Kim Kardashian has recruited tons of celebrities to help her advertise SKIMS over the years, from Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum appearing in ads to Sabrina Carpenter wearing her lacy lingerie. While these high-caliber influencers undoubtedly help contribute to the company’s $4 billion net worth by encouraging fans to scoop up the snatched looks, Kardashian seems passionate about making her items about more than just the name on the tag. She revealed she has two secrets to creating her famous shapewear.
SKIMS is certainly not lacking in the marketing department, with the above celebs and more peddling Kim Kardashian’s products and The Kardashians (available to stream with a Hulu subscription) often feeling like one giant ad for the businesses owned by the Kardashian-Jenner family members. However, Kim told Vogue she’s still passionate about delivering a high-quality product, and it all comes down to details. The first, she said:
I always have these little cellulite tests that I do in my fittings—certain requirements that I have in my head, like how a fabric has to have a certain amount of thickness, to really hold and snatch everything in place.
Anyone who’s using shapewear to smooth out lines or hold things in can appreciate a little thickness in the fabric — something substantial that feels like more than just another layer. That’s the approach she’s taking to her upcoming collaboration with Nike, coming September 26, which brings us to the second secret in Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS’ arsenal:
I also didn’t want anything that’s annoying or frustrating to put on. Sometimes, shapewear can be really restricting, but we’ve done a really good job at making sure it’s still really comfortable; I wanted our activewear to feel that way, too. [Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim] was trying it on last night, and she called me and was like, 'Oh my God, I can’t believe that I don’t have to tailor anything!' I was like, 'Yeah babe, that’s Skims for you.'
I have personally had my bouts with uncomfortable shapewear, and without getting too graphic, it can get pretty hard to breathe after everything gets squeezed into place. That doesn’t really work for daily life, and it definitely wouldn’t work for athletes or anyone else who needs to be able to move freely while wearing the items.
I have to say, the NikeSKIMS do look pretty comfortable:
All of this doesn’t mean that everyone loves everything that SKIMS does. Khloé Kardashian felt forced to defend the brand against a critic who said the company’s new face wraps didn’t work, and a TikToker went viral a few years ago for roasting the brand after she was not pleased with the “Winnie the Pooh” silhouette the product left her with.
There have also been SKIMS’ Photoshop fails and questions about the different products she offers. The Swim Gloves were particularly divisive, but there have also been the boxers that looked like postpartum diapers, the nipple bra (which got attention from The View) and we could never forget the $30 edible underwear.
I can’t say I have first-hand experience with these items, but I sure do like the idea of comfortable shapewear that meets the standards of Kim Kardashian herself. Stay tuned for a release date for The Kardashians Season 7 and All’s Fair, which is coming to the 2025 TV schedule this November.
