Fashion

How Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Actually Became A Billion-Dollar Brand

28 May

If you have been on the internet at any point in the past decade you must have heard of Kim Kardashian, and if you have been online in the last five years, then you must have heard of Skims, the solution based company founded by Kim Kardashian, Emma Grede and Jens Grede. When Kim Kardashian launched SKIMS in 2019, none of us imagined that we’d be seeing her posing next to NBA commissioner Adam Silver to announce that her brand was the official underwear partner of the NBA. But on Oct. 30, 2023, we all bore witness to the social media takeover. In just four years, SKIMS had become one of the biggest fashion companies in the world, providing next-level underwear, shapewear and loungewear reminiscent of Kardashian’s own looks.

The brand has also continued to grow its cultural relevancy through its consistently viral campaigns. Stars that have appeared in SKIMS ads have included Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, Lana Del Rey, Ice Spice, Kate Moss, Simona Tabasco, SZA, Tyra Banks, Neymar, and Kardashian herself, of course, along the way, it has racked up partnerships with the United States Olympic team, Swarovski, Fendi, and most recently the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball.

With SKIMS making headlines once again, we decided to look back on the brand’s history thus far. Read on to learn more about SKIMS’ journey from idea to $4 billion company, below.

Kim Kardashian Announces Her Shapewear Label

In June 2019, Kim Kardashian ignited controversy by launching her shapewear line under the name “Kimono.” She claimed 15 years of development behind the line, tweeting, “Kimono is my take on shapewear and solutions for women that actually work.” The debut campaign, featuring photography by Vanessa Beecroft (a frequent collaborator with Kardashian’s then-husband Kanye West on his Yeezy fashion shows), offered a glimpse into the brand’s aesthetic.

Skims Campaign 2019

Changes Name from “Kimono” to “SKIMS” Following Controversy

Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line, initially named “Kimono,” sparked immediate controversy due to its name’s disconnect from traditional Japanese garments. BBC News Japanese editor Yuko Kato swiftly confronted Kardashian on Twitter, questioning how the shapewear related to kimonos. The outrage spread online, with the hashtag “#KimOhNo” emerging from the Japanese community to criticise Kardashian for cultural appropriation. Faced with the backlash, Kardashian addressed the issue within a week and announced the brand would be renamed. By August, she revealed the new name: SKIMS.

SKIMS Releases First Collection

SKIMS exploded onto the scene in September 2019 with a diverse 36-piece collection (think bodysuits, bras, and everything in between). But SKIMS went beyond undergarments. Their packaging featured diverse models, and the campaign showcased established names alongside Kardashian’s friends and family, even Alice Marie Johnson, a formerly incarcerated woman Kardashian helped free. This focus on inclusivity resonated. TMZ reported a $2 million sell-out within minutes, with no item exceeding $100. Thrilled, Kardashian took to Instagram, vowing to make SKIMS “available and accessible always.”

Nordstrom Becomes First Retailer to Stock SKIMS

SKIMS found its first brick-and-mortar home in February 2020 through a partnership with Nordstrom. “It was a natural choice,” Kim Kardashian said, praising Nordstrom’s “unmatched customer service and inclusive size offerings.” Nordstrom echoed this sentiment, highlighting the collaboration’s success with “over 2 billion media impressions” and strong sales, especially in their NYC flagship.

SKIMS Opens First Pop-Ups in LA and Paris

Despite the pandemic, SKIMS’ popularity continued to soar. In 2021, they launched their first physical retail experiences with pop-ups in Los Angeles and Paris. Designed by Willo Perron, a collaborator from Ye’s creative circle, the pop-ups reflected a focus on comfort with “no hard corners, everything is round with soft edges,” as Perron told Dezeen. “I wanted people to feel like they had to touch it.” This philosophy mirrored the loungewear boom of the pandemic, which Kardashian credited for quadrupling SKIMS’ sales in 2020 with lines like SKIMS Cozy. “I knew it would do well because I’d never seen anything like it before,” she told WWD, “but we’ve restocked it 10 times now.” While Kardashian hinted at permanent brick-and-mortar stores, the pop-up success continued, coinciding with the launch of the “SKIMS Boyfriend” line, a tease towards a potential menswear expansion.

SKIMS Is The Official Underwear of Team USA at Summer Olympics

Beyond sales, 2021 saw a major win for SKIMS: becoming the official underwear for Team USA’s women’s teams at the Summer Olympics. This held special meaning for Kardashian, raised by Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner. “Ever since I was 10 years old, I’ve heard every detail about the Olympics,” she said in an Instagram post unveiling the collection. “Being invited to be a part of Team USA brought everything full circle.” The partnership placed SKIMS alongside sports giants like Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren, and the lookbook remained true to SKIMS’ inclusivity, featuring Paralympic athlete Scout Bassett.

