How Laurent De Martin is Shaping the Future of ZAG Skis

All Images : François Marclay | Skier : Laurent De Martin

Over the last decade, the rise of ZAG skis has been undeniable. The innovative company has been designing intriguing ski shapes in Chamonix for years, and since bursting into the North American market in the aftermath of 2020, it's become a true global player in the wide world of skiing.

Still, the next chapter just might be their most exciting one yet. And to lead the charge, ZAG has enlisted the help of a true freeski innovator—Laurent De Martin. The Swiss native has recently parted ways with his prior endeavour, Simply. Recreation Club. Founded in 2023, Simply.RC curated an aesthetic fueled by refinement and defined by sleek design that emphasized enjoyment and art over raw power or performance.

But times change, interests wane, and this summer, LDM announced he had opted to hand over the company and turn to the horizon. Weeks later, he had joined ZAG as an athlete and creative director. So what did he learn from helping design three distinct skis, building a company, weathering an uncertain global economy and making his own films with close friends? As it turns out, quite a lot.

FREESKIER caught up with our Swiss compadre to get the inside scoop on what the future looks like at ZAG, his favorite projects from Simply.RC, what remains unchecked on his creative bucket list and more.

FREESKIER: Thanks for talking, Laurent. I want to start with the obvious. Was it hard to walk away from Simply.RC after building the company? Does the excitement of a new chapter outweigh the nostalgia? 

LDM: It’s hard to walk away from a project you’ve put so much time and energy into, especially when you had big dreams. But I had to find a balance between that vision and the reality of the situation. It was a tough decision, but it was the right one. Simply brought back my passion for skiing and reignited my drive to create. It got to a point where I felt like I could lose all of that because of the challenges I was facing and the overall stress.

To answer your question, no, I don’t feel nostalgic. I’m super proud of everything we did over the last three years. The whole experience taught me so much, and now I have a clear idea of what I want and what I don’t want anymore. It's now been a couple of months since I stepped away, and I can honestly say I’m happy, relieved and so, so excited about the new projects ahead. Most of all, I'm stoked to ski again without such a weight on my shoulders.

You accomplished a lot at Simply. Of the skis and films you created there, do you have favorites? 

For the movies we made, I love them all in different ways. They were each expressions of what the crew and I were experiencing at the time. I evolved so much as a rider and filmmaker over those three years, changing with each project. But if I had to pick, I would say "Inefficient Joy" is where we pushed things the furthest in terms of both cinematography and skiing.

Jackson Lana and Jules Guarneri were fantastic to work with and added so much. It was also the first time I added a narrative to a film, which opened up a whole new world of storytelling for me. It might be the only movie or part I’ve made that I felt genuinely proud to watch when I had the chance to see it in a cinema at film festivals.

As for skis, I have to pick The Recreation as my favorite, because it was the first one we made. Those skis and the whole project around them made me fall in love with skiing again. It was so much fun testing and riding those skis with all my friends, seeing everyone from pro riders like Sampo Vallotton to local faces enjoying it.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned throughout the process of creating a brand from the ground up?

To trust myself more, both in my riding and beyond. In hindsight, I was always doubting myself in many aspects of life. Simply gave me the chance to try things, push myself, make decisions and trust my abilities. Realizing that you’re capable of doing things you never thought you could is an amazing feeling. Obviously, the love and support from everybody helped so much along the way.

What specifically brought you to ZAG over other brands? How long had you heard the brand's name, and what was your impression?

When I decided I wanted to step away from Simply, I knew I wanted to focus on skiing and creating movies. I loved taking care of a brand, but those were still the things I knew I should prioritize. To do that, I needed a new ski partner. That said, I still wanted to have a special role within a brand, be part of the R&D process and the art direction; I wanted to have a position where I could have real impact.

I didn’t want to carry the business challenges on my own anymore, but I still wanted to be involved. On top of all that, I value having real, personal connections with the people behind a brand. So when an opportunity at ZAG popped up, with their headquarters being just 50 minutes from my house, I thought I'd investigate.

I already knew many of the people at ZAG, especially Flo Bastien, as we skied together with Gpsy Feelin back in the day. I’ve known [about ZAG] for a long time. It’s a company that's always been on the map around the Alps. But I really noticed that they were going in a new direction about a year and a half ago. You could see things were changing, and bringing in Flo and other new team members really gave me the confidence to go in that direction.

A warm-weather ski test this summer with LDM on a new ZAG prototype, high in the Alps

Speaking of the ZAG team, Julien Régnier is a key piece there, and a legend in the world of shaping skis. Was that a motivating factor for you to come work with them? 

Of course, it was a huge plus. After having the chance to create my own skis with Simply, I realized how intricate the tools you have under your feet are. It would have been a passion killer to go back to skiing on skis I don’t like.

