with a backpack since 1952.
When Monte Goldman founded his company Eastpak Canvas Products USA Inc. in the early 1950s, producing bags and packages for the army, he could not expect what was to happen and revolutionize the luggage market. However, for this to happen in the enterprise had to take over his son - Mark, which happened in 1976. Since then, the production was switched to creating bags for a retail customer. A year later, Eastpak's first bags and backpacks were presented to a wider range of consumers at the Chicago Fair. Mark's vision found a companion in the person of Norman Jacobs, who after joining Eastpak in 1980 together with a partner dominated the backpacks and bags market for American universities on the East Coast, including Boston, where the brand was founded.
It was all possible through innovations - such as bright colors and graphics introduced in 1985, a lifetime warranty [ultimately, for legal reasons for 30 years] on their products or their aggressive advertising policy, at the same time quite controversial, such as comic Andy Capp's drawings. We publish one of them below.
Another important step towards the development and recognition of the brand in the world was the entry into the French market in the mid-80s as well as the chosen Asian development direction covering Japan, Korea and Singapore, not to mention another innovative idea which was opening to cooperation with brands, like Airwalk. In the age of collaboration, this is not surprising - then it was an absolute breakthrough.
The next occurred in 1999 when wheeled luggage was first introduced on the consumer market. Since then, Eastpak has significantly expanded its production profile, it has undergone a transformation from the production of uncomplicated, single-chamber bags to two- or even four-wheeled trolleys with single or double compartments, all in different cabin sizes and custom-made sizes. Over time, came cases for laptops, zippers, straps, belt loops and a whole range of accessories.
As we mentioned in the earlier part of the text, the brand was one of the first to collaborate with other brands, in 2003 there was the first cooperation on the Eastpak line - the designer, it was the Dutch tattoo artist "Hanky Panky". Only 12 months later there was the first fashion cooperation with designer Van Bierendonck. Since then, there have been more and more of them, that we will mention only such characters as: Raf Simons, Jean Paul Gaultier and brands like Neighborhood.
Check out all EASTPAK items like the legendary Padded Pak backpack and many, many more at bludshop.com