Daniel Dae Kim, the Tony-nominated actor, entrepreneur and leader at the creative agency 3AD, is adding a new accomplishment: fashion investor.
Kim, who is also a prominent Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) activist, joins sneaker brand 1587 as an equity partner focusing on product development, marketing and partnerships.
“I’m proud of what the team at 1587 has accomplished through their exceptional and powerful message. Working with them seems like a natural extension of our common interests, and I’m genuinely excited for the chance to succeed together,” Kim said.
The company is also introducing its new A-Fit sneaker, a design that accommodates lower arches and wider forefeet that is tailored for the Asian American foot anatomy. The design features the brand’s newly created AAPI Last. And while it is contoured for the AAPI foot, the A-Fit shoe last can accommodate anyone who has similar foot characteristics.
1587 Sneakers was founded by Adam King and Sam Hyun in 2023 out of a desire to celebrate AAPI culture and history. Jose Antonio Vargas joined the team a year later. Inspiration for the brand name is drawn from the year when the first Asians, Filipino sailors, arrived in America, 33 years before Plymouth Rock.
AAPI consumers — the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the U.S., according to Pew Research Center — represent 15 percent of sneaker sales.
The company’s unique approach was recognized on Shark Tank last year when the team sought to secure an investment to further build out the brand, unsuccessfully. The company also supports the AAPI community, donating a portion of profits from monthly shirt releases to AAPI non-profits.
“As an artist, activist and entrepreneur, breaking barriers along the way, not only for Asian Americans, but for the broader American culture, Daniel is one of one, and embodies what we stand for as a growing company,” King said.
King told Footwear News that Kim has been wearing 1587 sneakers for a couple of years and “knew he could take it to the next level by focusing on AAPI feet shape and marketing.” He added that Kim came up with the idea based on his own feet.
Kim said that before becoming an equity partner, he’s been a fan of the brand for a few years. “I love that they are an Asian American brand that doesn’t shy away from being proud of its heritage, yet focuses on producing a high quality product for everyone,” the actor and entrepreneur said.
Unlike many other investors who become silent partners through their financial investments, AAPI activist Kim decided to take a different route through active involvement. “If I believe in a product enough to be associated with it, it’s because I really believe in the brand and the people behind it. I wanted my support to be beyond lip service to actually having a stake in its success,” he said.
Kim said he’s never invested in fashion before and has “deliberately kept my endorsement footprint very small.” One big plus for 1587 is that he’s also an admitted sneakerhead. “Like so many of us, I’m a big fan of sneaker culture and how a great sneaker is an expression of ourselves. I’m glad to contribute something positive to that idea,” Kim said.
According to King, it was Kim who set the ball rolling on the idea of a separate shoe last for Asian feet.
“It was pretty simple, really. I noticed that a lot of times I would buy sneakers and they were too narrow and the arches too high for me. After talking with 1587, I realized I wasn’t alone,” Kim said. King had his team dig deeper, coming up with scientific research based on 1 million feet scans that found Asian feet tend to share the same characteristics of lower arches and wider forefeet. “I thought why not make a shoe, not only for us, but for anyone who happens to have the same profile. 1587 then went to work with Jones and Vining to develop an AAPI Last that we’re calling our ‘A-Fit’,” Kim explained.
“The leather used in our sneakers is extremely high quality, along with the rubber. They’re sourced from Italy. It’s important for us to be able to call our shoe a premium product and have the materials to back it up,” Kim said.
According to company co-founder King, 1587’s customers are 70 percent AAPI, and all future sneakers from the brand will feature the AAPI Last going forward. The unisex sneakers start at $188 and can go as high as $298 a pair, according to current offerings on the 1587sneakers.com site.
As for Kim, his new spy-thriller, six-episode series Butterfly will premier on Amazon’s Prime Video on Aug. 13. Kim’s 3AD is one of the co-producers of the series working with Amazon MGM Studios.
A look at the Asian-Fit Castagna at $298, from 1587Sneakers.com.
