Interview with Kilian Jornet: "I don't think about my retirement, I can run and be with other things"

Kilian Jornet admits that he has been a shoemaker for a few months. "Well, cut and paste at home, but in the end I just mess around. I am lucky to have a team that knows...

News Kilian Jornet creates a new brand together with Camper: the adventure of a 'Spanish Air Jordan'

Kilian Jornet

admits

that he has been a shoemaker for a few months.

"Well, I cut and paste at home, but in the end I just do fudge. I'm lucky to have a team that knows how to translate my ideas into prototypes. It's small, less than 10 people, but I've been very surprised. We've done two or three rounds of prototypes, depending on the model, and I am very satisfied. Now we are quite clear about what it is going to be, everything is quite finished, "he discovers EL MUNDO by videoconference from his home in Norway about his new adventure, Nnormal.

The best mountain runner of all time embarks on the adventure of creating his own sports brand together with the Spanish shoemaker Camper.

A kind of 'Air Jordan' focused on environmentalism that he started with a talk.

Where does the idea of Nnormal come from? It was a coincidence, although somewhat sought after.

I have always had the concern to develop material, I was already involved with the brands that sponsored me, and in Camper, the

Fluxà family

, the owners, had been thinking of launching into the outdoor world for some time.

A mutual friend put us in touch and when I met them in Mallorca, we talked and we saw that we were in the same direction on an environmental and social level.

It will have been difficult to become an executive. We want to do things differently, not have such marked roles.

All the founders, both Camper and myself, are on the Board to agree on decisions, but I spend many hours with the material team, for example.

The economic part is important because if you want to do things differently, if you want your workers to be well, if you want to have responsible suppliers, you have to generate wealth, but that is carried out by the Camper team.

Then there is the part of being the image of the brand that, thanks to video calls,

to social networks since I can be at home in Norway, it becomes much more interesting.

I know very well what my capabilities are and that there are things I can't do because I'm going to go crazy.

They explain that in Nnormal there will be no collections, that everything will be unisex, that they want their products to last for years, that they will not follow trends.

What else can be done in this search for sustainability?

Innovate.

Until now, research has focused on performance, on materials to go faster and lighter, but much remains to be done in terms of sustainability.

We do not want to impose that our products are 100% recyclable, for example, because we want them to be functional, affordable and durable.

For each product, be it shoes, clothing or accessories, we will explain why we believe it is the best for the planet.

Does the creation of this brand have to do with a more or less close withdrawal of yours?

Nerd.

Obviously this project is not just a sponsorship, my involvement is greater and will be for many years, but I am no longer thinking about my retirement and what I will do when I retire.

I continue to enjoy the races, the adventures and I realize that it is possible to do different things at the same time. After three years away from the race, he has announced that he will run several of the best in the world, Zegama, Hardrock, Sierre Zinal and the largest, the UTMB.

Is it some kind of Nnormal presentation tour? It's a coincidence, but it will be perfect.

With

but I am no longer thinking about my retirement and what I will do when I retire.

Is it some kind of Nnormal presentation tour? It's a coincidence, but it will be perfect.

With

but I am no longer thinking about my retirement and what I will do when I retire.

Is it some kind of Nnormal presentation tour? It's a coincidence, but it will be perfect.

With

Emelie [Forsberg

, his wife, also a runner] we were studying what to do this year and, as the travel restrictions are, we decided not to do any expeditions and focus on competing.

We will go to the United States, to Hardrock, and the rest will be here in Europe.

The idea is to run with Nnormal shoes, but it was something not wanted.

Is there an expedition planned in the future?

Will you go back to Everest? I have many ideas and with Emelie we also want to go on an expedition soon.

Next year we will almost certainly return to the Himalayas, but we have not yet decided among all the interesting things to do.

We'll see. Until now for those adventures she had the help of her sponsor, Salomon.

I understand that NNormal won't produce such specific material yet. It won't, no.

We will come out with a range of trail running products and the idea is to get material for any outdoor activity but for now we will not go into the technical aspects, skis, ice axes... Anyway, there is no problem.

When I need something, I'll do like everyone else, I'll go to the store and buy what I think is best.

A year and a half ago, he created his own Foundation to protect the mountains.

Will it be related to your new brand?

We are working so that Nnormal has high certificates and one of the things in which it will be in the '1% for the planet' that forces companies to allocate 1% of their income to environmental projects.