Series 【 Parisian 6 years of shop-hopping...] Vol.3_DISTANCE

In the Corona disaster, going abroad has become a distant thing in itself. However, when you can't go abroad, it is human nature to want to go even more. Don't you all want to travel abroad very badly now? So, until that day arrives, I think it is the role of the media to provide you with a variety of information about the other side of the ocean. So, here is the third installment of the Series by Shumpei Seki, who is active in Paris.

Photo&Text_Jumpei Seki

Shohei Seki
FASHION IMPROVER
Born in Tokyo in 1979. Based in Paris, he works as a Fashion Improver to enhance the value of various companies in Japan and abroad. His work ranges from directing stores and brands to managing joint exhibitions and other events. In October 2019, he will open his own select store "PARKS Paris" in the 16th arrondissement, one of the most exclusive areas in Paris.
Instagram:sekijumpei

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Vol.3_DISTANCE

My name is Seki from Fashion Improver, and I've been living in France for almost 6 years since I suddenly moved here in my mid-30's. I'm not fluent in French, but I'm having a good time every day. I'm a middle-aged man who loves fashion, and I'm enjoying my life in Paris. In this project, I would like to introduce some of the wonderful stores that this middle-aged fashion lover has encountered in Paris, along with the people who are involved with them. I hope to share with you the charm of Paris as I, Seki, a HOUYHNHNM's reader like you, have seen it.

Well, well, well, well, this is the third installment of the "Running Store," a concept store specializing in sports, especially running.DISTANCE".

By the way, are you guys running? I have been on and off running for the past year or so, but I took this interview as an opportunity to start running again.

As a clothing lover, I want to start with running clothes and shoes, and I think it would be valuable to have a store that would encourage people to start running.

I usually interview only one person, but this time I was able to get two people to come out, so I will ask co-owners Guillaume and Xavier about their store and their orchids.

Guillaume Pontier
Born in Lyon. He started running under the influence of his father, who was the French national coach for marathons. After working as an optician, he started "Distance" in Lyon in 2018.

Xavier Tahar
Like Guillaume, she is originally from Lyon, where she moved from the IT industry to join the launch of "Distance". She is mainly in charge of digital marketing.

Left: Guillaume, Right: Xavier

Bonjour, Guillaume!

Guillaume: Nice to meet you today.

Let's start with Guillaume. What were you doing before you started Distance?

Guillaume: I originally worked at an optician in Lyon for 10 years. I worked for many Japanese brands such as EYEVAN and KANEKO GOGANS.

Were you interested in the eyeglasses industry in the first place?

Guillaume: I studied sports physical therapy in college, and then I also studied to be an optician before I started working in an optician's store.

I see. I guess we have something in common when it comes to the body. Have you always played sports?

Guillaume: I started running marathons seriously when I was in junior high school because my father was the coach of the French national marathon team. I have always loved running.

Your father is the national director, that's an amazing environment. So you worked in an optician's store before coming to Paris and opening "Distance"?

Guillaume: No, the first Distance opened in Lyon, in April 2018.

I see. So Paris was the second store.

Guillaume: Yes, the Paris store was opened a year later.

May I ask about the concept of "Distance"?

Guillaume: "Fusion of running and fashion. I think there have been stores that specialize in running before, but I started this store to express that in a new way. Customers who see the store may think it is a fashion store, but we think of it as a running-oriented store. As proof of this, we sell only running gear. I understand that it looks like a fashion store because the designs are all great.

Why did you choose this location?

Guillaume：When we decided to open a store in Paris, we looked at various places, and it was important that this area (the Marais, an area with many stores) be centrally located, easily accessible, and accessible to many people. It is also a convenient location for tourists. It's been two years since we opened, and I think we made the right choice.

This street has a nice open view. Next door is a nice bookstore (Yvon LambertThere's also a gallery next door that I rented during fashion week. The gallery I rented during Fashion Week was next door, and that's how I discovered Distance. One of the staff working there was Lionel, whom I had known for a long time.

