At the very end of this part of Marseille called the Corniche, facing the island of Frioul on the horizon, there is this projection over the sea where two extraordinary swimming pools have been built and filled. This is the Cercle des Nageurs, a distinguished institution of the city and a haven for champions. The head coach of the "CNM", as they say, is the former representative of the French Olympic team Romain Barnier, who experienced the Sydney Games in 2000 and those in Athens, four years later. In addition to having won the French freestyle swimming championships ten times. This Marseille figure, the antithesis of the image of the diving board coach, welcomes us into the large room bathed in light that sits at the top of the Cercle. And just before starting the interview, he reminds one of his colleagues that in the future, the water in the indoor pool will have to be set at a temperature of 27.5 degrees and not 25.5.
Is it easy for a swimmer to appear in swimming trunks in front of a public swimming pool, or is there a form of modesty in these cases?
Let's be clear: it's extremely easy. Briefs are an item that is completely sufficient to dress a man, I think. However, there is a huge difference between someone who is naked and someone who is dressed in swimming trunks. Of course, being in briefs is a form of exposure, but the swimmer does not undergo it. He works his body to ensure that he is always as handsome as possible once in his briefs.
Today, many swimmers compete in wetsuits? What is special about these garments?
The suit is developed using cutting-edge technology. It is woven, rewoven, and then covered with Teflon. Unlike conventional clothing, you don't put it on. You put it on your body, centimeter by centimeter. It's usually a fight that lasts about fifteen minutes. I think wearing a swimming suit is the strongest feeling you can have with a piece of clothing. It's an armor, the body is connected to another dimension. You're a different person. It's an extreme change.
How has your relationship with fashion evolved?
As a former top swimmer, I spent part of my life in a tracksuit. During that time, comfort was the most important thing. I wore clothes that were easy to put on and take off. Over time, and when I retired, I became interested in fashion. I wanted to have style, to have character through my clothes. Today, I like to walk down the street, especially in Paris, and draw inspiration from what I see around me, from the people I meet, to develop my look. Even if fashion is not a priority, it remains something important to me. I believe that my clothes allow me to tell the world who I am. And I am evolving. I went through a period where I only wore very tight pants - be careful, I was no longer a swimmer, my thighs could go into them! Today, let's say that I am very casual. I wear carrot pants, a bit wide. I feel good in them. I like to wear wool pants in the winter and chinos in the summer, with a shirt and a jacket. It's similar to a suit, but not quite. I don't feel good in a suit. The only eccentricities I show are very long coats. I also like very colorful socks, or a pair of red patent shoes. On the other hand, it's impossible to make me wear something with prints on it.
Ultimately, the only times I wear a so-called "coach" outfit is during official competitions, when there is a uniform dress code to respect.
What outfit do you wear when you have to lead the Cercle swimmers' training sessions?
At these times, most coaches religiously go to the locker room to put on their pool gear: polo shirt, shorts, flip-flops and a stopwatch around their neck. This may seem surprising, but it's not my case. At the poolside, I never wear sports gear. Mainly because I don't want to waste my time changing in a locker room several times a day. I like to stay the same, from evening to morning. And I don't need to be dressed like that to make myself understood by my swimmers. Most of the time, I'm in jeans, and that doesn't put any distance between me and them. I think athletes like to have a coach with style.
At the poolside, I simply hem my jeans to avoid getting chlorinated water on them, I wear flip-flops, or I cover my shoes with a protective bag, like in chemical plants. Ultimately, the only time I put on a so-called "coach" outfit is for official competitions, when there is a uniform to respect.
What are your favorite subjects?
For me, clothes must above all be easy to wear. I love wool because it doesn't crease. For example, I have this flannel shirt in my closet that never needs to be ironed after washing. I think it's great. Conversely, while linen is a sublime material, it's not my favorite because the shirt changes shape when you wear it. My dream would be to design a shirt that has the comfort of linen and the invulnerability of a swimming suit. Linen and cotton?