Léa Klaue by Jeremy Bernard
Our HAE Women collection brings together inspiring snowboarders who, in their interviews, give insight into their philosophy of life and creative processes. Today, Léa Klaue , an athlete and social anthropologist, tells us about her adventures in the high mountains, her love of nature and the courage to face the uncertainties. She shares what it means to her to balance between artistic and athletic expression and how she experiences the power of community in the snowboarding scene. This story shows how versatile the connections between snowboarding, science and creativity can be.
What does adventure mean to you and how does it influence your creative side?
For me, adventure is about navigating uncertainty. It's about going to unknown places or doing things without knowing what the outcome will be. It also includes the motivation and excitement of the "unknown". I am particularly drawn to the mysterious or unknown, and that is what fuels my creativity and imagination. I couldn't be creative without adventure - and the same goes the other way around.
How do you feel when you're standing on your board, whether in the snow or on the water? Are there creative parallels to these moments?
When snowboarding, especially when freeriding or in challenging terrain, planning is crucial to minimize risks. As soon as everything is thought through and the line is prepared, I switch off my brain and follow my instincts. In these flow moments, I am fully concentrated and completely in the moment, with no room for reflection. This is exactly how my creative practice works: the most beautiful things arise intuitively from gut feeling, be it movements, lines, texts or ideas - but only after thorough preparatory work.
Where do you get your creative inspiration from – whether on the mountain, at sea or in everyday life?
I spend a lot of time in nature, whether it's trail running, cycling, splitboarding, climbing, hiking or walking. The natural elements, the weather and the mountains give me peace and clarity to organize my thoughts and create new ideas. I also consume a lot of works by other creatives: books, music, art, films, texts and mountain projects. I am very interested in what others are doing and absorb these impressions like a sponge. With this background, I then form my own ideas.
How is your personality reflected in your style on and off the board as well as in your creativity?
I see myself as a very spontaneous person who often just starts things and sees what happens. At the same time, I am determined and focused, and if something really motivates me, I do everything I can to make it happen. This process often starts long before I consciously notice it. Maybe that's why I often take on challenging projects, like expeditions to difficult mountain regions. The process is what I enjoy most: developing ideas and implementing them step by step, and then seeing what happens.
Are there any projects outside of snowboarding where you particularly express your creativity?
In addition to snowboarding, I work as a social anthropologist and work at the intersection of art and scientific research, using creative methods such as film and creative writing. I am committed to finding beauty in human activities, even when dealing with difficult or complex topics. The world is pretty absurd and humanity is not doing well at the moment. However, I try to remain playful while understanding connections and phenomena. For me, snowboarding is also a creative and playful way of dealing with difficult things.
What makes you particularly proud of what you have achieved – athletically and/or creatively? This can also be professionally.
I am proud that I was able to complete my PhD and pursue my snowboarding career at the same time, without one crowding out the other. The snowboard film projects that I have been able to complete have given me a lot of confidence. These processes have required a lot of perseverance and persistence, while at the same time opening up creative avenues that I would never have imagined. It is a wonderful feeling to realize that anything is possible.
Is there a special woman, friend, artist or athlete who inspired you to follow your own path?
As a young snowboarder, I was very inspired by the few professional female snowboarders I could see in magazines or films, such as Victoria Jealouse, Tara Dakides and Marie-France Roy. For me, it was huge to see that snowboarding wasn't just for boys, even though these women weren't given much space in the scene. In addition to these role models from the sport, I was also inspired by many female artists, directors, authors, activists, social scientists and philosophers who went their own way against the status quo - often in the face of great resistance from society.
How do you inspire other people (everyone, not just women) to follow their own path – be it through snowboarding, creative projects or simply in everyday life?
I teach at various colleges and universities and sometimes supervise students in their projects. I try to convey to them that they should listen to themselves first and foremost and not be influenced by the expectations of society, parents, friends or the world of work. It is important to find meaning and joy in what you do and not to forget to give yourself enough breaks.
What does it mean to you to be part of the “Collection by HAE Women” and how did you bring your creativity into this project?
It's great to be part of a team that comes from my region and is always evolving. I think it's really cool that HAE supports so many different and inspiring female snowboarders and I'm proud to be part of it. Each of us brings our own background and style and that shows how diverse snowboarding can be. Many brands have only one woman on their teams among many men and that's just not up to date anymore. After all, the snowboarding world shouldn't be like Smurf Village, where there's only one Smurfette. There are many different female riders who do cool things in their own way, just like the male riders. For this collection, we were able to bring our tastes and opinions together and create something that is as diverse as we are - precise, simple, bold and with a lot of style.
