The team - Gaëlle, Sébastien, Franck, Karel.
MEETING WITH GAËLLE BERLIOZ
Artistic director, associate, outdoor fashion specialist, and yogi.
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Gaëlle lives in Chambéry. She tells us about the origin of her passion for outdoor fashion, her green lifestyle, and how she approaches her profession in a changing textile industry.
Where does your interest in outdoor fashion come from?
I come from a family that has always been very active in sports. My parents weren't top-level athletes, but rather all-rounders who enjoyed climbing, cross-country skiing, glacier hiking... Sport has always been ingrained in our family culture. At Christmas, for example, we would receive sports equipment! The latest ski jacket was the ultimate gift, but it could also be a wetsuit or a pair of hiking boots. In short, only the latest technical clothing was under the tree. Without a doubt, my appreciation for outdoor fashion comes from there. And naturally, as I also loved to draw, I decided to make it my profession by becoming an artistic director. After studying applied art, fashion design, and graphic design, I joined a trend forecasting agency, Promostyl, to work on sports trends. I spent 8 years there. Those were wonderful years. I had the opportunity to work with amazing brands. Until one day my ecological conscience caught up with me... and I decided to quit everything!
What were your criticisms of the fashion industry?
Producing for the sake of producing, always more. I was fed up with this industry, which is one of the most polluting on the planet. I felt a sense of waste. I no longer felt at home there.
And yet you returned to it?
Yes, but differently! Today I work with brands that share my values and want to push boundaries by being more responsible and more human, like Spiridon. My daily mission now is to answer this question: how can we continue to produce cleanly without depleting our resources? It's fascinating. For me, you can't be involved in outdoor activities without being concerned about environmental issues. You can't pollute your own playground.
What exactly does your mission for Spiridon involve?
My role is to find the right style directions, the right material sourcing, and the right production teams, all while considering Spiridon's human and ecological values. Currently, I'm researching new, more sustainable fibers; I'm sourcing recycled, recyclable, and even compostable textiles that are also of high technical quality. It's incredibly challenging and exciting to know that we are participating in a paradigm shift in how things are produced. And it's wonderful to do this for Spiridon, which already has a beautiful universe, a strong identity, and a historical commitment to women, to diversity... All of this is so meaningful! And I am convinced that we are only at the very beginning of the adventure. We are going to do great things that are deeply committed, both ecologically and humanely, for Spiridon.
Is the environment a subject that has concerned you for a long time?
Always! First and foremost, because of my upbringing. I grew up and live in Savoie. When you have such a playground available, you want to protect it. At least, that's how I was raised by my parents and even my grandparents. When I was a child and went on treks, my father taught me not to leave anything behind, he taught me to observe nature, the need to respect and protect it. In my daily life, I'm quite uncompromising on the matter! I never buy plastic bottles - I always have my water bottle - I refuse coffee pods, I try to move towards zero waste... So, naturally, I want to work with people who share this vision.
From your experience, you have a vast knowledge of brands. Which ones inspire you?
My role model remains Patagonia. I think Yvon Chouinard, its founder, was truly a visionary, a trailblazer. Not only in his "eco" approach to the outdoors but also in his vision of human relationships. His book Let my people go surfing, which explained the trust he had in his team, is magical. Many companies today could learn from it! For me, human values are as important as environmental values. And that's also why I joined Spiridon.
You're passionate about sports, its clothing, and its history. Are you athletic yourself?
I practice Ashtanga Yoga. I went on a retreat in India to get my Ashtanga diploma after leaving Promostyl. Eventually, my encounter with Spiridon brought me back to fashion, but I continue to practice daily, and it helps me enormously in my everyday life, both personally (I have 2-year-old twins) and professionally. I draw incredible strength from it. Thanks to yoga, I know my limits, I know how to fall asleep (laughs), I know how to calm my mind, I know how to listen to my body. It's invaluable!
For the rest, I'm an all-rounder! Since I love nature, I do a lot of outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, stand-up paddling, ski touring... But I don't compete, I don't seek any performance. I do sports just for pleasure, like the Spiridoniens! I really like this idea of pleasure in the Spiridon philosophy. I completely relate to it.
MEETING WITH SEBASTIEN RAFFIN
Patternmaker, associate, and trail running enthusiast
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Sébastien is a patternmaker and associate at Spiridon.
He lives in Annecy. He tells us about the origin of his passion for running, his best racing memory, and how he envisions trail running in the post-pandemic world.
How long have you and running been together?
Forever! My father ran. He introduced my brothers and me to it. He was part of a Spiridon Club in Savoie with which he participated in uphill races, at resorts. We called them "nature races." After the adult events, there was always a course for the children; my brothers and I would go. We were 8-10 years old, we ran our 800m, our 1.5km. And we loved it! Then, I played a lot of handball (up to National 3 with Aix-Les-Bains), and I dedicated less time to running. But when you have the basics, you can stop for a few years, you always keep a foundation.
When did you start again?
