Nike is set to introduce a new women’s activewear brand, NikeSKIMS, in partnership with Kim Kardashian’s widely popular shapewear company, Skims. The new NikeSKIMS collection, which is based on her popular shapewear line, will debut this spring and “will disrupt the global fitness and activewear industry with best-in-class innovation in service of all women athletes,” according to a press release.
The press release was preceded by an instagram post from Kardashian, the co-founder and chief creative officer of SKIMS, introducing NikeSKIMS to her 358 million Insta followers with a photo of the brands’ combined logos, writing: “A new brand coming this spring for the body obsessed.”
The new collection is a first for Nike, which hasn’t partnered with an outside company before to create a new brand, rather relying on acquisitions or tapping popular athletes (example: Michael Jordan) for apparel. Financial terms of the brand wasn’t revealed.
Nike said that Skims “proposed a shared product line,” but suggested “something even bigger,” thus the creation of NikeSkims. “More than a partnership, the new brand will set a new standard in the global fitness and activewear industry with an extensive line of training apparel, footwear and accessories,” the press release stated.
“Nike and SKIMS share a deep commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and pushing boundaries, driven by an unwavering belief in the power of women,” Kardashian said in the statement.
According to Kardashian, “every single detail has been obsessed over and carefully considered,” so the bar is unsurprisingly high.
Few details were initially made available, including pricing and images. However, the brand will first roll out in the United States this spring online and at “select retail locations,” with a global launch planned in 2026.
This strategic move aligns with CEO Elliott Hill’s efforts to revitalize Nike’s sales and strengthen its competitive edge against emerging athletic brands.
Skims has been a major success story for Kardashian with the privately held company valued at a whopping $4 billion as of July 2023. The brand is aimed at everyday wear expanding beyond women with a men’s lineup and inking sponsorships with the NBA, WNBA and Team USA for the most recent Olympics in Paris.
