In today’s fashion industry, few names carry as much weight as Kim Kardashian. As a global icon, her influence extends far and wide. It’s little surprise that her idea, SKIMS, has also become a global lingerie legend over time. Skims is a shapewear and loungewear brand that debuted in 2019. It commits to provide inclusive and diverse underwear and loungewear to women of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones. With the slogan “solutions for every body,” the brand has become a significant craze, especially on social media thanks to their viral clothes and spectacular marketing in which the most famous celebrities of the moment are hired to show off their items.
Skims Branding Strategy
Skims set itself apart right away through its marketing strategies by embracing their brand ideals wholeheartedly and filling the void in the fashion industry for inclusivity, taking advantage of the desire for a range of skin tones, sizes, and forms. Their marketing strategies include:
Extended Sizing: With sizes ranging from XXS to 5XL, Skims has one of the widest selections in the market, making it possible for people with a variety of body shapes to find comfortable, figure-flattering items.
Inclusive Marketing Campaigns: Skims’ advertisements include models of all ages, races, body types, and sizes, offering a diverse range of attractiveness and facilitating the visual representation of themselves for a large audience.
Options for a Wide Variety of Skin Tone: The brand’s iconic loungewear and shapewear are available in a number of shades that complement a broad spectrum of skin tones, embracing diversity by offering something for everyone.
Partnerships with Diverse Talent: To increase the brand’s reach and celebrate individuality, Skims regularly partners with influencers and ambassadors from a variety of backgrounds, including as athletes and cultural icons.
Skims’ Key Collaborations
Celebrity endorsements have evolved over time, with firms increasingly seeking to engage profoundly with viewers by leveraging true influence rather than merely star power. Skims understands the value of influence as the new currency. The brand has used celebrity clout and hugely engaged fan bases to promote brand presence, credibility, and customer engagement. Key collaborators include Sabrina Carpenter, Alexandra Cooper, Lana Del Ray, SZA, and Ice Spice. “SKIMS empowers people to feel confident in their own skin, which is the essence of Brat, ” said Charli XCX in a press statement. “I am excited to be working with a brand that understands that comfort and style don’t need to be compromised.”
Elevating Brand Image with Luxury Collaborations
It’s risky for a shapewear company to enter the luxury market, but Skims was unconcerned. The Skims x Fendi collection from 2021 elevated Skims’ prestige by fusing the Italian fashion house’s high-end look with the sleek, practical designs of Skims. This particular partnership stands out from others due to its distinctive combination of luxury and functionality, which combines Skims’ recognizable shapewear with Fendi’s trademark sign.
In a similar way, the Swarovski x Skims partnership included adorned items that gave their product range a high-end sparkle. By adding luxury pieces, Skims distinguished itself from other brand collaborations and entered the luxury fashion market without compromising its essential emphasis on inclusivity and body positivity. These collections, were a unique fusion of elegance and functionality, appealing to customers looking for both comfort and posh appeal.
Skim has also collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana .The lineup includes Skims’ Classic Cotton sets imprinted with Dolce & Gabbana’s iconic Leopard print, body-hugging corsets for a fresh take on Dolce’s classic silhouettes and lustful lingerie in a variety of playful European-inspired patterns. These collaborations provide both businesses access to each other’s customer bases, but they also give the premium brand a chance to make up revenue that it might be missing from its mainstream brand during periods of lower consumer spending.
Skims and Non-Fashion Collabs
Over the years, Kim Kardashian has made significant efforts to develop her personal brand, and Skims has done the same. Achieving luxury status in the fashion industry was only the first step; their next daring step was to enter the vast sports sector.
Skims repositioned themselves in the fall of 2023, locking in a partnership with the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball. Standout athletes featured in the partnership include The Cleveland Cavs’ Shooting Guard, Donovan Mitchell, Former WNBA star, Candance Walker and WNBA’s LA Sparks rookie, Cameron Brink. The deal traced right behind the “Every Body is Wearing Skims” campaign, the brand’s first ever men’s line. Supported by male sports stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nick Bosa and Neymar Jr. The second important message sent by this relationship is a common goal of empowerment. Given the WNBA’s recent success, this advertisement encourages female athletes to accept their bodies and challenge traditional beauty standards.
They have recently announced The North Face x Skims collaboration. The ski-inspired collection includes cropped puffer coats, skin-tight jumpsuits, layered shirts, gloves, and more. It combines The North Face’s famous, functional designs with Skims’ form-fitting silhouettes and characteristic neutrals.
“I’m extremely proud to announce The North Face x Skims collaboration. This marks Skims first-ever foray into the world of winter wear and partnering with The North Face allowed us to leverage their expertise in this category,” said Kim Kardashian, Skims co-founder and chief creative officer, in a press release. “I’ve spent a lot of time on the slopes, so I was definitely inspired when we were developing this collection and I can’t wait to wear these pieces on my next trip.”
Skims has also partnered with Susan G. Komen as a part of breast cancer awareness. The initiative, developed in partnership with Susan G. Komen Foundation, aimed to promote early detection screening driving commercial growth in the brand’s expanding intimates category. The collaboration illustrates a larger trend of fashion firms using cause-related marketing to increase consumer trust while solving public health concerns. Kim Kardashian, described the initiative as an extension of the brand’s inclusivity mission.
Skims Sustainable Choices
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS has taken a major step toward environmental friendliness by replacing FSC recycled paper packaging and compostable, eco-friendly bags for plastic and non-recyclable materials.
“At SKIMS, we are committed to the highest ethical standards and legal compliance in all aspects of our business and product supply chain. We only work with suppliers and vendors we believe in and share our commitment to sustainability, accountability, and transparency” stated Skims.
However, SKIMS was accused of “greenwashing” in 2022 after it was discovered that certain of its packaging techniques might be in conflict with its stated commitment to environmental consciousness, particularly with regard to the use of plastic.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the company’s co-founder Jens Grede noted that Skims has a “commitment to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030” and that it is partnering with environmental and logistical organisations to do so. This proves Skims commitment to expanding its sustainability goals by 2030.
Skims’s reach, valuation, and covetousness mean it possesses a great degree of worldwide influence and sway over its supply chain, as well as those who buy into the brand. The company’s ability to respond rapidly to market trends, combined with Kardasian’s skill to generate buzz, propelled them to the forefront of shapewear and the fashion industry as a whole.
