By Jessica Sipprelle, News Correspondent
Danny Danesh was on co-op at a real estate firm in Shanghai when he first encountered a pair of traditional “warrior” sneakers. Danesh said he saw potential in the athletic canvas shoes, which have been a staple item in Chinese culture since 1935, and was inspired to introduce them to the western world.
After finishing up his tenure at Colliers International in December 2008, Danesh launched his company, Warrior Footwear, in April 2009, right before his graduation. Since then, soccer star David Beckham has been seen wearing a pair of the “court” model, high tops that resemble the shoes worn by the Chinese Olympic basketball team in the 1970s.
This summer the shoes will be sold in about 30 stores, including Alife in New York City, Bodega in Boston and other sneaker boutiques. Danesh said it’s been exciting to see his company grow to be so popular.
“A product that was once mainstream in a completely different culture now has the opportunity to do the same here 30 to 40 years later across the world,” he said. “Warriors are the pride of Shanghai.”
Since the company began, Danesh said one of his long term goals was to have his line sold at Urban Outfitters, and on May 1 the store began offering two designs of his shoes on its website.
“Everyone says [the shoes] just look like they need to be [at Urban Outfitters],” Danesh said. “I feel proud that Americans are open- minded enough to embrace a completely foreign product that doesn’t have a multi-million dollar marketing campaign behind it.”
He said the designs are inspired by the traditional style of “warrior” shoes, and he aims to keep the designs of the sneakers as close to the original as possible. The shoes range in price from $40 to $50 a pair, and are made out of breathable canvas in neutral colors.
Danesh said he largely attributes the success of Warrior Footwear to the lessons he took away from his co-op experience. He said he encourages students to pursue co-ops abroad so they can they have the chance for self exploration, even though finding the opportunities may be more challenging.
“It’s difficult to find an international co-op, but I would have never realized this opportunity had I never gone to China,” he said. “I wanted to be more curious about my options. The world is so connected now.”
Those who know Danesh provide glowing reviews of his work ethic. Jordan Edwards, Danesh’s friend through the entrepreneurship major, said Danesh’s work ethic has helped the company expand.
“Danny is an incredible person who has always impressed me with his drive and passion,” he said. “Every time I speak to him I enjoy hearing about the growth of his business.”
Michael Harrison, a 2009 graduate in entrepreneurship and a friend of Danesh, said he is equally impressed by the quality of Warrior Footwear products.
“Danny is capitalizing on a great opportunity to introduce an iconic Chinese brand to the American consumer,” he said. “I am a huge fan of Warrior Footwear. I have multiple pairs of Warriors and wear them daily.”
Edwards said he loves telling people about Danesh’s accomplishments.
“He is a real Northeastern success story spending time in China on co-op and bringing this brand back to life in the USA,” he said. “Every time I wear my Warriors people ask me about them and I feel a huge sense of pride telling them my friend Danny’s journey bringing them here.”
In addition to urbanoutfitters.com, the shoes are sold in several different stores across the United States, Canada and Belgium, and on warriorfootwear.com.
