Sartaj Singh
Harnessing pride in over 435 years of Asian American history, 1587 Sneakers and its co-founders Adam King and Sam Hyun pitched their business on the season 16 premiere of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank.’ With intricately crafted products infused with Asian American culture, the company seeks to market to a specific demographic that it believes is untapped in the footwear industry.
1587 Sneakers: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Created by Adam King and based in Boston, Massachusetts, 1587 Sneakers sprung from an idea to market premium footwear targeted toward Asian-American consumers. After completing his MBA at Goizueta Business School, King started working at Reebok in 2009. He spent nine years with the company, rising to the position of global product line manager, working in Vietnam between 2015 and 2018, managing the international cross-cultural team. Between 2019 and 2022, he worked with Koio as the director of product development and production in New York. He then joined Robert Govan in co-founding Govan Luxury, which is a footwear brand targeted toward the African American demographic.
Likely inspired by the concept, King used his vast experience in the footwear industry and started 1587 Sneakers in January 2023. The “1587” in the brand name is representative of the year in which Asians first set foot on the North American continent. King believes he has identified a market gap in the footwear industry, reasoning that major labels don’t target the Asian American demographic. According to the figures he quotes, despite making up only 8% of the population, they comprise 14% of the sneaker sales. For branding and production, King seemingly implemented a similar strategy to the one he did in Govan Luxury, reducing direct competition with market leaders by targeting the community they represent with luxury footwear manufactured in Europe.
The 42-year-old founder then saw Sam Hyun on the cover of the Boston Globe, finding his vision and persona to be directly in line with what he sought to convey through his brand. “He’s loud, brash, unapologetic, athletic, everything the stereotype that Asian Americans aren’t,” said Adam King in an interview. “So immediately, I want all our customers to have that energy or feel that when they buy our product.” Sam Hyun saw promise in King’s idea and stepped on board as a co-founder. The son of Korean immigrants, Hyun has his fingers in many pies, both in terms of business and social influence. He is the director of government relations at The Asian American Foundation.
Hyun is also a minority stakeholder of Matsunori Handroll Bar, a board member of NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals), Boston chapter, and a keynote speaker at EVERGREEN Speakers. 1587 Sneakers was joined by its third co-founder, Jose Antonio Vargas, after Adam King reached out to him for advice on a t-shirt he was designing. Vargas, a journalist and author, was inspired by the celebration of Asian American culture and invested in his vision. Jose Antonio Vargas, a Filipino American, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has also authored several books and produced an autobiographical documentary called ‘Documented.’
1587 Sneakers is called the first Asian American brand entirely owned and operated by Asian Americans. The company sells both footwear and apparel through its website. The majority of its shoes are made in Europe using Italian leather and natural rubber. The insides of the sneakers are lined with supple calf leather for a smooth feel. The laces are waxed, and the quality of full-grain Italian leather promises minimal creasing for a fresh, out-of-the-box look. The online shop also has a range of T-shirts with culturally significant messages and art.
1587 Sneakers: Where Are They Now?
1587 Sneakers is so far selling its products only through its own website. The majority of sneakers, which are made in Europe, are priced at $288. These include the AP87s and the MORRO BAY Golden Panda. In response to popular demand, in September 2024, the team introduced the Yellow Thread Sneaker series, which is priced lower but made with the same quality of materials. The primary difference is that they are made in Asia and thus come at a lower cost of $188. Additionally, the Heritage slides are priced at $95 and often go on a 40% sale, with the price being lowered to $57.
In the apparel section, 1587 Sneakers offers the Chinese Ah Shirt, Unapologetic Smiley, FAHM Bayan Box, Built This Shirt, KAAN 2024 Collab, and #aaja24 Shirt for $50 each. The Unapologetic 1587 shirt is priced at $45. The Pinoy Pride and Bau Cua (Ham Chơi) shirts are discounted at $37, with $50 being the full price. The website also sells three variations of caps, with the Unapologetic Smiley Hat and Dragon Dad Hat priced at $40 and the Vintage Heavy Ballcap priced at $55.
In September 2024, 1587 Sneakers won the Community Partnership Appreciation Award by the Asian Corporate & Entrepreneur Leaders. Soon afterward, after six months of work on the design process, headed by Jose Antonio Vargas, 1587 Sneakers introduced the FAHM (Filipino American History Month) Bayan Box shirt, inspired by Filipino culture and Kenkoy comic art in October 2024. Going forward, King seeks to expand far beyond footwear and apparel. He says that he would love to have his company’s logo on computers and water bottles, spreading Asian culture and its appeal in the mainstream.
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