I started again about ten years ago, in the mountains, with a friend. Running is the best way for me to recharge and de-stress. Running is when you put everything down, when your brain switches off, when you are in osmosis with the elements and nature. Moreover, when I train with my friend, our outings always unfold in the same way. We start by discussing everyday life, work, family... and then comes that moment when we no longer talk, we just look around us, we savor, we feel good. For me, that's what running is: just that feeling of being good.
Road or trail?
Trail, without a doubt! I live in Annecy. I have an incredible playground at my disposal. I also think that running in nature is less traumatic for the body. Not to mention the calm offered by the setting and its beauty...
Do you participate in races?
I've been doing 7 to 8 trail runs a year for about ten years. My last "big" race was the SaintéLyon, in 2019. 76 km and 2000m of elevation gain under torrential rain!
Your best race memory?
Ah, there are so many! But one of the best is the SaintéLyon, actually, but the previous year, in 2018. It was in the morning at sunrise, that moment when you're really in the thick of it, you've been cold all night, you hurt everywhere, you wonder what you're doing there... and then, you see the mist and the sun rising over Lyon, and all these people by the side of the road who are there to encourage you at 6 am, in the cold... It's such a boost. It's incredible, truly magical. And then you understand why you're there!
What about after the race at your place?
The meal and a small beer with friends. We're athletes, but we still enjoy life. As the Spiridoniens used to say, "Performance is good, but the party comes first!" I completely identify with this mindset!
What else does Spiridon evoke for you?
My dad, of course! It's thanks to him that I knew about Spiridon, but I was unaware of the full scope of this movement. It was much later, after watching "Free to Run," that I truly discovered the history of this magazine, its values, its philosophy.
We have just experienced a very unique year with Covid. How do you see the future of races after the pandemic?
I think things are going to change. Great athletes, like Kilian Jornet, have announced that they will modify their way of running, their schedule... They will fly less, prioritizing local races. I think people will prefer smaller, more nature-oriented races.
Does this eco-responsible concern affect you?
Of course! Living in Annecy already makes me close to nature. So for me, it's normal to be mindful of my environment and have a "responsible" lifestyle. I do my shopping at local markets and very little in supermarkets, I sort, I limit waste, I participate in trail clean-up operations. My house, which I built entirely, is bio-climatic. For me, it's natural, in fact.
I believe that trail runners – at least here in Haute-Savoie – are already very sensitive to these issues. For example, for a long time we've been careful not to throw our cups into nature! I often do the Gruffy trail. The whole organization there is very responsible: there are dry toilets, the after-race meal is cooked without electricity but with wood, local beers are served...
Sébastien, what else do you do besides running?
I spend time with my family and I work! I created a company 6 years ago, To The Fit, which specializes in garment pattern making. We support outdoor brands for ski, running, cycling, and climbing.
That's how we met!
Indeed, for the past year, I've been super happy to work with you and be associated with the beautiful Spiridon adventure, which designs high-quality sportswear with a sustainable approach. My dad was part of a Spiridon Club. It's come full circle!
MEETING WITH FRANCK TUIL
Co-founder, impact entrepreneur* and marathon runner.
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Franck lives between Paris and the Pays d'Othe region, where forests are abundant. He fell in love with the history of Spiridon in 2016 after watching Pierre Morath's magnificent film, Free to Run. Upon leaving the cinema, he thought that this world more than ever needed Spiridon's values, as well as an alternative for properly equipping oneself with ecological materials, recycled in Europe, far from Asia.
In 2019, he delved deeper into the subject, tracing the rights holders from Geneva to Baltimore in the US, and took the plunge in 2020.
He shares this rebirth with all running enthusiasts, as well as with the team and partners. Initially, it involved creating clothing with minimal environmental impact (which should have been the case for all startups for the past 5 years), and later, who knows, an atypical and certainly mobile place for exchange and sharing.
*What is an "impact" entrepreneur? An impact entrepreneur integrates virtuous practices for the environment and social good, for their clients and suppliers, into their activity.
Franck is a member of the Impact France association and En Mode Climat. He is also a consultant for several federations, including the French Furniture Association.
MEETING WITH KAREL MATEJOVSKY
Historical graphic designer and creator of Spiridon's visual universe
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Born in Czechoslovakia in 1942, one of nine children, Karel Matejovsky displayed a dual talent from an early age: drawing and running, a discipline in which he won numerous competitions. In 1969, after completing his studies, he left his native country for Switzerland with a team of runners and settled in Geneva, where he worked as a graphic designer. His meeting with Noël Tamini, founder of Spiridon magazine, allowed him to create, starting in 1972, several drawings for this pioneering running magazine, including the little Spiridon character.
Karel is also behind the logo and the graphic universe of Spiridon, which deeply shaped the identity of the magazine and the brand. This was at a time when runners aspired to free themselves from constraints to simply run in nature, in complete freedom; running was becoming a true revolution. Today, we are proud to collaborate with him and his wonderful family, with whom we regularly exchange.