By Julie Nieuwenhuys
Simon Jacomet is the passionate and charismatic owner of Zai, a ski factory in the center of Disentis. The view of the mountain undeniably provides the necessary inspiration. The elegant skis are made from predominantly natural and sustainable materials that last for years. Appropriately, “zai” means “tough” in Rhaeto-Romanic, the dialect spoken in Disentis. The top sheets are made of leather, wood, natural rubber, treated felt, and even stone.
As beautiful as the skis are design-wise, Simon assures us that the functionality of the ski is really what it’s all about: “Zai is about reduction to the essential in the quest for natural balance. Form follows function. A zai ski is a quiet statement of individuality and control. It does not require bright logos and graphics. Good design speaks for itself.” Evidently he is the chief tester, which means he can be found on the piste on any given day, testing out his latest pair of Bentleys, for example. That would be a Bentley ski, not car. Working as partners, Zai and Bentley Motors have designed an entirely new prototype that uses a piece of stone from the Gotthard Massif. We are in no hurry to leave after the tour and as we are browsing around, I observe Simon re-greasing a leather top sheet for the “Bally” ski, which is made from the same leather as the famous Swiss footwear of the same name. The way he polishes each spot with such care and patience, it is obvious that this craftsman is clearly in his element.
Did you know that….
– it takes Zai 5,5 hours to make a pair of ski’s from scratch?
– last season more than 800 pairs have been produced?
– the Bentley ski is much cheaper than his 4 wheeled big brother, costing 8200 EUR?
– the cheapest model can be yours for 2700 EUR?
If you happen to have that sitting around why not pick up a pair from www.zai.ch.
