“Simply for the sake of beauty.” The essence of a brand that sees in snowboarding not a practical act aimed at performance alone, but a nuanced artistic muse, is inherent in the Korua Shapes manifesto. A brand born in Switzerland and nurtured by Japan, which in the lines and aesthetics of each board expresses its philosophical research, sharing it with professionals and connoisseurs from all over the world. In the case of photographer, designer and creative director Aaron Schwartz, ‘for the sake of beauty’ becomes a state of mind, shaped well before his landing in the sublime Korua creative machine. It is a root that has taken root in the Swiss and Canadian mountains. It is a flow of inspirations, friendships, and snowboarding that began in the lonely alpine wonderland, continued in the chaotic subcultures of Vancouver, and then returned to the country where everything is neutral except the connection to the powder.

His path appears to be that of a long, fascinating ride divided between spots that are as significant as they are formative. In the testimony of this multifaceted creative, design, photography and snowboarding turn out to be supporting pillars that, over the course of a career molded between the New and Old Worlds, have led Schwartz’s perspectives to impact contemporary snow culture and aesthetics, fueling the distinctive status, and even more distinctive imagery, of Korua Shapes.  We chatted with him, reconstructing the stages of this board-inspired ride.

MOUNTAIN TOWNS, MOUNTAIN CULTURES

“I was quite young when I moved to Switzerland from Canada. I spent my early childhood in Vancouver, and the following decade in a small village not far from where I live today. Growing up here was very different—there were far less people, and it was nothing like Vancouver’s multicultural, bustling atmosphere. However, both places share a similar essence—mountains and woods everywhere. My mother was a skier and taught us from an early age. Skiing first, and later snowboarding were central to our family life in Canada and Switzerland. When I was 16, I moved back to Vancouver to finish high school and attend art school. I experienced the city’s energy, and immersed myself in the urban environment of skateboarding and punk rock… Switzerland and Canada became two complementary parts of me. In Vancouver I formed a tighter bond to snowboarding culture as a shop kid at North Shore Ski & Board, riding the local mountain after school and / or work in the evenings, and frequenting Whistler as often as possible on my days off. Or by skipping school.”

A GRAPHIC BILDUNGSROMAN

“As a child, I loved coloring and was a big fan of video games and cartoons. My classmates and I often drew characters together, taking inspiration from games like Mortal Kombat. Though the graphics were pretty gruesome, I found that imagery fascinating. This carried into my teenage years, when I started imitating skate and snowboard graphics in my sketchbooks, and diving further into punk and metal music and their album art works. I also had a really supportive art teacher, Mrs. Gavel, who encouraged me to pursue my interest. She introduced me to a local brand, Endeavor Snowboards, and pointed out how companies like that needed graphic designers who could blend creativity with a deep understanding of the sport.”

OF VISUAL AWARENESS AND INFLUENCES

“During my teenage years, I picked up my first digital camera—a Nikon from my friend’s father. In my circle of friends many had an interest for photography. We started documenting everything, bringing our cameras to every all-age punk show, to the skatepark, and wherever we hung around, capturing whatever was happening around us. While I truly loved skate and snowboarding, I wasn’t as talented as others, and thus focused on capturing my friends’ skills instead. Shooting them felt natural, I loved portraying those moments. On a photographic level, I learned a lot from the people around me. While I was studying fine art and graphic design, some friends pursued academic studies in photography and shared what they learned with me. What started as a hobby became crucial to my life and work. In retrospect, it was an essential factor in my journey with Korua Shapes and in discovering what I truly wanted to do in snowboarding.

My friends Eric Thompson and Elle Violet were two major influences during this period. Eric and I went to high school together, and he introduced me to an observational style that embraced natural light and a candid street approach. Elle, who recently directed Neon Noir—a Korua film screened at the ONA Short Film Festival—was also a big influence. We worked together at North Shore Ski & Board in Vancouver while she studied at UBC and was already then on her way to becoming a professional skier. Elle encouraged me to bring my camera to the mountains, and soon I started capturing our missions to Whistler more frequently. More recently, a big inspiration has been Thomas Stöckli, a snowboarder, Korua ambassador and photographer. From his formative years as a prominent snowboard photographer in Europe to his fine art and commercial work, I’ve always admired and been inspired by his aesthetic compositions and clean, timeless style.”

