To mark its release, Services Généraux hosted a watch party in New York on February 17 at Public Records, as well as a screening on February 26 at Espace Commines in Paris.
What is your ideal office?
This is tough, but I can tell you a shared space around other people will probably never be my thing. I like being around other people, but my productivity is shot; I don't get anything done. If I'm isolated with no one around, it's magic.
Is a shower a spiritual experience?
Yeah, for sure. If you make the time for it and are fortunate enough to let the water run a little longer than needed, showering is awesome. Not sure if it’s spiritual, but they do allow you to connect to parts of yourself that otherwise tend to be difficult to access. There’s neuroscience behind it too. Studies have shown that being under water, especially in repetitive and isolated environments like showers, can activate the brain’s “Default Mode Network,” which is associated with daydreaming, memory connection, imagination, and creative insight. Your brain relaxes, external noise disappears, and new ideas tend to surface more easily.
It’s kind of a forced meditative space. It’s also probably one of the last sacred places where phones can’t really bother us. Oddly enough, the idea for GOSHI and bringing our first product to life actually dawned on me in the shower.
Who was your very first crush?
This sucks, but this weird cat puppet thing from a morning kids show in the late 80's called Dumbo’s Circus. I get why people develop furry complexes. I'm just glad I got it out of my system at a young age. I encourage no one to look that character up lol.
What’s the last risk you took that paid off?
I generally need to have a lot of faith in something before taking a risk. Maybe even too much calculated awareness of what the leap looks like before I jump. But starting a second brand, KOYU, was probably the last major risk that really paid off.
What word is overrated in your industry right now?
“Anti-aging.” You can’t really stop aging, but you can absolutely speed it up. It’s become a pretty empty marketing phrase and not one I could ever personally use for GOSHI. Aging is cool. More specifically, aging healthy is cool. It looks good on almost everyone.
What are the ingredients that make your personal life meaningful?
The main ingredient is probably sincerity. When someone sees realness in another person and knows what’s coming out of their mouth is genuine, it’s hard to deny them legitimacy and consideration. Sincerity is so rare now that when we encounter it, we feel obligated to stop and actually listen.
I’ve found that when I offer sincerity to people, they usually return it with their own, vice versa. I think most of us are just looking for connection and love. If you lead with that, you can mix whatever other ingredients in there to create your own formula or recipe.
Do you know your MBTI personality?
ENTJ. I’ve always related to the strategic and builder side of it, but I’m probably a little too emotional and introspective to fully fit the stereotype.
What’s the fastest animal you think you could outrun?
I can’t even outrun my 10-pound dog. He’s shockingly fast. I’m not even sure humans can outrun squirrels. Even hippos are insanely fast. I feel like 90% of animals are faster than us.
Maybe something with a lot of mass, like an elephant. I think I could confidently outrun an elephant.
What song isn’t a love song, but should be?
“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” by Randy Newman. I wouldn’t say it’s the most romantic-sounding song, and it leans more toward friendship, but if you really look at the lyrics, it’s kind of what I think we all want long term in a partner.
What’s the weirdest wellness hack you’ve tried?
I’ve done a lot of these. I’m kind of magnetically drawn to wellness trends and trying whatever weird thing people claim works. Pelletized testosterone in my butt cheek, PRP injections into my face, a yoni cleansing steam for my butthole in Japan that weirdly got me really high, lasered my weiner hair, eating shilajit for months… I feel like there’s no end to it.
Pitch us the worst possible business idea right now.
I hear these all the time now from random people and peers pitching their ideas, but if I’m being honest… mine sound pretty bad too. Honestly, no one, not my friends, not my parents, thought GOSHI was a good idea. No one at all.
“So in Japan, they use this long towel thing that’s kind of like a loofah…” This didn’t have anyone replying, “genius.”, but I knew it was an excellent idea.
And honestly, my latest one wasn’t much better on paper either: “I want to start a second brand and our first product is going to be a plastic cup. It’ll probably cost around $100,000 to get started.”
Do you believe in platonic soulmates?
I guess so. I don’t really use the term, maybe because I still don’t fully understand it. I definitely think you can be deeply connected or bound to someone without it being intimate.
But to touch on this, and something I’ve become more confused by recently, I’ve also heard a lot of people throw around the word “soulmate” while talking about multiple people, and then I start wondering what the rules actually are. Can polyamory exist with soulmates? Can you have multiple soulmates?
A soulmate sounds like such an anomaly to me, almost like “the love of your life,” and that feels like something there can only be one of. So I’m not really sure. Maybe I still don’t fully understand what a soulmate actually is. Ha ha.
