EAST PACIFIC TRADE OPENS ITS FIRST PARIS POP-UP
a multi-sensory cultural hub where korean footwear design meets parisian creative scene from april 21st to june 19th, 2026
east pacific trade, the korean footwear and lifestyle brand founded by legendary shoemaker jai baek, is transforming 52 rue charlot in paris into a cultural archive and multi-sensory studio environment.
for two months, ept will showcase its minimalist sneaker collections alongside curated design experiences, exclusive collaborations, vinyl-only talks, and cultural gatherings. this marks the brand's first european pop-up, celebrating the intersection of eastern and western creative cultures.
east pacific trade announces the opening of its first parisian pop-up space, a radical departure from traditional retail. rather than a simple store, the space functions as a cultural destination where the brand's footwear collections meet curated design, sound, olfactory experiences, food, and wine. this approach reflects ept's commitment to cross-cultural exchange and creative collaboration, positioning the brand at the heart of paris's contemporary creative scene.
A PERMANENT MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCE
beyond scheduled events, the ept pop-up offers visitors a carefully curated environment designed for discovery and contemplation.
the space features an an olfactive and design experience by frama, the copenhagen-based multidisciplinary brand known for its mindful approach to furniture, lifestyle objects, and fragrances, as well as an exhibition of curated objects by armaan bansal (anda__ba).
visitors can browse ept's curated library of selected magazines and publications, while specially curated playlists by music work play through a custom high-fidelity sound system designed by matéo garcia, the french designer renowned for his sculptural loudspeakers created for boiler room. in 2024, garcia founded matéo garcia audio with architect marcelo joulia, creating "objects with potential use" at the intersection of design and sculpture.
TWO MONTHS OF CULTURAL PROGRAMMING
throughout its eight-week residency, the ept pop-up will host an ambitious program of exclusive product launches, magazine release, vinyl-only listening session & talks, and cultural gatherings.
all events will be complemented by drinks from phamily first, the parisian hospitality collective founded by julien pham, known for fostering community-driven cultural experiences.
WEEK 1
opening party
april 23rd, 7-9pm
dj set by tonak, drinks by phamily first
WEEK 2
exhibition opening
april 29th, 7-9pm
a collection of objects curated by armaan bansal, opening preview and talk with creative director
WEEK 3
ept x coco capitán collaboration launch
may 7th, 7-9pm
launch of the exclusive collaboration with coco capitán, the spanish-born, london-based multi-disciplinary artist known for her work across photography, painting, and text-based art.
dj set by theo terev and drinks by phamily first.
WEEK 5
sunday talk: the art of digging with mafalda
may 10th, 4-6pm
ept radio presents the first in a series of vinyl-only sunday afternoon listening sessions exploring record digging culture coffee & cookies by phamily first
WEEK 5
ept node magazine launch
may 21st, 7-9pm
exhibition and limited copies of ept's first node print publication highlighting creatives's journey.
dj set by nina yamada and drinks by phamily first.
WEEK 6
sunday talk: the art of digging with louise chen
may 24th, 4-6pm
ept radio's second sunday talk session features louise chen, the franco-taiwanese dj based in paris. founder of the legendary girls girls girls parties and host of shows on nts radio and rinse france, louise chen is known for her genre-spanning sets that travel through soul, jazz, disco, house, and techno.
coffee & cookies by phamily first.
WEEK 7
wine & ice cream by folderol & phamily first
june 7th, 4-6pm
a unique pairing experience combining natural wine and artisanal ice cream
WEEK 8
ept x poggy "checkmate driver"
collaboration launch
june 11th, 7-9pm
launch of the collaboration with motofumi "poggy" kogi, the influen-tial tokyo-based menswear curator and former united arrows & sons director. known as japan's "king of the collabs," this special footwear collaboration celebrates the intersection of japanese design sensi-bility and ept's innovative approach to sneaker construction.
dj set by donna leake and drinks by phamily first.
WEEK 9
sunday talk: the art of digging
with haseeb iqbal
june 14th, 4-6pm
ept radio's final sunday talk session features haseeb iqbal, dj, writer, and broadcaster from north london who explores global music and cultural history through his radio documentaries and independent platform. iqbal's club night, studio crumb, is reco-gnized as one of london's best, and he has written for major pu-blications and worked with leading cultural institutions. his recent residencies at tate modern and 180 studios highlight his talent for blending music, storytelling, and art.
coffee & cookies par phamily first.
WEEK 10
ept x kompakt record bar
collaboration launch
june 18th, 7-9pm
launch of the collaboration with kompakt records bar, from seoul. kompakt record bar (krb) is a renowned, intimate music venue in seoul, south korea, founded in april 2018 by dj and graphic designer jinmoo choi. located in apgujeong (and expanding to seongsu), it is famous for its curated, high-end vintage sound systems and intimate listening experience, often hosting guest djs and collaborating on apparel.
t-shirt release + dj sets by jeyon and jenn
EPT PARIS POP-UP
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52 rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
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From April 21st to June 19th, 2026
Daily: 11am - 7pm
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design & olfactive experience
FRAMA
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sound system
Matéo Garcia
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sound design
Music Work
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drinks partner
Phamily First
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curated objects
Armaan Bansal
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for updates and event information
on instagram @ept.world
press contact: zmirov communication
antoine alawoe - antoine.alawoe@zmirov.com
amélie tissot - amelie.tissot@zmirov.com