Guillaume: At that time, Lionel was mainly looking after the store, and I was living in Lyon and coming to Paris frequently.

How is life in Paris?

Guillaume: Of course, I like it.

Which do you like better, Lyon or Lyon?

Guillaume: I was born and raised in Lyon and have many friends there, but I also really like Paris.

〜Xavier, the other owner of the company, appeared here.

Xavier is on the right.

Xavier: Bonjour.

Bonjour! Nice to meet you! Xavier is from Lyon too, right?

Xavier: Yes, that's right. All the members of "Distance" are from Lyon.

How many people are on the team?

Xavier: There are five of us.

So you are all from Lyon? Interesting.

Guillaume: Our headquarters is in Lyon, but some members live in Lyon and others live in Paris like us.

Why do you only have members from Lyon?

Guillaume：For example, I met Xavier through a friend of mine, Lionel at a marathon race, and some of the other members are old friends or were introduced by them. We are like a mafia, if I may say so (laugh).

Indeed. You are a running mafia (laughs). By the way, did you open a store in Paris because of the success of "Distance" in Lyon? Or did you have a plan to open a shop in Paris from the beginning?

Guillaume: We had the idea of opening a store in Paris from the beginning, and we started in our hometown of Lyon as a test. So our plans were simultaneous.

Are runners basically the only customers who come to the store?

Guillaume: Yes, that's right. Sometimes they stop by on their way to run, and most of them come here for running gear. But during fashion week, for example, we have customers who come to buy Salomon shoes, and we also have a few customers who are not interested in running.

Since Corona, the number of foreign customers has decreased, hasn't it?

Guillaume: Yes, but many runners use several different running shoes. They may run on asphalt, track, or trails, and each shoe is suited for a different purpose.

Is there a regular running event organized by "Distance"?

Guillaume: Yes, we used to do it every month before Corona, but now it's a bit difficult.

That's right.

Guillaume: Recently, I've been working with [Joon].PaperboyI worked with ≪ and collaborated on gear and sandwiches, but originally I was planning a monthly event that would turn stores of various trades in Paris into the goal of the run. It's an event where many different cultures intersect.

That sounds interesting!

Guillaume: In addition to the restaurant, I had plans for a stationery store and a store selling vintage cars.

I'd like to join in too if they reopen after Corona. By the way, do you two have a favorite running course?

Guillaume: I think I'm in the forest of Vincennes.

I like it. I sometimes ride in the Boulogne Forest (Vincennes Forest is in the eastern part of Paris and Boulogne Forest is in the western part of Paris), which is on the opposite side of the city, so it is nice to ride in the forest.

Guillaume: Also, running in the woods is easier on the legs.

What about Xavier?

Xavier: The course runs along the Seine River and goes to the Eiffel Tower and back, so it's roughly 10 km.

That sounds like a great course for tourists. Do you two run every day?

Guillaume: No, no, I don't run every day. Roughly four or five days a week.

I know it's a lot for me (laughs), but do you do any other sports besides running?

Guillaume: Right now I just run. I used to ride my bike every day when I lived in Lyon.

Xavier: I play soccer, and like Guillaume, I used to ride my bike every day when I was in Lyon.

So you were biking to work. The roads in Lyon seem easier to ride than those in Paris. Let's talk a little more about the store. Which items are the most popular at Distance?

Guillaume: Socks with the "Distance" logo, in three colors, but they are sold out now. New socks are coming in soon.

What else?

Guillaume: NIKE's "Alpha Fly" is selling very well. As for brands, HOKA ONE ONE's sneakers are also selling well, regardless of the model. A lot of people seem to think that HOKA ONE ONE is a Japanese brand. Maybe it's because of the sound of the name.

That's true. I also thought the name sounded a bit Japanese. Do you carry Japanese brands?

Guillaume：Of course, there is "ASICS," but I don't know of any others. Do you know any good Japanese brands?