SKIMS x Fendi

SKIMS continued to explode in 2021 through a luxurious collaboration with Fendi. Kim Jones designed a collection with Kardashian that blended the design language of both labels. Shapewear, lingerie, swimwear, outerwear, and accessories inspired by a 1979 Fendi collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld were produced. Jones told WWD he was driven to collaborate with SKIMS after he noticed women in Fendi’s design team were glued to their phones for a SKIMS drop during a meeting. “My Fendi is about creating something for every woman, every different shape — and that’s something at the heart of Skims, too,” Jones told WWD. Fendi’s luxe take on SKIMS included shapewear crafted out of engineered velvet and a $4,200 bonded leather dress. When the collaboration dropped, it sold out in one minute and generated $1 million in sales.

SKIMS Launches Swimwear

SKIMS dipped into new waters in 2022 by launching its own swimwear line. The SKIMS Swim collection included bikinis and one-piece swimsuits in 19 different silhouettes and seven colorways. “Feeling confident is really important and so many women dread the idea of putting on a swimsuit and baring it all,” Kim told Vogue. “I wanted to change that and take away the anxiety of buying and wearing swimwear by offering a complete system of solutions and options that aim to suit every taste.” The same year SKIMS Swim launched, the brand was valued at $3.2 billion.

Named one of Time’s Top 100 Most Influential Companies of 2022

In 2022, SKIMS was highlighted as one of the top 100 most influential companies of the year by Time. The following year, Kardashian even donned the cover of the annual Time issue to mark SKIMS’ inclusion in the 2023 list. “Obviously you have big hopes, but this definitely exceeded everything that I ever imagined,” Kardashian told Time in a 2023 interview.

Kim Kardashian, Emma Grede, and Jens Grede Awarded the First Innovation Award at the CFDA Awards

In 2022, the CFDA presented its first-ever Innovation Award at its annual ceremony. The inaugural winners were none other than Kardashian, Emma, and Jens Grede. The awards were presented to the trio by another entrepreneurial titan, Martha Stewart.

“We’re so proud of SKIMS’ ability to not only innovate with our products, but also with our mission of inclusivity. We have put a strong emphasis since our launch on continuing to shape the industry to embrace size equality and diversity as a fixture, not just a trend,” said Kardashian in her acceptance speech. We’re sure this won’t be the last time that we see Kardashian accepting an award for her work with SKIMS.

SKIMS Performance Debuts

Anyone trying to wear their SKIMS to the gym got their wish granted in March 2023 when SKIMS debuted its line of activewear. SKIMS Performance featured five items available in three colourways: a long-sleeve top, a high-waisted legging, a racerback tank, a stirrup legging, and a high-waisted bike short.

Valued at $4 Billion

In July 2023, SKIMS announced its latest funding round worth $270 million, which made its value over $4 billion. In an interview with The New York Times announcing the valuation, SKIMS chief executive Jens Grede said that the company was on track for $750 million in sales in 2023. Along with an expansion into men’s clothing that we have already seen start to take shape, SKIMS also plans to open up various flagship stores in L.A. and NYC in 2024 as it continues on its upward trajectory. Maybe one day SKIMS will have the same presence as Victoria’s Secrets in shopping malls. Who knows?

Announces SKIMS Mens

Finally, men can experience the brand that all of their girlfriends can’t stop raving about. One of SKIMS’ biggest expansions to date has been the introduction of SKIMS Mens in 2023. Kardashian enlisted three of the best athletes on the planet to unveil her newest category: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Brazilian soccer star Neymar, and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa. Products include underwear, T-shirts, tank tops, leggings, and socks in a variety of colors that range from $16–$98. The offering is broken into three categories based around different fabrics: Cotton, Stretch, and Sport. I don’t know about you all, but I’m personally very interested in finding out if these are really, “the most comfortable underwear you’ll ever own.”

SKIMS Introduces Ultimate Nipple Bra

SKIMS followed up the announcement of SKIMS Men with another viral campaign. This time, Kardashian was front and center to introduce the Ultimate Nipple Bra. As the name suggests, the bra features a built-in faux nipple. Kardashian can be seen flaunting the new bra in a laboratory setting with memorable quips such as, “No matter how hot it is, you’ll always look cold.” As you may expect, the campaign immediately went viral. Since its debut, SKIMS has even taken to referring to the Ultimate Nipple Bra as “the push-up bra that broke the internet” on its Instagram page. Leave it to Kardashian to break the Internet once again.

Announced as the Official Underwear of the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball

On Oct. 30, 2023, SKIMS was announced as the official underwear of the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball. The three-year partnership will include on-court virtual signage during national broadcasts, and activations at future events like All-Star Weekend and the NBA In-Season Tournament.

“SKIMS has quickly become one of our most culturally-influential brands,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in an official press release. “We look forward to bringing NBA fans and SKIMS users unique experiences, new offerings, and premium products through our partnership.“

SKIMS x Swaroski

On the 7th of November 2023, Skims announced its new collaboration with Swarovski, which was filled with body jewelry, crystal-embellished shapewear and all-around bedazzled clothing, The Swarovski x Skims collection is the first time the Austrian crystal company has ever worked in partnership with another brand to create clothing that will be available to shop in its stores. “The collection is meant to be versatile, and there are pieces for any preference or occasion,” Kardashian wrote. “The collaboration can be styled in multiple ways for every body, which is what Skims is all about.”