KORUA SHAPES AND THE CREATIVE EPIPHANY

“After my years in Canada, I returned to Switzerland, living in Zurich for a while, hoping to find my path in the creative side of snowboarding. I was in my mid-twenties and ended up working for a specialty store in Switzerland, which was a very different experience. The higher salary and better currency than in Canada allowed me to focus on my aspirations without constant financial worries. Once I moved to Laax in 2012 I slowly integrated in the local community at the heart of the European snowboard scene, and was fortunate enough to meet the right people at the right time—like Nicholas Wolken, the co-founder of Korua Shapes. That was about ten years ago, which in hindsight truly feels like a “ta-da!” moment.

Back then, the snowboard industry wasn’t in great shape; many brands were collapsing, and the energy was flat. Despite the bleak outlook of the industry, Korua came to fruition by taking the risk to experiment and push boundaries creatively – risk that has proven to be worthwhile! Social media becoming more and more a driving force in marketing and reaching a global audience quickly and effectively, something we harnessed and took advantage of. But contrary to the over-saturation and influx of content, we used these platforms to more carefully curate our brand image through photography and short films in a more reserved and reduced manner.

SNOWBOARDING IS AN ESSENTIAL ART

“I believe Korua Shapes has always been about bringing snowboarding back to its purest form. This philosophy influences every aspect of the brand—from the business side to the creative, visual, and aesthetic approach. Since day one, Korua has portrayed snowboarding as accessible to everyone, not unattainable or overly complicated. Sure, tricks, spins, big airtime, and steep alpine descents are exciting, but what Korua represents and embodies is the simple beauty and joy of just turning your snowboard. The focus of the brand is also set more on the shape of our boards rather than graphics, with innovation and design at the forefront of our product development, excluding any distractions for our customer. This detaches us from a traditional sales cycle, allows for carry-over products, less consumption, no close-out sales to get rid of stock, more longevity of product, and also more intentional buying in the market.

This minimalist approach also extends to our video production. When we create a film, our goal is to connect with the viewer on an emotional level, inspiring them to go out and recreate the experience for themselves. We want viewers to imagine themselves in the same situation they’re seeing on screen. The same goes for our photography. I try my best to capture movement and motion, authentic snowboarding in the moment mostly shooting on the go / from the hip without much staged or preconceived scenes. This also allows me to actually snowboard a lot more myself as well.”

TIME DOESN’T EXTINGUISH THE SPARK, IT FUELS IT

“Sometimes it’s conflicting, because I just want to have fun, but I also need to bring my equipment and capture the moments around me. But honestly, nothing we do ever really feels like a formal photoshoot—it feels like I’m just going out and riding with a camera in hand. There’s always time to have fun between shots, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

I think the first real milestone ahead is the book documenting ’10 Years Of Turning’ of Korua as a brand, and my tenure as their staff photographer. I’ve been affiliated with the brand in one way or another for the past decade. When I can finally flip through those pages, it’ll all feel more real, more tangible—like I’ve genuinely contributed to snowboard culture. I’m also fortunate to have great people around me, like Jerry Niedermeier, Korua’s co-founder and manager. He’s been building boards for 30 years, and his approach as an engineer-creator is unmatched. Thanks to him and others at Korua, I’ve never lost my passion and spark for snowboarding. That spark is still alive in my heart and mind, and I hope it stays that way for a long time.”

EVOLUTION AS COSMOPOLITAN TRAVEL

“A big part of what I do involves traveling, meeting people, and experiencing different cultures. Many of the snowboarders I’ve been lucky to collaborate with have an artistic streak. When we combine that with the visions of filmmakers and other creatives, it makes our visual output a real team effort, a collaborative process. In the beginning we were just a small group of friends in Switzerland. Then we started having ambassadors in Japan, North America, and other parts of the world. This led to more frequent travel. Leaving the Alps and Switzerland always feels a bit strange, but it’s one of my favorite parts of the job. It allows me to gain new insights, forge new connections, and expand both Korua’s network and presence globally.”

AROUND THE BOARD EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME, CHANGING

“It’s funny to think about where I am now professionally, because this is exactly what I dreamed of when I was a teenager. I worked hard, and it took time to get here, but I feel incredibly fortunate to see Korua Shapes succeed while still remaining a niche brand. Being part of it is amazing, and I attribute a lot of the fulfillment of my dream of working creatively in snowboarding to Korua and the people behind it. I’m really lucky to be doing what I’ve always dreamed of.

I’ve experienced phases of creative doubt over the years, but my love for snowboarding has never wavered. Every time I get on the board, I feel that same rush of emotions I had as a kid. I’m still in love with this art of movement. And I know I’m lucky—really lucky—to spend my winters on the board.”