Kicks Crew
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Footwear, Apparel, Accessories, E-commerce |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Johnny Mak, Ross Adrian Yip |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Johnny Mak (CEO), Ross Adrian Yip (COO), Kyrie Irving (Chief Community Officer) |
| Products | Footwear, Apparel, Accessories (with emphasis on sneakers) |
Kicks Crew (presented as KICKS CREW) is a worldwide digital marketplace headquartered in New York City, specializing in footwear, apparel, and accessories, with a particular emphasis on sneakers. Established to enhance accessibility beyond limited-edition and luxury items, the company employs a B2B2C framework that supports brands and retailers by distributing exclusive releases, surplus stock, and overstock inventory instead of dealing in pre-owned merchandise. This strategy effectively mitigates authenticity issues often encountered in C2B2C platforms.
The marketplace features an extensive catalog exceeding 400,000 items from leading sportswear manufacturers as well as emerging Asian brands.
History
Kicks Crew was launched in 2008 by CEO Johnny Mak and COO Ross Adrian Yip, both previously affiliated with GOAT Group, with the mission to make sneaker ownership more inclusive. The company initially utilized third-party marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Tmall, and JD.com before transitioning to a direct-to-consumer approach in 2021.
In November 2022, the company secured $7.2 million through a Series A round led by Gobi Partners and Pacific Century Group, marking NBA athlete Damian Lillard’s debut investment in a startup. Lillard also assumed the role of Kicks Crew's first "Crew Athlete," partnering on exclusive sneaker drops, content creation, and community engagement activities—including a sneaker giveaway event in Oakland and coaching clinics held in Hong Kong’s Kowloon area.
In 2023, the Chinese brand Rigorer introduced NBA player Austin Reaves’ inaugural signature sneaker, the AR1, exclusively via Kicks Crew. The release included several color variants honoring Team USA and the Los Angeles Lakers, commemorating milestones in Reaves' contract.
December 2023 marked the arrival of Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving as Chief Community Officer and investor. Early 2024 saw NBA rookie Jamal Shead enter into an endorsement agreement, followed by Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas joining as a brand ambassador.
By June 2025, Basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade along with NBA All-Star D'Angelo Russell became investors and "CREW Athletes," building on their existing affiliations with Li-Ning and Way of Wade. Their partnership debuted with an immersive Way of Wade x Kicks Crew activation at Fanatics Fest NYC.