As you said, Julien is a legend and a passionate skier , and I knew I could trust him. He rides the skis himself and really understands different visions of skiing. And obviously, I’m super excited to work with him, learn from his experience, and hopefully develop more skis together.

What is your favorite part about designing a ski?

I wouldn’t call myself a shaper in any true sense. I’m more into testing, recording and knowing what I like and what I want. So naturally, my favorite part is the first day trying out a new ski! When a pair of skis gives you new feelings and sensations, and you know what went into them and how the materials translate to what you're experiencing, it's an insane moment.

With that in mind, what's the best ZAG ski you've tested so far?

Ah, the new one that's coming soon. I can't speak much on it right now, but keep an eye out this winter.

You're releasing a new project this fall, "Rêverie," a short film set across Japan and Switzerland, shot entirely on 16 mm film. You'd said you had minimal plans heading into last year, and made each choice on the fly. Is it hard to make a movie when you don’t know where your season is going? Does it free up the direction?

It wasn’t hard, because we had no idea we were making one [ laughs ]. We just kept filming. When we decided to make a movie, it was super chill, as we had no real obligations or expectations. The only real pressure came from ourselves, wanting to create something we’d be proud to show. I’m lucky to have such an insane team of creative friends, like Jules [Guarneri], François Marclay, Lionel Moerch, and Tyndall Wells. I know I can trust everyone around me. I’m also lucky to have so much freedom in my projects.

Shooting on 16mm comes with some limitations, mainly the limited number of rolls and the physical difficulties of using that medium. We filmed around 12 days in total for the whole project, compared to 55 days for "Inefficient Joy." So "Rêverie" required a different level of ambition, you could say.

All of that naturally gave us freedom when editing the movie. We knew we wanted to try something with a documentary feel, but we didn’t really know where we were going until we sat down in front of the computer. When it comes to editing, Jules and I work best like that. Side note: Jules and I created Awone Films almost 20 years ago and made some of our first ski movies together. One of those films was called "Je Vais au Rêve," and now, almost 15 years later, we’ve made "Rêverie!"

In your ‘Welcome to the Team’ interview with ZAG, you mention finding joy in simplistic skiing; making the most out of what you have, so to speak.

These days, I really don’t need much to be happy on the hill. I mean, just think how lucky we are to be able to ski, even on an icy slope. So many people don’t have that chance. It’s so easy to always want more: better snow, better conditions, bigger mountains, and sometimes we forget how lucky we already are just to be out there.

But it’s an idea that's been growing stronger in my mind for years. When it comes to nature, going for walks, spending time outside and all that, I feel like I naturally find happiness in those simple things. I guess I’m just trying to bring a bit more of that feeling into the rest of my life.

Your first video project with ZAG, which will be out soon, seems to follow that ideal.

Yeah, I'm excited to share that one. It's based on an idea I've had in mind for a while. We climbed up to a patch of snow that sticks around late into the summer. Luckily, it's only about a two-hour walk to get there. It's a giant cornice, perfect to lap and surf. It created a fantastic aesthetic to shoot there, and it perfectly encompasses the thought that you can have so much fun with simple circumstances.

Do you incorporate that contentment into your daily life? Maybe a better way of asking that question is: how do you use skiing to help you navigate the world at large?

Yes. The most valuable part of skiing is that it gives us those moments where we can disconnect from everything, be fully present, work towards a goal and enjoy what we’re doing, even if it’s only for a few hours. I don't like to view skiing as an escape. Rather, I think it gives us frameworks by which we can live other parts of our lives. Hard work, presence, knowing who you are and what you like; all of those things have tangible benefits.

But I don't want to sound naive. I try to be very attentive to everything happening around the world, maybe too much sometimes. We all deal with the impossible balance of staying informed and aware while protecting ourselves from too much negativity. I’m also a part of some of these problems, specifically when it comes to the environmental impact of my lifestyle. Flying around the world and encouraging people to buy new stuff has negative components.

It's a very nuanced discussion, but yes, I think skiing teaches so many lessons that can help us navigate life. Personally, it makes me want to use my platform to inspire people to create, to chase what's meaningful to them, to give thanks for what we have and to give back whenever and wherever possible.

Well said. Speaking of inspiration, take us out with one skier and one filmer everyone should be watching.

The younger generation! Toby Rafford and Cole Richardson have really caught my eye with their skiing. Both are so unique and recognizable in their styles. For filmmakers, the first name that comes to mind is Brady Perron . Everything he's worked on just gets better and better.

And I have to give a big shoutout to Lionel Moerch, who filmed the whole "Rêverie" movie except for Japan. We grew up together, but this was the first time I got to create something with him. I’m so happy with what we filmed.

Questions like this always make me appreciate how many creative minds we have in skiing these days. It's a privilege to be inspired and surrounded by great people, and I can't wait to continue that at ZAG.

It's not about how much snow you've got; it's about how you use it