Yes, that's right. I don't know much about it myself, but I'll try to find a good brand. You mentioned socks earlier, but what kind of original items does "Distance" have?

Guillaume: In addition to T-shirts, there are drink bottles made in collaboration with SIGG and Nike, and pasta.

Hmm? Pasta?

Guillaume: This is it.

What? You make pasta too? (Laughs)

Xavier: It's "distance" pasta (laughs).

Guillaume: We have a pasta party before the race. It's a good balance of nutrients and provides effective energy during the race.

I think I've heard something about pasta before the marathon, but to even make an original with it is amazing.

Guillaume: I also make yoga mats. My goal is to create a "distance" brand in the future. But for now, T-shirts and socks are the most popular.

Have you ever been to Japan?

Guillaume: I went to Tokyo once for a glasses exhibition, it was only for a week, but it was a lot of fun.

What about Xavier?

Xavier: The company I used to work for had business with a Japanese company, so I've been there a few times. Have you heard of Daikin?

You mean like air-conditioning? Of course I know that!

Xavier: I was in both Tokyo and Osaka on business.

You seem to know a lot about Japan. What kind of image do you have of Japan?

Xavier: State of the art.

Guillaume: I get the impression that there is a great attention to detail.

Do you think you would like to open a "Distance" restaurant in Tokyo?

Guillaume&Xavier: Of course!

Guillaume: Before Corona started, we were thinking of expanding in NY and Tokyo, but now that we are in this situation, it would be nice if we could make it happen in 2023 or 2024.

Is there anything else you would like to do in the future?

Xavier: We don't intend to grow big by adding a lot of "distinctions" through franchising, etc. We just want to open one in a major city. However, we would like to open one in each major city.

Guillaume：We already have stores in Lyon and Paris, so Tokyo, NY, LA, and Denmark would be nice. 6 to 8 stores would be my goal. I would also like to distribute the original Distance brand to a limited number of stores. I would also like to collaborate with each store.

Xavier: But I don't want to be mainstream.

Guillaume: It's a situation like this, and I hope we can make progress little by little.

What has changed the most since Corona?

Guillaume: We have become more digitally oriented. The "Distance" website has also undergone a major redesign.

Xavier: It's a difficult situation, but we're not giving up, and the whole team is working together to find a better way.

Guillaume: Yes, Corona is not a good thing, but maybe the good side is that it has made us all talk more and find new ways to do things.

Are more and more people going for a run after Corona?

Guillaume: Yes, I think so. A lot of people are running now. And since Corona, the only thing we can do is outdoor sports.

Last question. Which sneaker is your favorite?

Guillaume: Does that mean a brand? Or a model?

I'd love to hear what your favorite model is.

Guillaume: There are so many. It's hard to say. For running?

Yes, let's do that.

The rightmost one is "Nova Blast".

Xavier：I'm thinking of the "NOVABLAST" model by ASICS. SLAM JAM in Italy has specially ordered some colors, which are also good. They look good, but they also have great functionality for running.

Guillaume: I'm wearing Nike's PEGASUS. It's a running shoe with a long history, and it's still loved by many people today as it's been updated.

I've been wanting a new pair of running shoes after listening to your story. I'll be back next time I'm shopping. Thank you for sharing so much with us today!

~ After completing the interview...

A concept store that makes you want to run

The people I meet (or rather, would like to talk to) through this Series have one thing in common: they are generous in their passion for what they love, hardworking, and seem to enjoy their work very much.

I think that because they specialize in "running," a sport that can be done with minimal equipment, they are able to make unique proposals that include fashion as well. I felt that this store is not only a place where people who love running gather, but also a meaningful place that can help people become interested in running through this place.

I was surprised by the "distance" pasta, but after listening to the story, I thought it was an original item that made sense. In fact, after the interview, I tried this pasta and it was very tasty, like udon noodles with a firm texture.

Now, in the next issue, we will introduce you to some of the leading vintage shops in Paris. We also hope to sneak into a secret appointment-only showroom. Please look forward to it!