Sinjin Smith
Fashion, sport, denim, culture and Christopher St. John “Sinjin” Smith
Icon. Champion. Olympic competitor. MIRAMAR® founder.
Sinjin Smith helped bring beach volleyball from the American Riviera and the California coast to the world. Across a career spanning more than three decades, he became one of sport’s most defining athletes—then helped carry its energy into fashion, film, and popular culture.
A MIRAMAR founder alongside Stephen Ascher, Smith helped shape the connection between beach volleyball and coastal style. Through MIRAMAR, Sideout, King & Queen of the Beach and Queen & King of the Court, the connection became part of the sport’s identity.
A career that helped define the game. Randy Stoklos, Stephen Ascher & Sinjin Smith. The 1986 Hawaiian Open. 62 Victories, surpassing Ron Von Hagen's Record.
Smith won his first Open tournament in Manhattan Beach in 1977. In 1979, at age 22, he won the inaugural World Championships of Beach Volleyball at Redondo Beach’s King Harbor with Karch Kiraly. Together, they were celebrated as the original Kings of the Beach.
SMITH — STOKLOS
Smith later formed a landmark partnership with Randy Stoklos. The pair recorded 114 tournament victories and won World Championships in 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1991. Smith went on to earn 154 career victories and five Manhattan Beach Open titles.
He represented the United States at the Olympic Games, was a UCLA All-American, and won two NCAA national championships. His career earned him induction into both the International Volleyball Hall of Fame and the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Sport, style, and the Miramar story
Smith’s influence reached beyond the court. His work in modeling and advertising connected the "look" of beach volleyball and with American sport, fashion and culture. Beach volleyball was a cultural movement and Smith, Miramar®, King of the Beach® and Sideout® were at the epicenter.
SMITH & WEBER
Smith worked with photographer Bruce Weber and appeared in Levi’s 1982 501 campaign—an image later revisited in Levi’s “One Fair Trade in the greatest story ever worn” short film, part of the brand’s 2023 501® 150th anniversary campaign.
That history continues to resonate with MIRAMAR. Smith’s career sits at the intersection of sport, denim, and California beach culture—the same mix that has shaped MIRAMAR and its Crown Brands since 1983.
SMITH — STEFFES
A legacy of bringing people into the game. Smith and Gold Medalist Atlanta 1996, MIRAMAR Shoot 1988. Smith brings in his replacement.
Smith’s career included leadership and mentorship. He served as president of the Association of Volleyball Professionals, president of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Council, and a member of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Commission. As a player, coach, commentator, and ambassador, he helped build the sport and introduce it to new generations.
Sinjin Smith helped shape the game. His story is part of MIRAMAR’s.
PEOPLE MAGAZINE — 50 MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOOLE IN THE WORLD THROUGH TIME.
Smith is still undoubtedly one of the 50 Most beautiful people in the world through time, and was picked by People Magazine for this honor.
THE MOVIES
From Sideout the Movie, to Magnum PI and now the coming November 3, 2026 documentary Kings of the Beach, MIRAMAR is having a moment. 1980's fashion, sport, culture and heritage take center stage again across the world, led again by Levi Strauss. The next generation is learning about fashion through MIRAMAR across the globe.
THE MOVIES
From Sideout the Movie, to Magnum PI and on the Kings of the Beach.
Smith starred in Tom Selleck’s Magnum PI as Selleck’s volleyball partner, was featured in SIDE-OUT the Movie as “Billy Cross” and is now the subject of the coming documentary film “Kings of the Beach”.
MIRAMAR
Smith was always about fashion and sport, and how the two were inexorably intertwined and influenced American Heritage and culture. Smith anmd MIRAMAR included athletes in heir photo shoots including this iconic spread ad for MIRAMAR ‘s 1990 Catalog featuring not only SMITH, but bring on eventual Gold Medalist Kent Steffes and NBA Boston Celtics great Mike Smith below.
THE LARRY BIRD MOMENT — MIRAMAR BEACHWEAR SPONSORSHIP
SMITH’s efforts of inclusion in sports and fashion for all led off the beach and further to one of MIRAMAR’s most iconic moments, when the NBA 3-Time MVP and “King of the Court” Larry Bird wore MIRAMAR’s Sideout hat as his “beachwear sponsor” during the 1986 Lakers-Celtics world championships and the Larry Bird/Isaiah Thomas 1986 controversy conference.
During Lakers - Celtics World Championships Bird diffused and made light of the controversy inviting his beach wear sponsor and MIRAMAR founder Stephen Ascher to have lunch with him before the conference. Ascher famously asked Bird ant lunch “Larry, your not gonna wear our Sideout hat into the Press Conference are you?” Bird responded “watch Me.” MIRAMAR, Sideout, King of the Beach and King of the Court were now main stream.
Smith’s civic duties were impressive. He served as President of the AVP, President of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Council, and as a member of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Commission. Author, commentator, coach, entrepreneur and ambassador, Sinjin continues to shape the game he helped build.
Career Highlights
- 🏆 154 career tournament victories
- 🏆 7 World Championships (including 1979 inaugural title with Karch Kiraly)
- 🏆 114 wins with partner Randy Stoklos — all-time record partnership
- 🏖️ 5 Manhattan Beach Open titles
- 🇺🇸 Olympic Games representative, USA
- 🎓 UCLA All-American · 2× NCAA National Champion
- 🏛️ International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee
- 🏛️ Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee
- 🌍 President, Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP)
- 🌍 President, FIVB Beach Volleyball World Council
Copyright Miramar®, 1983–2026. All rights reserved.
