Sophia Michaels
As of 2019, Skims is the only shapewear brand that Kardashian is not affiliated with.
Having successfully launched everything from mobile games to fragrance lines, Kim Kardashian turned her expertise to shapewear. In September 2019, Kardashian dropped her first line for Skims, a shapewear brand inspired by her own experience with red carpet and everyday dressing. According to TMZ, Kardashian’s first release was incredibly successful, with the icon reportedly raking in approximately $2 million within a matter of minutes.
In April 2021, The New York Times reported that Skims was valued at approximately $1.6 billion, after just two years and following a fresh round of investment funding. After initially selling shapewear and underwear, Skims quickly diversified and began launching sleepwear, comfy outfits to wear at home during the pandemic, swimwear, and activewear. Discussing the brand’s success, Kardashian told The New York Times, “We’re your basics go-to … we’re still able to keep that shapewear core.” As for whether or not she’d ever sell Skims, like she did with her beauty brand, Kardashian told the publication, “I think I’m open to the conversation, for sure … I would never want to give up my process. I would hope that whoever we partner with in a sale one day would believe in that, too.”
Kardashian’s shrewd business sense led to Forbes declaring her a billionaire in April 2021, thanks to both her success with Skims, and her KKW Beauty deal with Coty.
