It’s not often we ask anything of all you beautiful, smart, sexy readers out there, but today you have to promise us one thing: You’ll read this next sentence in a heavy French accent.

For those reasons and more, we’re proud to bring you an interview with Vincent, one where we clear the air about Element, get the intel on his new video part, and bullshit about everything from bidets to signing tits. Enjoy!

I’ve been on some trips with you. You’re good at surfing, you’re good at board games, you’re good at skating. What are you bad at?
[laughs] Street Fighter, I’m definitely bad at Street Fighter.

[laughs] So you’re bad at video games.
Yeah, I don’t know video games that well. But I’ve never been beat in Mario Kart. Well, actually there’s one person. Jamie Foy’s girlfriend beat me at an arcade in Japan. That’s the only time. If you beat me in Mario Kart, 100 bucks [laughs].

photo: clement le gall

You just got announced as Element’s newest rider. At the same time, some fans were expecting you to be riding for Girl. What happened?
So here’s the back story. Two years ago a bunch of people started hitting me up like, “What’s up? Are you still on Pizza?” I hadn’t dropped [footage] with them for a while because we were saving up, but everyone being like “Do you wanna talk?” made me think it might be time for me to move on to something bigger.

Then [Sean] Malto came around and started giving me Girl boards, and he was like, “Dude, let’s try to get you on.” That was a dream come true for me. Girl is one of my favorite companies ever. I went on a Girl trip with everyone and the trip went well.

Meanwhile, Phil Zwijsen, the TM for Element, hit me up. He started talking to me like, “Hey, I think Element is getting bought again, but by a French company that I know. The people are in for the long term.” It would be Phil and Bertrand running the team [French skaters], and they’d be keeping riders, like Vitória, Westgate, Jaakko, Madars, but they were restarting the brand out of France.

The office is right next to home, and all my friends are already working and skating for them, so I can just jump on the sesh with them. It’s sick. For the introduction video I basically got paid to go surf [laughs], and we can do so much stuff with nature, like go climbing or work on projects and collabs with outdoor brands. I’m a nature lover, so it makes sense.

I know Element’s an old brand, but they’re re-launching, keeping it simple and local. I like that.

Dang, so you skipped on Girl?
I never got a clear invite, like from Rick or Mike [owners of Girl Skateboards]. Sean Malto saying, “Dude we’re all down, let’s just do it,” should have been the green light, but I didn’t want to force anything.

Younger me would have been like “Oh my God! I don’t really know these people very well, but let’s jump on this boat.” But getting older I’d rather just go and be with my friends on Element. They’re all like “Dude, come on, Element’s going to be so fucking fun.” It just made sense to be closer to my home and my friends.

So let me get this straight. Element Europe is fully owned by an independent French company now?
Yeah, it’s fully separated. Element is a full European brand now. It’s been official since the beginning of the year. Element US has nothing to do with Europe, which is weird but good for us.

What happened is some people in the US bought Element licensing [so they are able to print Element clothes and products]. And in Europe, this big French family that owns a lot of other brands bought it. They do like some really sick clothing already. A lot of button-up shirts, which I love.

But does this mean the US can do some really wacky, weird shit with Element and you have no control over it?
That’s the thing, they’re trying to figure that out. The licensing thing, Element is such a big brand that in the US it’s totally different. But I don’t want to give so much attention to that, because so much good is already happening with Europe Element. We already went on three trips this year, we have three more trips coming. One Thrasher trip, a video at the end of the year, stuff with mags. There is a lot going on, so I’d rather focus on that than to focus on a small thing like, “Oh, you can see Element boards at Walmart.”

When you’re a pro skater, do your shoe sponsors have any say in what board brand you should get on? Do they push you in a direction?
Not really, but they always have opinions. I mean, I’m just doing me. Adidas has never been like “You gotta quit Pizza.” I’ve read some weird comments on YouTube and Slap and shit like, “Yeah, Adidas told him to quit Pizza,” which was definitely not the case. They were down for Pizza, they were like, “Yeah, it’s sick. You guys put out sick videos.” That’s all that matters to them, you know?

photo: clement le gall

Yeah, I think everyone wonders that, you know? Because shoe companies are basically the most important thing in a skate career.
Yeah, shoe company or like a beverage company [laughs]. That’s where you get the most support. On Pizza tours we almost had to pay for our own bed. They were helping as much as they could, but at some point it was one room or two rooms for the whole team. Jessie was always like, “Oh, I’ll sleep on the floor, you guys take the bed.” It’s just different for board brands. It’s so much tougher.

