Distance, from Lyon to Tokyo: the trajectory of a unique player in the running world

MarathonInspiring RunnersInsideNutritionRunning ClubCommunityPratiquesTechnologieChaussuresÉquipement

29/04/2026 10:24

Since its founding in 2018, Distance has built a distinctive identity within the running world. From Lyon to Tokyo, the “for all runners” store embodies an expert, modern, and deeply passionate vision. At once a retail space, a community hub, and now an emerging brand, the specialty retailer continues to redefine the codes of running. Driven by this unique positioning, the company is entering a new and ambitious phase, marked by a stronger performance focus, international expansion, and the launch of collaborations as well as its first technical collections.

When Distance was founded in Lyon in 2018, Guillaume Pontier and his partner Xavier Tahar had a clear ambition: to reinvent the running retail experience with a blend of modernity, curation, and credibility. “Our observation was that there wasn’t really a cool, next-generation retailer,” explains co-founder Guillaume Pontier. “We refreshed the sport without reinventing it.”The concept store quickly established itself as a leading retail space and e-commerce platform, driven by a global approach combining modernity, communication, and thoughtful design — both in its product selection and its retail environments.

| A story of passion

Behind this success lies above all a personal story, deeply rooted in Guillaume Pontier’s background in athletics. In fact, it is very much a family story, driven by passion. With his father Jean-François Pontier, a leading middle-distance coach with the French Athletics Federation, his grandfather, a former president of Stade Clermontois (part of Clermont Auvergne Athlétisme), and his brother Anthony Pontier, a multiple-time French youth international, running is part of the founder’s DNA. His partner Xavier Tahar is also a committed runner, with a background in industry. Together, they brought their vision to life, creating a unique space where performance, aesthetics, and community intersect.

As a runner himself, the entrepreneur did not relate to the way running retail was structured. “I felt there were either big stores or smaller ones, but without a real experience, where products weren’t truly showcased,” he explains. At the same time, he sensed the rise of a more expressive, style-conscious running culture, particularly with the emergence of distinctive brands like Satisfy and District Vision.

| Blending fashion and performance

The idea was to create a meeting place that reflects who they are, “for all runners,” supported by a team of experts. “In our sport, you have elite athletes, but also everyday runners. We want to reach everyone, from beginners to semi-pros, including the fashion week crowd,” explains Guillaume Pontier. From a shared passion for athletics and fashion, Distance has boldly combined the two through a distinctive and highly curated approach. The company is not a lifestyle store that happens to sell running gear, but a specialized player redefining the codes of the sport.

Their guiding principle: authenticity. With that in mind, every brand featured in-store is carefully selected based on a simple question: “Would we actually wear this to go running?” For more established brands like Nike and Adidas, the focus is on sourcing more original products, with less widely distributed colorways that can also transition into everyday wear,” he adds.

Careful product selection is a core part of their strategy, and a significant amount of time is dedicated to it. Distance was also among the first in Europe to distribute brands like Satisfy and Maurten, and continues to constantly seek out new ones.

“Our strength lies in uncovering the next hidden gem, the niche product. We’re constantly on the lookout for emerging sports brands that truly resonate with us, not fashion brands trying to break into running.”

Guillaume Pontier

| Collaborations with leading brands

Distance was the first specialty retailer to partner with international brand On three years ago. Saucony followed in summer 2025, and Nike will join in July with an exclusive shoe collaboration. Asics is set to follow in September. A natural progression, and dreams turning into reality. “Brands came to us — we didn’t have to push,” Guillaume Pontier says with a smile.

Initially seen, sometimes unintentionally, as a trend-driven retailer, the company is now looking to reposition itself more firmly on the performance-driven, “core running” side of the sport.

“Our audience is made up of runners. That’s not always understood: even our fashion-oriented customers are runners — they’re buying for their practice. Our strength is bringing all these passionate people together, whether in our store or at our events.”

Guillaume Pontier

This repositioning begins with a complete redesign of the Paris store. Concrete and minimalist neutrality have been set aside, making way for wood, a new design language, and a reimagined layout. The new atmosphere, warmer and more timeless, clearly reflects Distance’s ambition to establish itself as a brand in its own right, with a distinct approach.