What do you notice first about someone’s appearance?
Long before the brand, I’ve always noticed people’s general cleanliness and hygiene first. It’s something I’ve always been hyperaware of in myself, so I naturally tend to notice it in other people too.
What’s the kookiest thing you’ve seen in Los Angeles?
This is kind of grim, but during my first week living in Los Angeles, I saw a guy get shot in Koreatown. From what I understand, he survived, but it was definitely intense. It kind of set the bar for unexpected moments in LA pretty early on, so not much else has really felt comparable since then.
In life, what are you hoping to exfoliate away this year?
I need to stop working on other people’s projects. I love helping people out, but I have to set better boundaries on getting involved.
If your brand needed to have a warning label, what would it say?
Caution: You might like this and then have to buy it for the rest of your life.
Following the Berlin event, we caught up with Saucony's CMO, Wendy Kula, to discuss why the brand chose Tempelhof as the backdrop for its boldest community event yet, the ever-changing shift in running culture, and how Saucony is balancing its performance heritage with an expanding presence in the fashion and lifestyle space.
I was thinking back to the crazy, crazy environment for that run, and I was curious what went into that thought process. Like, why Berlin, and why Tempelhof Airport as a location?
Wendy – I mean, the team has been cultivating that run community and that culture for almost a year. So it was actually pretty incredible for me to come and learn from the team how much time and investment and prep it took to make that event happen. I think they did a site visit pretty much 12 months prior, and they had this incredible vision of redefining what a race looked like, at an iconic spot, but still truly culturally and locally connected. Something that could feel like a race, but also then feel like a festival.
So the vision started early. And it was an ambitious, ambitious vision. But a lot of that groundwork was working with local run crews, creating that kind of cultural authentic credibility in the space. And then obviously just imagining how you create an energetic space in such a vast location too, you know. So I give the team a tremendous amount of credit for having the ambition and boldness, to think and dream big, and then the commitment to just work the city and really create the relationships that created the energy ultimately through the week and then on race day.
For me, it was so interesting having such serious runners there and then there's me, not such a runner, and everyone comes together. And I feel like 5 years ago, that would have looked very different. What do you think changed in the running landscape that's kind of got us to this point?
It honestly is so exciting for me being so passionate about the running category and the opportunities Saucony has. We’ve seen over these last couple of years, just the explosion of run culture and there's obviously still that serious edge and like wanting to push and break limits.
But you've seen, I think, just a democratization of the sport in a really awesome, powerful way, that doesn't detract from either side. It does not detract from, you know, pushing the limits of what's possible in sport and inviting people who maybe have not been part of the sport before. I look towards the consumer landscape and culturally, I do think some people talk about it as that epidemic of loneliness, the lingering effects of what COVID did to people craving community and real life experiences and things that could be done with as little as the right running shoe, and a group of people willing to come together.
So I think that the environment was ripe for the explosion of running. I do think running culture is pushing the limits of what fashion, lifestyle, apparel, footwear looks and feels like. And I think you're seeing that happen now with events like Berlin; of being able to break barriers of who's there, but see this amazing integration of a lot of different people who might have come for different reasons, but then get to have that shared experience.
Growing up I neverthought of running as a social activity, and now it kind of feels like people are chasing community just as much as performance. Like there's people that are very serious about running, but they're not worried about time. They're just worried about getting with their run group and having that social element to it.
And what I've seen too is people come for that community element, but then they do actually start to get more into the performance element of the sport. And I actually think that's what is unique about what we're trying to do at Saucony is that kind of true integration between performance and lifestyle. And we welcome people who come in more through a community or lifestyle angle or people that come in through pure performance. And then you can see that you get introduced across that spectrum to new people and experiences. But yeah, it's been pretty incredible. And I think we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg of what is possible with events like this.
It's also one of the few times, I think, where you're not with your phone. You might have Strava or something recording, but I feel like running's one of the few times you're away from your phone, which I feel like is a big part of why it's kind of resonating now.
100%. Yeah, it's funny, people are even saying that there are times where they want to even release themselves from the tracking element of it, right? Truly be free, just to run, and be present. And we talk a lot about how movement is medicine, and I think running has that to offer the next generation of our communities, and we just want to be a platform to fuel that.
Has the running boom changed the way you guys think about product development and storytelling?
Well, first of all, I'd say there's certainly been a running boom, no doubt, but one of the reasons I am so passionate about being here at Saucony is the absolute deep, deep heritage and almost 130 years of running innovation, and so we've never looked away from how important it is to have quality product, always push the boundaries of innovation, and always think about what's next.
