Danayad Opens Multi-Brand Korean Store in Paris Marais, September 4

Sloake, the operator of the AI-based O2O platform 'DANAYAD', is taking an innovative step. On September 4, the company will officially open its first permanent offline store in the Marais district of Paris, France, a hub of fashion and culture, thereby commencing its penetration of the European market. This Paris store is expected to serve as an outpost showcasing Korea's diverse lifestyle. In particular, ten promising Korean fashion brands, including DIERNEAS, MAÏS, VISUS, EKIETA, HARLIE K, THEMA, THEN, UMER, CONUNACUERA, and LONDON FLAT, have completed preparations to showcase the charm of K-fashion. In the beauty sector, Uniea will exclusively present innovative cosmetic products developed by dermatologists, aiming to address the skin concerns of European consumers. In the lifestyle section, which pursues sustainable values, upcycling brands 'Anu' and 'Lowlit Collective' are attracting attention. Anu utilizes discarded ceramics to create everyday pottery, while Lowlit Collective repurposes waste plastic into artistic furniture and interior items, expected to open new horizons for eco-friendly consumption. Sloake plans to utilize this Paris store not merely as a sales space, but as a key data collection hub for advancing its AI-based curation technology. The consumer purchasing patterns and vivid feedback data accumulated on-site will serve as a foundation for revolutionizing DANAYAD's online curation services. Sloake CEO Ra Ho-jin emphasized, "The importance of offline stores remains significant in the European market, including France." He expressed his ambition to "propose a new distribution paradigm with an O2O strategy that organically connects advanced online technology with the experience of offline spaces." In particular, Sloake will directly establish its distribution structure through its local subsidiary in Paris, taking charge of distribution, operation, and marketing beyond simple intermediation, thereby serving as a practical bridgehead to help Korean small and medium-sized enterprises and startups successfully establish themselves in the European market. CEO Ra articulated a strong commitment, stating, "We will resolve the difficulties faced by small Korean brands in entering the European market through our AI-based online and offline distribution infrastructure, and actively support them to firmly establish roots in the European market." Meanwhile, Sloake has already demonstrated its capabilities and growth potential, drawing significant anticipation, through its graduation from the 14th cohort of the Youth Startup Academy in 2024, its residency at KSC Paris (SME and Startups Agency) and Station F in France, participation in the HEC Paris Incubateur program, selection for TIPS, and selection as a 'Little Penguin' by the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, among other prestigious domestic and international startup support programs.