Where does your love of the button down shirt come from?
[laughs] I never think about it, but sometimes I look at the footage, I’m like damn, yeah, it really looks like I’m going to the office [laughs]. I don’t know, I just put them on sometimes and it feels good.

Is it true you iron your shirts before you skate?
No, I never iron anything [laughs].

A lot of people probably had no idea you surfed until this video came out. What was it like incorporating surfing with skateboarding?
It’s hard to put surfing with skating. It’s really hard to mix, but it’s fun to try. Surfing is such a big part of my life. I started surfing before I started skating, and I think I spend more time in the water than I do skating when I go home. I’m more of a surf rat than a skate rat, and if it’s good for surfing for two weeks, I’m surfing for two weeks. I’m not skating.

I’ve left trips early to go surfing. I check the forecast like “If I go back early one day, the waves are gonna be sick [laughs].” It’s worth it. It gets your mind off skating and it opens you up to talk with different types of people. Being in the ocean is a different mindset.

photo: zander taketomo

What’s the nicest hotel you ever stayed at? And what’s the worst?
Fuck. Probably a shitty motel in the US. One where you don’t even want to open the bed [laughs]. Best hotel was probably in Asia, on an Adidas trip. I mean, I don’t care about being super boujee, as long as I have a bed, you know? I don’t really care.

Is it true that the toilets in Japan are high tech?
Dude, so high tech. They’re comfy. I made one at home with the shower. It just cleans you up.

Wait, you made a DIY bidet?
No, it’s not a bidet. You sit on the toilet, right? And I have a little cable…

And then it sprays up your ass… right?
Yeah exactly. I don’t know why it’s such a taboo thing to do. Everyone you talk to about shit, pooping, whatever, everyone’s just like, “People don’t really talk about it. They are like, “Oh, I need to go ‘number two.’” Come on, man. You shit two times a day, everyone does. Say it, it’s fine.

I remember you having to take a shit before skating a handrail on tour. Is that a normal occurrence?
That’s a classic. When something is scary I’m like, “I gotta find a bathroom, I gotta take a shit.” Your stomach is like your second brain. At contests it’s insane. I gotta go to the bathroom all the time [laughs].

Are you the most successful French skater, money wise?
I don’t know, obviously I’m not doing it for the money or anything, but it’s nice. I bought a house through skating, and I have my own park. It’s different though because my brother built it. The park is upstairs and downstairs it’s his workshop. He’s a carpenter, so it’s an investment. We both own it and built the building. It’s a retirement. It’s not just a skatepark.

I think the most successful has to be Lucas [Puig] or Bastien [Salabanzi]. Bastien was winning every contest back then, and back then there was a lot of money in skating…. Maybe I’m the one who’s tried to help out the most? Recently I gave out some money to a company called Concrete Jungle, they are building DIYs in Africa. I got top 3 in a Street League and donated some of the winnings to them. Trying to do my best out there.

Are you still sponsored by Toyota?
Yeah I’m still on Toyota [laughs]. It’s insane.

What do you have to do for them?
Drive the car [laughs]. No, I’ve done ads with them, I post on Instagram a little bit. But, they don’t need me to sell cars, you know what I mean? It’s not a fat check or anything, I just get to use a car for free which is already a big deal.

Do you think the Olympics have changed you at all in any way?
The Olympics changed my whole life for sure. People recognize me a lot. In France, it’s kind of crazy. People are always like, “Can I take a photo?” But it’s mostly non-skaters. Adidas did a lot of advertising during the Paris Olympics and I was on those big billboards in the subway and stuff like that. It’s all crazy, but it didn’t change me.

I had the weirdest year when the Paris Olympics happened. I put it in my head that I really wanted to do good. It was in my home country, and I was at the right time in my career. I was 27, and I feel like between 25 to 35, you’re skating at your best. Like, what are the chances? You know, it’s one in millions.