So, in some ways, the running boom has caught up to our culture of innovation. But, you know, you won't see us stop. I think there's some really great stuff coming in the pipeline where we'll continue to push on the performance lens. And also continue to push the design aesthetic because I think these days the consumer's demanding that fashion, style, and performance are integrated together. So when we look at innovation, yes, it is from a performance innovation, but it's also from a design aesthetic. And it certainly enables so much more storytelling. The spectrum of how we can talk about innovation; from innovation in how we show up for communities, innovation in run experiences, innovation in product has increased.
That's what gets me excited; the word innovation probably can touch everything that we're doing in our consumer experience, from product to activations.
Do you feel like there was a conscious decision for Saucony to move into lifestyle and fashion, or did it just kind of happen naturally?
I think it happened more naturally. Fashion has been increasingly pulling inspiration from sport, and I think consumers are seeing that. And a brand like ours where we have real credibility and a point of view, it allows us that permission to be in that lifestyle conversation. Whether it's some of our retro inspired racing silhouettes or whether it's being able to now credibly have collaborations and partnerships that have a new take on performance or heritage running. I think it was a natural extension of what we had been doing, and now we see that there's even more opportunity to fuel that.
You mentioned the collaborations. I’m curious how Saucony chooses a collaborator and a partner, because it always feels so thoughtful when they do.
Yeah, well, I have to give credit to the team, and to Jason, who I think you met. For us with collaborations, I think the first is finding that authentic credibility. Even that partnership that we have with Minted, I mean, that was built over a long period of time. And so I give our brand, our team such credit to basically be looking for authenticity, looking for partnerships that can stand the test of time, and quite honestly, ones that can bring something new and exciting to the consumer. I do think we look at partnerships and collaborations like that. Like, can we offer something new to the consumer, and can we both have shared values and try to do something new and exciting?
As you navigate moving more into a fashion and lifestyle space, how do you keep the credibility and, I guess, keep the trust of the people that are in it purely for the sport?
Well, I think first and foremost we are 100% a sport and performance brand. Like, that is our DNA and that is our starting point. So we want to make sure that we are undeniably built in sport. And so I think that's first and foremost and having that commitment to performance and innovation I think allows the credibility and authenticity to span into fashion.
So that's kind of the first filter, you know, of course we want to push the boundaries of lifestyle, and create what's next in running culture and fashion and lifestyle. But we remember that we're a brand built in sport. And if we continue to do that and we continue to launch innovative new products that are built for performance, that can really help push that serious runner to their personal best, that will keep our foundation grounded, and I think that will allow us to have permission to play in both worlds successfully.
What excites you most about the future, both for Saucony for running in general?
For Saucony, I am just so excited that there's not another brand positioned so well to lead this next chapter and explosion in running performance and running culture. I think I'm excited to kind of build on what the team has already started, like, redoing the playbook for global experiences and race formats.
And really redefining what ‘ground up’ and ‘community led’ can mean for a brand. I say that it's super important. That relationship building and co-creating with the community and creating a platform to create what's next, that, for me, is where I feel that Saucony has authenticity, and where we can not only participate in this running boom, but quite honestly, shape what is next.
And that's what makes me super excited.
And I do think there's more innovation and disruption to happen, right? Like, what I love and what I want to continue to push the team on is to keep inventing what's next and new, and we never want to get tired of challenging ourselves and asking the community to help create what's next. Like you talked about run crews and how big they have grown. What will be next? How can we show up differently? How can we support that community? That's what I'm excited about.
But as I said earlier, we've scratched the surface. We've seen this running boom. I think Saucony can lead where it goes next, but we're gonna do that with those communities that have helped shape it.
Lucas Capozzi-Shanks, owner of Scenes NY — ‘THE WORLD'S LARGEST SOCCER SHOP’ Creative Director & soccer curator
Within your work or craft, what are you most excited about now?
The whole world discovering the rich soccer culture that has existed in the United States for decades, against all odds.
Which NY neighbourhood do you call home?
I live in Brooklyn now because "old" but I lived in the Lower East Side for longer than I've lived anywhere else in my life.
How long you've lived in NY?
18 years.
Favorite thing about NY?
Every day this city eats you up and spits you back out and shows you who you are.
Best coffee in NY?
An iced coffee, any time of year, doesn't matter if it's from a deli or one of the $6 spots.
Best pizza in NY?
Paulie Gee's square pepperoni slice.
Favourite NY legend or icon?
Killa Cam.
