that stood out to you or surprised you?
LDM: For me, it’s still the intro. The song we use is called ‘One Last Dance’ by BADBADNOTGOOD and Baby Rose, and I fell in love with it. It just injected a slower, more contemplative vibe right into the movie. I also really enjoy Sampo’s shot where he does a nose butter and a slash on the most dreamy line.
I think every skier who has ever ridden pow fantasizes about a line like that. Just clean skiing through a mellow pitch. It’s the last shot of the first part of the film. I heard from a few people that they felt as though that shot is the start of a dream, which I love.
SV: That clip was a really special one. We had to climb over a few tough areas to get to the top of the line, and as soon as I was about to drop, the lighting changed and the sun poked through the clouds. It couldn’t have fallen into place any better.
How big of a role does music play in the film and in your own skiing?
SV: We spent the whole year searching for music, so yes it might be the part we pay the most attention to [laughs]. We had a playlist we kept adding songs to while we were filming. But when you’re finally editing the footage, sometimes a song you thought would work really well doesn’t line up, so it’s a long search.
LDM: Music is so important of course. I mean, even without skiing, music is a huge part of my life, and the same goes for everyone here I think. Like Sampo said, we were digging for songs all year on Spotify. We definitely prioritize finding a good track. I don’t necessarily think there is one right song, there might be many and we all love a wide variety of genres, but it’s very rewarding when you find a song that fits so well.
It seems like you have a great formula for what you want to create moving into this season and beyond.
SV: I feel like we’re going the right way. We’ve done a lot of research into other movies and found what we like, and I think we have a good balance now of knowing the vibe we’re trying to create and still keeping our eyes open and always searching for something new. It’s like we’re playing a video game with a map, and you don’t know where you’re going but you know it’s the right direction.
LDM: We have the right pieces in place, which is great. I’m so excited to work with the same filmer for the whole season and see what we can create. These first two projects, “Art of Recreation” and “OIWAI” have been great, but it will be cool to see if we can take it to a new level.
Success is almost impossible to define in this area of skiing, but what will continue to make Simply.RC a success outside of the financials? What do you hope people take away from your films and the brand at large?
SV: If we can make people dream a little bit more, I think we’ve done a good job. It sounds corny but that’s the truth. “OIWAI” was a test to see if we could put one foot in front of the other, and we did that, so now it’s a matter of keeping that momentum going. We’re always searching for what’s next, and I hope we can inspire other skiers to do the same. Just find what’s right for you.
LDM: I don’t want to overcomplicate it, so I’ll just echo Sampo and say that we want to get people excited to ski and to enjoy their time in the mountains, and to enjoy the process of whatever they’re doing. Simply has been quite the process to bring to life, but it’s been amazing through all the hard work. If we can inspire others to find that same feeling, that’s a success.
