How Latin-Owned Startup Holo Footwear Is Evolving After Making Inroads in Outdoor
Holo Footwear arrived in 2020 with the launch of the Maverick, an eco-friendly shoe with outdoor sensibilities made for all day wear. The look, which debuted at Nordstrom, was well received — specifically among outdoor enthusiasts.
Three years later, Holo Footwear — founded by industry veterans Yuri and Rommel Vega — pivoted and delivered the brand’s first look outside of the outdoor market, the IO.01, a performance basketball shoe. It is the signature style for Isaac Okoro of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Although a new category for Holo Footwear, the shoe is replete with tech the brand’s fans are familiar with. For instance, if features Honest Foam+ midsole compound underfoot, made using 100 percent recycled EVA, keeping in line with the brand’s sustainability story. “We really cranked up the density on [the Honest Foam] so it can support him on the court,” said Rommel Vega, who serves as chief executive officer of Holo Footwear.
The shoe also includes eco leather on the vamp, added to withstand Okoro’s hard cutting style on the court, recycled cotton laces, recycled rubber outsoles, vented mesh on the upper and removable midfoot straps.
“The strap is designed to come out, and the idea here is teams are going to be able to do their own team strap. They slide in and out, and you can interchange them,” Rommel Vega said. “This would be good for AAU [Amateur Athletic Union] teams, they can have their own signature strap. They can be customized a little bit, kids like that a lot. They want to be able to put a spin on it.”
However, if you ask the brand founders, this pivot to basketball footwear should not come as a surprise.
“We’ve been asked before, ‘Who is your consumer?’ We say, ‘Anybody that wears shoes.’ That means we have to keep expanding outside of the outdoor category,” Yuri Vega, the brand’s president, told FN. “There was a white space in the outdoor lifestyle category when we launched — attainable and sustainable, and great fresh product — but there’s still more opportunity out there in categories we’re not in.”
Rommel Vega added, “Our goal is still to create sustainable and attainable footwear, but we are a shoe company, we are not an outdoor company. We’re not being boxed in by any category. The company is growing and there’s an elasticity to the brand. We can play around with things that other brands cannot. We are going to be disruptive in many arenas and do things differently. If we want to do that as a pickleball, basketball, women’s fashion, we’re going to.”
What else should come as no surprise to Holo Footwear’s fans is the signing of Okoro. Rommel and Yuri Vega admitted they were instantly enamored with Okoro’s work ethic when they met him in September 2023 before the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore. And their upbringings, too, are similar.
“We’re young, we’re kids of immigrants. So is Isaac. His parents are Nigerian. We have a lot of grit. Nothing was given to us — even the fundraising wasn’t easy,” Rommel Vega said.
Why Representation Matters
Although Yuri and Rommel Vega are industry veterans, and they realized success with Holo Footwear out of the gate, their journey hasn’t been without challenges.
“Startups for minorities are a little different. You want to ask me how many times I’ve been to factories in China, in Vietnam, and people are still questioning could we do this,” said Rommel Vega. His prior experience includes stops at Puma, Columbia, Keen and Merrell.
He continued, “Do you not realize Yuri put in 20 years at Merrell and Saucony? But we like to earn everything. We don’t want anything given to us. That’s why I got a bag of shoes and personally went to North Dakota to see Scheels. I talked to the team and sold them the product.”
Because of the obstacles both Yuri and Rommel Vega have faced, they believe it is critically important for future generations to see Latin faces in the ownership ranks.
“Representation matters at the owner table because we have been in the background creating the product. Not only do we have to be the creatives, but we also have to be the owners,” Rommel Vega said. “We want kids to see a Latino that is a CEO-owner. We can inspire the next generation, but they can say ‘That person looks like me’ if they can see you.”
Yuri Vega, who is president of Holo Footwear, added, “We need to change the narrative and challenge the stereotypes. People from all backgrounds, social and economic, should have the opportunities and resources to launch and own their own business as it will only contribute to economic growth, innovation and social impact. Breaking down barriers and advocating for diversity in entrepreneurship will only help create a more inclusive business environment that reflects the diverse population.”