Soccer player or fan or both?
Both, for better and worse.
Favourite place to play and or watch soccer in NY?
7v7 at Cherry Street or pickup/training at Pier 40.
Who are you cheering for in the World Cup?
This time last year I was in Las Vegas and put $100 on Brazil because we had just designed our SS26 range which is all Brazil colors, so Brazil. But unfortunately I'm also a USMNT apologist.
Who do you think will win it?
Can't see anybody beating France.
Who's got the best kit this World Cup?
Whoever ultimately wins it.
Based purely on aesthetics, who's your soccer icon?
Jesa Chiro, founder & designer of Coco Cultr.
Please describe who you are, where you are from & what you do...
Hiii I am Jesa Chiro I am from Seattle and I am the founder and designer of Coco Cultr. Coco Cultr is a clothing brand which is best known for upcycling jerseys into dresses, tops and skirts. I love the idea of taking something that is a typical masculine silhouette, and reimagining it for the feminine.
Within your work or craft, what are you most excited about now?
It's been so rewarding and exciting to see people connect with the silhouettes and pieces I design and sew. This World Cup has been especially exciting and I’ve loved working with all of the different kits, colors, and team identities. Seeing people get genuinely excited to wear sportswear that feels feminine, unique, and handmade has been the most fulfilling part.
How long you've lived in NY?
4 years <33
Favorite thing about NY?
The people. I feel really grateful to live here and have the most amazing friends, family and community minutes away.
Best coffee in NY?
I don't drink coffee.
Best pizza in NY?
The pizza place is down the street from my house. Never a line, always hits and they've been playing the games which have been fun too.
Favourite NY legend or icon?
My personal NY legend is Mimi Gross. Born and raised artist in New York, started Ruckus Manhattan alongside Red Grooms. She is so talented and inspiring.
Soccer player or fan or both?
I want to claim both... But truly I'm a fan.
Favourite place to play and or watch soccer in NY?
The sports bar across the street from my house. I keep it local.
Who are you cheering for in the World Cup?
Now that there are only 2 teams I'm going for Spain <3
Who do you think will win it?
Spain.
Who's got the best kit this World Cup?
Loving the black U.S.A. jersey with the stars. I have a Coco Cultr version that's been my fav.
Based purely on aesthetics, who's your soccer icon?
Just based on style and aesthetics it would have to be Mario Balotelli.
Robbie Laing, Founder of Full Kit
Please describe who you are, where you are from & what you do...
My name is Robbie Laing, I was born in Canada, but grew up in Racine, WI. I run a project called Full Kit that creates high quality, vintage-inspired football product, primarily for musicians. (Yes I realize how hyper niche it is)
Within your work or craft, what are you most excited about now?
Two things as of late: (1) Materials - I love exploring how old football shirts were constructed and what materials they used for performance back in the day. Most of those materials you wouldn't dare wear to play in today, but they make for something unique in your closet. Manufacturing in sportswear has become so optimized today, that I feel like we lose a lot of the variety that once existed. I aspire to bring some of the craft and variety back. (2) Exploring Old Magazines - From an art direction perspective, every time I open an old soccer magazine, I find inspiration for graphics, typefaces, illustrations. I feel like the same IG moodboard fodder is recycled over and over, so looking at something analog remains incredibly refreshing.
Which NY neighbourhood do you call home?
Greenpoint.
How long you've lived in NY?
Approaching 10 years in August since I first moved here, and 9 years uninterrupted.
Favorite thing about NY?
Walking out your door and having access to anything you could ever want.
Best coffee in NY?
My favorite called Upright closed down this past year, but I've been frequenting Odd Fox before catching the G train when I have to head into the city.
Best pizza in NY?
Lucia on Canal is my go to when I'm in the city and need a quick slice or two. Their vodka grandma pepperoni and their caramelle piccanti are my favorites.
Favourite NY legend or icon?
Probably Billy Jones - The communities and spaces he fostered were truly aspirational, and they still live on today.
Soccer player or fan or both?
Both - player for nearly my whole life and Tottenham fan for just as long. My dad imparted that on me early.
Favourite place to play and or watch soccer in NY?
Love watching at Flannery's - the Tottenham pub - or at my studio 38 Meadow.
Who are you cheering for in the World Cup?
Canada and England.
Who do you think will win it?
I thought it was going to be Germany or France, but we all know how that's gone. I think Spain is the better team, but feels like it's going to be Messi's once again.
Who's got the best kit this World Cup?
