gentemstick women's project / ARCHI director Sae Isshiki

It was seven years ago, when I returned to Japan from the United States, that I picked up the snowboard again that I had used as a freshman in high school. It started with a trip to Niseko with friends and family, taking the same heavy board I used to use as a teenager. During my stay, by chance I stopped at the GENTEMSTICK demo center, thinking it was a rest area. The staff saw how retro my board was and recommended I demo a board, and I ended up experiencing my first powder board.

My first time using GENTEMSTICK provided a quick response from each moment, and was able to reveal to me the level of my riding skills. It was then I encountered a new dimension of snowboarding, which was on a completely different level than anything I had ever known before, with the novel floating sensation and elegance, and I was immediately drawn to it. Since then, I have been spending my days as the director of the fashion brand ARCHI, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, while also snowboarding often enough during the season that it can be said that snowboarding is at the center of my life.

Although I was born and raised in the city, the pure feeling I had towards nature since I was young has not changed at all. Spending time in nature is free from social oppression and other people's preconceptions. Egos that are separated from nature are easily repelled, and taking responsibility for your own path gives you a sense of limitless freedom.

By spending time in a world without pretense, I am also regaining my true nature physically and mentally. The way we perceive things is already within us. However, in our daily lives, our values ​​sometimes waver. Perhaps through snowboarding I am surrounded by the majestic nature and am able to maintain my true self. Particularly in the backcountry, each step you take is a great way to calm your mind and keep your body centered. In addition, the precious line at the end is like a ritual to restore the wild, and teaches us the importance of living in the present moment.

While I frequently travel to the snowy mountains every winter, I decided to participate in this project as a member of the GENTEMSTICK family and work on the graphics. One of Taro's approaches to manufacturing is to give form to the encounters and experiences he has gained on the pure platinum white canvas. His sharp perspective and broad outlook resonated with my creative approach, which values ​​the interests I have from time to time. For this reason, Taro is out of my league in the mountains, but during the time we spent together, we shared a common sensibility in creating his work, and I felt close to him and felt at ease with him.

The theme is a mineral that represents the existence of universal beauty. Stones are not just stones, they are creations of the earth, like tree roots, shells, and bird feathers. I feel that how important snowboarding can be to integrate with the natural world, so I wanted to create outdoor gear that was inspired by that. Above all, GENTEMSTICK is a pioneer in using tint to make snowboards. The transparent core wood resembles the art of a cross-section of a mineral, so it was easy to imagine that the board would look like a cross-section of a mineral.

This is how this model was born. The dignified mineral color will give you comfort, and it will also be your partner on adventures as you run across the platinum field. Wishing that, I too will look forward to next winter, thinking of the blissful moments of turning on untracked powder and pristine groomers.