This is a unique triple collaboration between artist Pinar Birim, engineer Giray Dadali, and us at J skis. Last season, while Giray was developing this new “Best Friend” ski, he also traveled back to his homeland of Türkiye to explore the mountains and connect with his cultural roots, producing the movie Of the Black Sea. During his travels, he met Pinar Birim, a contemporary Turkish artist known for her evocative work that often explores themes of cultural identity, human connection, and abstract expression.

Pinar is a true jack-of-all-trades, Turkish badass! She was a professional snowboarder on the Quiksilver team, becoming the first female snow and skateboarder from Turkey to reach this level. Later, she transitioned into the arts, studying graphic design and fine arts, with her work ultimately resonating across diverse audiences.

For this graphic, Giray and Pinar spent hours sorting through dozens of her pieces, narrowing it down to a few options. From there, Frank took those pieces and applied them to this unique Best Friend ski shape to see which we liked best. It immediately became clear that this graphic was the definitive winner. On the base, we used one of Pinar’s favorite sayings, “I am where I am.” Though simple, it carries a powerful meaning.

This collaboration borrows its name from the “Petran” snowboard—a traditional wooden board without bindings that local children and adults have long used to slide down snowy hills. This rustic, traditional style of riding is a unique part of Turkey’s snow-sport heritage and has even influenced modern snowboarding.

We made only 100 pairs of this incredible graphic on our new, highly anticipated powder ski, The Best Friend. Each pair is hand-signed and numbered, so you’ll own a one-of-a-kind ski like no one else on the mountain—and have an awesome story to tell when everyone in the lift line asks about them! These 100 pairs are guaranteed to sell fast, so if you’re looking for a new Best Friend this winter, make sure to order now before they’re gone!

Watch Giray’s award-winning movie, Of the Black Sea, and follow Giray and Pinar.