I loved Germany's home kit, very classic. Sweden's home kits also up there. Japan's training range was excellent. Uruguay's away kit is beautiful - even though I wouldn't rock it myself.
Based purely on aesthetics, who's your soccer icon?
Benoit Assou-Ekotto - less about his style, more about his vibe. Mad respect for admitting that football was just a job to him.
Henry Rosenberg, artist with a World Cup show currently up at Happier Grocery gallery
Please describe who you are, where you are from & what you do...
I am Henry, I’m from New York and I'm a visual artist. My work is rooted in drawing but that manifests into different outcomes like prints and paintings too. I’m mainly concerned with storytelling and how stories are told, retold, and exaggerated and how that shapes our behaviors as characters. In a lot of my work I use humor and exaggeration to highlight aspects of narratives that I find relevant and compelling.
Within your work or craft, what are you most excited about now?
Well, after finishing graduate school in Printmaking, my studio mate Claire, who's a great painter, inspired me to try oil painting. It's been about a year since I started using oil and this show at A365 Gallery is my debut painting exhibition. I prefer to be in a beginners mindset most of the time, so approaching a big body of oil paintings was really new and playful.
Which NY neighbourhood do you call home?
The East Village.
How long you've lived in NY?
Forever besides undergrad and graduate school in Italy and Philadelphia.
Favorite thing about NY?
I’d say the variety of cultures that coexist here and the magic/collective culture that creates. Also the pace of it, the hustle mentality.
Best coffee in NY?
I like Abraco in the East Village but I’ll honestly drink anything. I love a massive coffee from wherever is convenient. Black always by the way.
Best pizza in NY?
I believe the best slice will find you and appear itself in the moment you need it most.
Favourite NY legend or icon?
He’s not a traditional New York icon, but the artist Ben Shahn is my pick. His life and work embody so much of what makes New York special. Its immigrant history, creative culture, and social engagement.
Soccer player or fan or both?
Kinda both! Soccer was the first sport I played as a little kid but now I play casually on Sundays with a club called “soccer and croissants”. I go for my friends and stay for the croissants. I heavily follow and watch AS Roma. I've been a fan since I was 13.
Favourite place to play and or watch soccer in NY?
If it’s a really important match I just watch at home with friends to really focus and experience it.
Who are you cheering for in the World Cup?
Really hard question. I want different teams to win for different reasons. But overall maybe Spain. I like an underdog though, I’m for sure going to be rooting for Haiti and Scotland as well.
Who do you think will win it?
Spain.
Who's got the best kit this World Cup?
Swiss away kit, South Korea away kit, or Norway both kits. Most of the away kits are great.
Based purely on aesthetics, who's your soccer icon?
Mario Balotelli or a young Francesco Totti.
Tancredi Bareti, owner of Balera restaurant
Please describe who you are, where you are from & what you do...
My name is Tancredi Bareti. I was born in Rimini, Italy but grew up in New York City, where I part own and run Balera, an Italian Pizzeria Ristorante, in Williamsburg.
Within your work or craft, what are you most excited about now?
Globalization has made people more knowledgable about food and given people the need to explore. More unique ideas and cuisines from around the world have never been as accessible.
Which NY neighbourhood do you call home?
I grew up in the East Village and have now lived in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn for the last ten years.
How long you've lived in NY?
My parents moved here when I was a born. Lived briefly in Italy and Miami until returning to NYC.
Favorite thing about NY?
The people. The food. The fact that I can travel around the world and experience different cultures by just hanging out around the five boroughs.
Best coffee in NY?
Smor Bakery, 787 Coffee and my little moka at home.
Best pizza in NY?
Balera without a doubt! Impasto for a quick Italian slice.
Favourite NY legend or icon?
Anthony Bourdain, the greek coffee cup, and there’s something about looking at the skyline that always makes me feel like I belong.
Soccer player or fan or both?
I play as much as possible and also follow my team religiously, Internazionale Milano.
Favourite place to play and or watch soccer in NY?
I love to play at Bushwick Inlet Park on the waterfront. McCarren Park and Pier 5 as well. Banter and Iona are my two favorite bars to watch, helps that they have a great Guinness.
Who were you cheering for in the World Cup?
The USA and Norway, because of the way they played and beat Italy in qualifying.
Who do you think will win it?
Argentina or Spain?? Spain.
Who's got the best kit this World Cup?
Japan and Mexico’s kits were beautiful. Loved the Germany retro callback with the big font and old Adidas logo.
Based purely on aesthetics, who's your soccer icon?
Roberto Baggio, anybody who could make a pony tail like that ‘in fashion’ deserves respect.
