ÉTÉ is a studio shaped by conversation, collaboration, and two cities we call home.

About.
Who we are and what we do.

About

ÉTÉ is a design studio based in the 11th of Paris and right by the Isar in Munich, specialized in corporate identity, motion, and digital design with a strong editorial background.

With a background in publishing, we’ve learned—alongside countless editors—how to shape and structure content so it truly communicates.

We shaped our sense for image, typography, and storytelling through years of working across formats. And today, we bring that experience into multilayered environments: from digital design systems to motion, creative coding, and content built for a social-first world.

Team

Founded by So-Hyun Bae, Jan Kirpal and Alexis Zurflüh, ÉTÉ began with a series of summer collaborations by the Isar in Munich. (Fun fact: all three share the same birth week in July, astrologically very compatible… 🦀) True to its name and its spirit, ÉTÉ remains open to new encounters in every season.

Today, ÉTÉ is a group of collaborative, curious minds working across disciplines and languages. We’re constantly evolving, refining our tools, workflows and ways of thinking to stay in sync with changing needs and new disciplines as they emerge.

Principles

We put a lot of effort into understanding what our clients need. Even the things they might not yet have words for. Listening and learning to translate those needs into design is a big part of what we do, whether through workshops, phone calls, or sometimes over a cup of coffee, a good glass of wine or a beer, depending on the city.

For us, quality isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about creating something that actually works.

It’s also about how we try to work: openly, reliably, and with structure. As well as we can, at least.

Aaaand yes, we might have a recognizable way of designing. Maybe that’s true. But what matters most to us is getting to the core of a brand and making it work. And sure, if there’s room for a personal touch, we always try to add one.

Team

Alexis Zurflüh

Founder

A native Aargauer with a long-standing base in Munich and Paris, Alexis navigates comfortably between Swiss dialects, French, and German (featuring a touch of Bavarian when needed).

If you spot him outdoors, he’s probably either fishing or surfing in the west coast of France. Otherwise, you’ll likely find him geeking out in front of his computer, hoodie on, enjoying a “relaxing” time.

So-Hyun Bae

Co-Founder

With So-Hyun, we often lose track of her whereabouts. And frankly, she does too. Somewhere between Paris, Munich, and Strasbourg, where she teaches typography at Haute école des arts du Rhin, she’s also navigating the blurred lines of cultural identity. In conversation, she may drift mid-sentence between English, French, and Korean. Her remedy: etymologies. She claims all languages are, deep down, one and the same.

Jan Kirpal

Co-Founder

If you are seeking advice for a stylish outfit or the best tech tips, Jan is your guy. Typically street-smart, he is the genuine swiss, the swiss knife of our team. In a crowd, you can’t miss him with his bright red beanie or cobalt blue I don’t work here cap. In his presence, you will most probably find yourself wondering where he got that jacket…or those statement shoes.

Caroline Sorin

Design + Coding

Caroline is a graphic designer with a soft spot for code. She digs deep into the web to solve the kind of niche front-end puzzles most people give up on. She still works like it’s 2023 and prefers real answers over AI shortcuts.

She loves nature. Unfortunately, she lives in Paris.

Antoine Lacour

Design

Antoine is the youngest in the team and a quiet argument against every lazy-Gen-Z cliché. Sadly, we don’t often get the kind of jobs that call for his digital drawings. And honestly, we’ve never seen him without his cap.

Rosa Schmitt

Project Managment + SEO

Rosa handles project management, SEO, and all the invisible things that make everything work. She brings structure, energy, and the occasional deadline reminder—though she’s often too kind to play the bad cop for long.

Alex Kikot

Web Developer

Alex is our developer. Fast, focused, and famously allergic to missed deadlines. He somehow always has a fix—usually on the first try, bug-free. Also known for his one-of-a-kind expressions, like: “Holy cow on a row boat over the Niagara Falls.”