It’s a big thing. I can’t wait for when I have kids or grandkids being like “Yeah, grandpa was in the Olympics.” So yeah, I put it in my head that I wanted to do really well. I kind of stopped skating street that year, and I was just going to the park trying to learn tricks. That was the wrong thing to do. I kind of lost the feeling of having fun.

photo: clement le gall

You brought up a surprising point about the peak age for pro skating being 25 to 35. Some people would say earlier, like 20 to 25?
And that’s what I thought. 20 to 25. That’s probably where you’re going to do the craziest shit in your career. I mean I kickflip-lipped Hollywood High, front blunted El Toro and pop shuv 50’d the UCI Hubba. People know me for those things. That’s where I was able to unplug my brain and go for a trick that I know on a big spot. That’s when you go on those big rails, big stuff, without really thinking.

But after 25, you start thinking more. In a good way. Where you’re like, “Hey, actually I want to do some more mature stuff.” You start seeing spots in a different way, and then you start knowing your personality and your body better so you can use it in a better way. When you’re a little younger and more excited you might not take the time to do that.

To me, skating’s like a good wine. It gets better with age. Spanky is one of the best examples. His skating’s always been good, but it’s so much more tasteful right now.

If you can only room with one person on the Adidas team for the rest of your trips, who are you choosing?
There are so many people I really love on the team. If I could room with only one person though, probably Daewon [Song]. He comes home at 3 a.m. every night. Latest at the bar, but he’s also first one up. Good energy. Down to skate anything. Daewon is just so fun to hang with.

Otherwise, Felipe [Gustavo] is a good person to room with. Him and Miles [Silvas] are good to room with. They are both clean and on their routine. They’re like, “Come on Vin, let’s get up, let’s stretch a little bit. Let’s get the day going. Let’s have a good coffee. We’re going to skate today. We’re going to have fun.”

Who wins in a game of SKATE? You or Sean Malto
Malto beats my ass [laughs]. I stress when we play a game of SKATE because he’s so deadass serious. He’s like “$100 on this one” and I have to be like no no no. I should be able to beat him every time, but somehow he gets me every time.

When you come to the States, do you get bummed because less people recognize you than France?
[laughs] No. It’s crazy, I got recognized in the middle of nowhere sometimes. Last time in the US some guy was like “Yo, Vincent Milou, yeah!” I watched the Olympics, you were the only guy smiling there! That was sick!” He didn’t skate but he used to. It’s like people who used to skate who watch and I guess my button up shirt and my smile stood out or something.

Have you signed a pair of boobs, like in the movies?
[Laughs] Yes. She was like “sign right here” and she pulled her t-shirt down a little bit.

photo: clement le gall

Which country has the craziest skate fans?
Brazil is insane dude. People are big fans of skating there. I have a video on my phone from when I had to do a signing with Ryan Decenzo in Brazil for Street League. The line was all around the arena, it was probably a 4 hour line just to take a photo. I can send you the video, the line never ends. The fans cry, they see Rayssa [Leal], they cry. Some of them when they see me, they cry.

I’m glad people still care, because I feel like in the USA sometimes people don’t care as much about pro skateboarding anymore.
No, they just go on SLAP and talk shit [laughs]. I think people in the US are used to it. Especially in California. I get it, you go to the park and Ishod [Wair], Louie [Lopez], and Felipe [Gustavo] are there. When I first came out, I was like holy fuck, but I got used to it too, hanging with Heath Kirchart and surfing with Eric Koston [laughs].

I came from butthole nowhere, France, so to be able to skate for a brand and be recognized like this, is so dope. I see the kids now and they look at me how I used to look at these guys. It’s cool to influence them and have a good impact and motivate them, and because of this, I also feel supported.

I’ve seen comments online saying that your previous sponsor, Pizza skateboards “held you back” because it’s corny or lame. Do you have thoughts on that?
I don’t give a shit. People that give you shit are the ones that don’t do anything. Every Pizza video we made, it’s so sick. In my eyes, it’s really sick. And those dudes are the best dudes ever. In another life, I would have never quit.

I’ll definitely back them up. They changed my life forever, and that’s all that matters, you know? It doesn’t matter about the brand or whatever people think. If you start going that direction, then you get lost.

You don’t live your life. You live other people’s lives.

Interview by: Ian Michna
Intro and Editorial Assists: Ben Komins
Photos courtesy of: Zander Taketomo and Clément Le Gall
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