This thought process was instrumental in teaming up with Okoro, who signed with Holo Footwear in December 2023. Rommel Vega confirmed Okoro is not only an ambassador, he also has an ownership stake in the company, a rarity in today’s ultracompetitive sneaker marketplace. Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, Rommel Vega confirmed Okoro will do clinics and make appearances representing the brand, and will visit key retail accounts in the offseason.
“One thing that drew us to Okoro, one of the things we aligned with was family values. We come from very close knit families, and our parents and siblings are still very much involved in our lives,” Yuri Vega said. “His dad [Godwin Okoro] is always with him. He was in the room when we were negotiating the partnership. The similar upbringing meant a lotto us.”
Yuri and Rommel Vega also said they identified with Isaac Okoro’s immigrant story.
Although Okoro was born in Atlanta, his parents emigrated from Nigeria. As for Holo Footwear’s ownership, Yuri Vega was born in Mexico and her parents moved to Michigan when she was 9, and Rommel Vega was born in Nicaragua and moved to Miami with his family when he was 5.
What’s more, Holo Footwear will soon expand its story of inclusion and representation.
“We’re going to sign a WNBA player,” Rommel Vega said. “My wife, being part owner and president, is very big on inclusion and diversity, and we want to make sure that we have a presence [in women’s basketball].”
Daveed Cohen, vice president of basketball operations and partnerships for Young Money APAA Sports — the agency of record for Holo Footwear — said the brand is focusing intently on the 2024 WNBA Draft. “We’ve highlighted three [players] that stuck out to Rommel and Yuri,” he said. “And there’s one current WNBA player that we have on the list.”
Cohen also confirmed his agency is helping Holo Footwear find the right athlete to sign to a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal.
“NIL is a new pathway for Holo. Us as the agency of record, we’ve got about 30-plus NIL athletes signed to the agency, a combination of football, basketball, volleyball and other sports. Being able to integrate some of our athletes with the brand is part of the plan,” Cohen said. “But we’re not going to just go throw Holo on any an NIL athlete just to get brand awareness. We’re looking for the right fit.”
What the Future Holds
Holo Footwear is currently sold in more than 300 stores throughout the country, and its key accounts include Nordstrom, REI Co-op and Von Maur, among others. Meijer and Paragon Sports were also highlighted as important retail partners, and Rommel Vega confirmed Holo Footwear’s spring range has just been shipped to Dillard’s, Scheels and Famous Footwear.
He also confirmed Holo Footwear signed five national sales rep across the country in January, who will soon show the brand’s spring 2025 collection, and its retail strategy is being led by Erin Sander, the brand’s vice president of merchandising, whose prior experience includes Sorel and Keen.
“Segmentation is important. We have a very detailed roadmap,” Rommel Vega said. “We’re focused on growing within our existing doors, which is a tough task for anybody right now because retail is tough. But also, we’re launching product that’s a little faster, which can sit at a Foot Locker, a JD [Sports] or a Dick’s Sporting Goods. As we move forward and grow, getting into the athletic space is our biggest push.”
International is also a priority for Holo Footwear. Rommel Vega said the brand will soon have a presence in Canada, and that it already has begun to make inroads in Spain, Portugal, New Zealand and Australia.
In terms of product, Rommel Vega identified several releases he believes will boost Holo Footwear’s profile in 2024.
For instance, Holo Footwear will launch the second shoe of its partnership with outdoor hospitality company Kampgrounds of America (KOA), a new-look Athena Moc, in April. It will be sold via Nordstrom, KOA.com and Holofootwear.com. (Holo Footwear announced the three-year partnership with KOA in June 2023.)
As for its presence in basketball, Holo Footwear will have two separate releases for the IO.01. First, there will be a one-time drop with the Cavaliers this spring in the team’s store at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. There will be a broader release in the summer via Holofootwear.com. Rommel Vega confirmed it is in discussions with “two big national retailers” to sell the shoe as well. It will retail for $120.
The second shoe for Okoro, a look Rommel Vega said looks vastly different from the first, will release in December.
Holo Footwear will also venture into a new category, performance running, with the release of the N-Fly. The N-Fly road running shoe is slated to release in the second half of the year. Underfoot, Holo Footwear added its Honest Foam+ compound, made using recycled EVA, and the upper features a a cage made from no-sew recycled TPU film, which was added to lock the foot down.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.