“Our white-box aesthetic — all clean lines, concrete, and neon — was widely copied. People discovering us now often think all running stores look like that, without realizing we were the ones who started that trend. Now, we’re starting a new one,” explains CEO Romain Sabatier.

| Distance sets its sights on the world

From its Lyon roots, a broader vision quickly emerged: taking Distance’s DNA beyond French borders. Paris followed just a year later, opening in June 2019 in the heart of the chic Marais district. Success came quickly, with new openings multiplying as the concept expanded internationally — Iten in 2021, Copenhagen in 2023… The latest, Tokyo, opened in March 2026, with Osaka set to follow in April 2026. “We’re not necessarily looking to expand further in France. We truly have an international vision,” Guillaume Pontier explains, without ruling out future openings in South Korea, Italy, the United States, or even the United Kingdom.

Japan represents a new testing ground for the brand. “There, we’re seeing a market similar to what we had in France seven or eight years ago. We helped build that movement, and in Japan they’re a step behind in that regard — it hasn’t exploded yet. All the conditions are there for us to establish ourselves,” explains Romain Sabatier. The running community in Tokyo is “still very small for now,” he adds, with the ambition of helping to grow the sport in the country. The goal is for the store to become a gathering point for this culture, while maintaining the same distinctive identity.

This drive to bring people together was evident from day one. Four hundred curious visitors packed the space for its opening. The strong turnout confirmed that Distance was not only expected, but already well known. “When we think back to launching the project in Lyon in 2018, this adventure in Japan feels pretty incredible,” says Romain Sabatier with satisfaction.

| The launch of an in-house brand

Beyond its geographic expansion, the company is now entering a new phase of development with the creation of its own product line. The retail side, however, will remain central to the business. Easy to buy and wear, offered in multiple colors and regularly refreshed, Distance socks have become a bestseller since their launch. Building on this success, a T-shirt is set to be released this spring, followed by a few new pieces each year. Feedback from customers and the brand’s team of athletes will help shape and expand the range over time. “We’re going to develop technical, performance-driven products that reflect who we are. The Distance brand won’t take over — we’ll keep both aspects, which is what makes us strong,” confirms Guillaume Pontier.

Events are also a core part of the journey and have played a major role in shaping the brand’s reputation. Behind this is a clear ambition to modernize, at their own scale, a world that can sometimes feel a bit outdated.

“Our strength? There’s always something happening with us, whether you come to buy or not, or simply to say hello to staff who’ve become familiar faces. It’s a real anchor point for connecting people.”

Romain Sabatier

From the Cat Race, which reimagined the codes of a fashion show as a sporting runway, to “Rob it to get it,” where participants had to outrun Méba-Mickaël Zézé to try and grab a product in-store, and Outlaw Runners, where the goal was to run fast enough to trigger speed cameras, these initiatives — blurring the lines between culture, art, and sport — have helped elevate the company into a category of its own.

| A team of athletes and ambassadors

“For us, being a brand means having athletes. It’s essential for credibility,” insist the founders, who openly embrace going against the influencer-driven trend. Distance supports three groups of athletes and ambassadors, with its top-tier racing team backed by On, Oakley, Maurten, and Compressport. The goal is to identify emerging talent and help them structure their careers, break through, and gain visibility within a strong team dynamic.

Among the latest additions are two recent World University Cross Country champions who have already made a strong impression: Clara Entresangle, who recently equaled the French U23 10 km road record in 31:45, and Oscar Thebaud, both athletes to watch closely. Training camps, product support, photos, videos, and race entries all contribute to putting them in the best possible conditions.

“Influence draws attention because those individuals have large followings on social media. But creating content is not an athlete’s job,” says Guillaume Pontier. This philosophy was recently embodied by Timothée Bommier, supported by the company for this year’s Paris Marathon. A former top French finisher in the race ten years ago and a multiple French champion across cross-country, road, trail, and track in the masters category, he doesn’t have a single social media account. Distance is clearly positioning itself against current trends, valuing performance as much as the human dimension when selecting its athletes. “Nike has the best athletes in the world — we have the best athletes to represent us,” Pontier adds with a smile, as he looks to further strengthen the team and potentially even sponsor athletics clubs in the future.

More than just a network across the world, Distance has built a universe of its own, with an innovative approach to running — more creative, more contemporary, and more design-driven — while still emphasizing performance and community spirit. Blending sporting heritage, international ambitions, and a constant drive for innovation, the brand continues to chart its path with conviction, helping to shape the evolution of running.

➜ Discover the official Distance website