When Celebrity Branding Gets It Right: The SKIMS Story

Apr 31, 2025

By: Julia Zhou

When you think of celebrity brands, the usual story goes like this: a famous face slaps their name on a product, gets cash, and eventually fades into the background. But SKIMS tells a very different story. 

By 2025, Kim Kardashian had transformed her underwear and shapewear brand, SKIMS, from a side hustle into a full-blown empire. SKIMS surpassed a $4 billion valuation in 2023, and its marketing moves became a case study in how a celebrity brand can thrive in a crowded market. It’s not just about Kim’s fame. It’s about how she uses that fame as both a platform and a brand asset, making SKIMS feel aspirational yet accessible. SKIMS stayed true to its “fits all” ethos and expanded it into a full brand rooted in inclusivity and culture. Today, I’m going to walk you through a few of my favorite SKIMS campaigns.

Courtesy of SKIMS

A Step towards Inclusivity

In May 2022, SKIMS took a bold and much-needed step in the fashion world by launching its Adaptive Collection—a line specifically designed for people with limited mobility. While many brands talk about inclusivity, few actually deliver. SKIMS, however, built it into the design.

The collection included familiar favorites from the brand’s core line such as the Fits Everybody bralette, thong, and boy shorts, but they were reimagined with added functionality. Instead of complicated clasps or tight seams, the adaptive pieces included thoughtful design elements like hook-and-eye closures, easy-stretch materials, and wider waistbands that make dressing easier for people with disabilities or chronic pain.

What really set this campaign apart was the way it was presented. It wasn’t performative—instead, it authentically highlighted real, everyday people and captured their strength, confidence, and grace.

Courtesy of SKIMS

SKIMS prioritized accessible design without sacrificing style, making a powerful statement that adaptive fashion doesn’t have to look medical or “different.” It can—and should—be just as sleek, stylish, and comfortable as anything else in your wardrobe. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own skin and body.

Go Team USA

When SKIMS first teamed up with Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it may have surprised some. After all, SKIMS isn’t like Nike or Adidas. It doesn't make high-performance athletic gear—and that’s exactly the point. Rather than compete in that space, SKIMS brought something different yet equally essential to the Olympic experience: comfort. The brand provided loungewear and undergarments for U.S. athletes to wear during their downtime—whether they were relaxing in the Olympic Village, heading to training, or unwinding after a competition.

Courtesy of SKIMS

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Kim’s Instagram post announcing the SKIMS Team USA collection received over 1 million likes and more than 4,300 comments, the majority of which were supportive. Design-wise, it stayed true to SKIMS’s minimal yet stylish aesthetic. The pieces were soft, functional, and fit easily into the athletes’ everyday routines.

By the 2024 Paris Olympics, SKIMS doubled down. The newest capsule collection introduced men’s loungewear, adaptive pieces for Paralympians, and a swimwear line, making the offering more comprehensive than ever before. Star athletes active on TikTok and other social media, like Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee and Paralympian swimmer Jessica Long, headlined the campaign. Their involvement brought depth and authenticity to the brand’s message and was applauded in the media. The campaign received widespread praise from fashion and sports publications such as Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and Adweek for its inclusive casting and fresh take on athletic wear.

Courtesy of SKIMS

Rather than mimic what traditional sportswear brands do, SKIMS carved out its own space in athletic and functional wear. The spotlight shifted from Kim Kardashian’s celebrity image to a distinct brand identity defined by inclusivity, comfort, and a fresh take on athleisure designs.

Timing Is Everything

In the world of fashion and branding, being up to trend and being quick to respond to trends is key. SKIMS has mastered the art of syncing launches with collaboration.

In the summer of 2024, as the internet buzzed with the chaotic, messy, and hyper-femme energy of Charli XCX’s Brat album, SKIMS saw an opportunity to jump in. Charli released the album on June 7, 2024, and it quickly gained major popularity. Just two months later, on August 21, SKIMS launched a swimwear campaign featuring Charli that captured the rebellious spirit of 'Brat Summer' and extended the album’s cultural momentum into the fashion world.

Courtesy of SKIMS

Another example of how quickly SKIMS responded to cultural momentum was its Valentine's Day 2025 campaign. Instead of relying on the usual soft pinks and romance tropes, SKIMS released a sleek capsule collection fronted by BLACKPINK’s Rosé. Her debut solo album dropped on December 6, 2024, and the campaign launched just weeks later on January 23, 2025—perfectly timed to ride the wave of both Valentine’s Day buzz and the global excitement around Rosé’s music.

Courtesy of SKIMS

In each case, SKIMS moved quickly and deliberately. The brand demonstrates a sharp instinct for cultural relevance and consistently finds ways to translate it into successful marketing.

All Eyes on SKIMS

In March 2025, SKIMS tapped into bold, PR-driven, experimental marketing by installing a massive, 60-foot inflatable of Kim Kardashian herself at the heart of New York City. This oversized figure mirrors Kim’s body and shows her in an exaggerated pose, wearing a pale blue bikini from SKIMS’s latest swimwear collection.

Courtesy of Adam Gray via Reuters News

Located between Broadway and Seventh Avenue on 43rd Street, in the middle of Times Square, the inflatable was impossible to miss. The idea was simple but to the point: if you want to introduce a new swimwear line with maximum impact, why not go big? The balloon became an instant magnet for tourists, locals, and media outlets. With Kim’s body being a natural buzz-worthy topic, people swarmed Times Square to snap selfies. The installation sparked organic buzz, with people widely sharing it on social media and news outlets quickly picking up the story. As with most things Kardashian, reactions were mixed. Some fans celebrated the playful energy and creativity of the marketing, while critics raised concerns about the promotion of unrealistic body standards. Still, it got people talking—and that was exactly the point.

Beyond the Hype

SKIMS has raised the bar for what consumers expect from celebrity brands, and fame alone is no longer enough to drive purchases. It shows that a celebrity-backed label can stand on its own and, through its campaigns and collaborations, has demonstrated real brand value.

---

Julia Zhou is a sophomore studying Media, Culture, and Communication with a minor in Web Programming and Application. She loves writing, traveling, and making matcha.