“Somewhere between a dinner plate and a Tesla.” That is how Niels Schack describes the Blossom, a new board that dons his name alongside Burton’s, while on Facetime outside his art studio in Geneva, Switzerland. For many, it would seem like a pretty big leap between those two objects, but talking to the Frenchman, it all makes sense. A topsheet that resembles porcelain— delicate, but durable enough to withstand everyday use. On the car front, clean lines, a quiet shape, and an energetic base that does not run on gas. Check.
This new twin camber board in Burton’s line was Niels’ answer to high performance in a humble package, which is a pretty solid description of its creator as well. “The Custom has everything you need, but it is for people that want a stiff board,” he says. “The Blossom is light, responsive, aggressive…yet soft. You can’t see it.” But what we have seen is the board under the feet of many of his teammates, including Brock Crouch, Zoi Sadowski- Synnott, Luke Winkelmann, and most recently, Zeb Powell. On his shared pro model, Niels says, “It’s an honor to make a board that others will ride. I was always considering them with the storytelling side of the graphics.”
And that brings us right back to cars. “It’s a board for everyone. Gender neutral. Genuine,” Niels explains. “It’s not easy to find a snowboard for everyone. That’s why I liked thinking in the car perspective. Is it a man’s car or woman’s car? Depends who’s driving. It has no identity. It hasn’t been gendered. We just had the luxury to make something beautiful with help from both men and women designers.”
Inspiration for the Burton Blossom was found in galleries and libraries from Burlington, Vermont to Paris, France, which may seem directionless, but the board is a twin. And Niels likes it that way. Just like the butterflies that adorn the board, Schack has always bounced around: learning to snowboard in Iran, getting sponsored by Burton in France, and then going to university in Montreal before winding up in his current place between Paris and Geneva. Niels is one of the most colorful talents in snowboarding and it is wonderful to see him get his flowers. He has put in the work, and after filming parts with the Pirate Crew, creating projects like Loose Change and WOP SOLO, and having standout clips in Burton’s One World, his on-screen performances are becoming perennial. At the same time Niels was breaking into the international snowboard scene, he was finishing up a degree in geography and computer arts, adding another dimension to his multi-faceted perspective. Pair this with an impressive painting portfolio and pieces in shows all over the world, and you really start to see the whole picture. And now, all of this has grown together into something tangible that we can all ride, the Blossom.
Check out the Burton Blossom on www.burton.com.
