John Kim It might sound a bit surreal, but Nike is partnering up with Kim Kardashian for an activewear venture called NikeSKIMS. The social media mogul who first burst onto the scene as a socialite has since found herself sitting at the top the world thanks to her true calling: reality TV and women’s shape-wear.
SKIMS has grown immensely since its founding in 2019. The shape-wear brand was originally named “Kimono” and offered a line of bodysuits and bras from a wide and inclusive range of sizes. Within months, the name was changed due to heavy criticism and backlash because the brand quite obviously has nothing to do with the traditional Japanese garments.
Kardashian also credited then-husband Kanye West aka Ye as something of a “ghost” creative director for the brand. SKIMS is heavy on neutral and earth toned monochromes, and anyone who knows Ye’s color direction for his now-defunct YEEZY venture with adidas can easily see the working connection. After all, upon SKIMS’ initial introduction, many just likened it to the YEEZY Season brand. According to Forbes, Ye still owns 5% of SKIMS.
Marketing SKIMS is really the easiest part considering her massive following on social media. A major brand moment for SKIMS came in 2021 when it became to official underwear outfitter for Team USA at the Summer Olympics which helped legitimize their intent to be taken seriously. Then came more collaborations with the likes of Fendi and the NBA, as well as new expansions in the form of SKIMS Swimwear, SKIMS Performance, and eventually SKIMS Men.
This partnership further establishes SKIMS as a serious player in the performance apparel industry, while Nike gets a much-needed lift in perception and relevance in the ever-competitive activewear arena that includes alo and Lululemon.
Outside of the initial announcement, Nike nor Kim K’s SKIMS brand has revealed any images of the product or pricing info. However, the first drop of the collection is expected this Spring, with a global expansion of the product expected in 2026.
