THE CREATIVE CORNER: CHARLIE ARSAN
Charlie Arsan cannot conceive of creativity without endurance, nor sport without activism. Artist, ultra-athlete, writer, and founder of Résiliente Association and Runners CC, this Parisian moves between disciplines just as she tackles a long-distance effort: with instinct, with intention, and with full trust in the process.
Following the UN Race for Women, organized alongside Women RCC and UN Women, we caught up with Charlie about how creativity fuels her work — from building communities through running to writing, creating, and speaking up for women.
You wear many hats: artist, ultra-marathoner, activist, writer... Which of those roles came first, and how did one lead to the others?
Art came first: creating was my first language. Sport came later as a physical extension of that same drive to explore and push boundaries, always through the eyes of an artist. Commitment followed when I realized that personal experience could resonate far beyond oneself and take on a collective dimension.
Was there a moment when you realized that everything was part of the same path?
I realized it through ultra-endurance. Creation and long-distance effort meet in the same place: a solitary dialogue with the deepest part of yourself. Both ask you to look inward, slow down, and enter into conversation with yourself and the world. When I run, I do so with the eyes of an artist, attentive to what the body and landscapes reveal.
That was when the separation dissolved. I understood that the universe is present in all living beings and that the artist's role is to act as an intermediary: pointing the way, reminding us that the whole lives in every part and that every gesture carries something greater than itself.
When facing something new — a blank canvas, a sculpture, or an empty page — what does your creative process look like?
It begins with observing and listening. I let sensations guide the first steps before defining any shape or direction. I work through repetition and adjustment, letting the piece evolve rather than forcing results.
Just like in endurance sports, I move forward without a set plan, trusting that the body and the process will reveal clarity.
You just celebrated the UN Race for Women. What does it mean to you, and what do you hope participants felt as they crossed the finish line?
This event isn't about performance; it's about presence and rights. It is a collective act where women reclaim their space: physical, social, and symbolic. I hope they felt grounded, legitimate, and connected — with their bodies, with each other, and with their own power.
And above all, that they took away a reminder: that movement can be political, gentle, and collective while remaining deeply personal.
Beyond the finish line, what are you running towards?
I've never run towards a finish line. I run towards meaning. Towards coherence.
I run to deliver a message: that we have a choice. A choice to try. A choice to dare. A choice to take up space, as women, without apologizing.
Trusting your instinct seems essential to everything you do. What does that mean in practice? How do you silence external noise when making important decisions?
Instinct is built through experience and solitude. External noise tends to fade away when your values are clear. When making decisions, I don't ask myself what will look good or be well received, but what feels true and coherent to me.
Steel Coffee Shop, Paris
You travel a lot, but Paris is your home base. What are your favorite spots in the French capital…?
- To refuel after training: Steel Coffee Shop: great coffee, simple and nourishing food, and friends.
- To enjoy a quiet Parisian breakfast: Neighborhood coffee shops early in the morning, when the city hasn't fully woken up yet: Bonjour Jacob, Ten Bells, Partisans.
- To get inspired: Aimless walks, the gardens of the Bourdelle Museum, long meditative strolls.
- To run or ride a bike: The banks of the Seine, especially at sunrise.
- To work on your next project: Any place with natural light, a notebook, and room to think. What matters is the calm, not the place.
The banks of the Seine, Paris
Which Jimmy Lion designs resonate with you the most?
Those that draw from art and expression. Pieces that tell a story, like those from the Animal Instinct collection.
If you had to describe Jimmy Lion in three words, what would they be and why?
Creative: for its strong link to art and personal expression.
Bold: for combining quality and personality without compromising on either.
Playful: for proving that joy and seriousness can go hand in hand.
Thanks socks much for reading!
