Cover photo: Timo Jarvinien

Today sees the end of a partnership that came to play a definitive role in both a brand and an individual. Candide Thovex was a superstar of the ski world before he joined Faction skis, but over the past decade, he elevated himself to a new level of public stardom, particularly in France, with Faction Skis ever-present on his feet. Over the same time period, Faction have grown from a relatively small brand to the largest ski brand outside the established 'majors', with arguably the strongest team of riders in the game. Faction may be synonymous with Candide, and vice versa, but both are now giants of the ski world in their own right.

I had the news officially confirmed on a visit to the Faction office a week or so ago, although like many, I had been hearing whispers this was coming. I also got a chance to check out what's coming up for the brand in the coming seasons and on the strength of that, I have no doubt that we'll be seeing both incredible skis and media content from them for years to come. The following is the official press release announcing the news, including some hints about Faction's upcoming '22-23 ski line. The hype is real:

Winter 2021-22 marks the final season of collaboration between Faction Skis and Candide Thovex, with both parties moving on amicably to new adventures in the spring.

“On behalf of everyone at The Faction Collective, I would like to thank Candide for the incredible impact he has brought to the Faction Skis brand” says Faction CEO and Co-Founder, Alex Hoye. “Candide’s genius undoubtedly helped put Faction on the map and for that we will forever be grateful. After 10 years working together to develop award-winning skis, both parties feel we have achieved what we set out to do. Now, with exciting new adventures to explore, we head on our different paths with great memories and respect. We wish Candide nothing but the best on his journey ahead. One thing we’re sure of, the future is bright for both Candide and Faction, and that’s a pretty good sign that our relationship has been a success. Candide, thank you!”

The 2021-22 CT Signature Series is therefore confirmed as the final collection of Candide Thovex Pro Model skis by Faction, available at Faction retail partner stores across the globe and online at factionskis.com. “Candide’s vision for a freeski collection helped guide our philosophy for this series, with the final collection being undoubtedly our most exciting and high-quality range to date” notes Hoye. “As a mark of respect for the role Candide has played in the development of the brand, we will retire the CT 5.0 ski model on which he made so much history, assigning this special ski to its rightful place in freeski lore.”

After a decade of collaboration punctuated with countless ski awards, limited-edition product releases and industry innovation, Faction Skis has released a timeline of the partnership on its website. Ski fans are encouraged to scroll through and recall Faction and Candide’s most memorable moments of the past 10 years. The timeline is available at: https://factionskis.com/pages/candide-thovex