Nike, trying to break out of its funk, launches its high-stakes collab with Kim Kardashian’s Skims
The partnership champions women athletes and tests how far Kim K’s star power can stretch in the women’s activewear arena.
Two juggernauts, one stretchy debut.
After months of hype, Nike and Kim Kardashian’s Skims are dropping their first-ever collection Friday, merging a global sportswear giant with one of fashion’s fastest-growing brands.
Wall Street seems optimistic: Jefferies analysts called the collab a “new bar” for Nike in a note on Monday, reiterating their “buy” rating on the stock and $115 price target, or about 65% above current levels. Nike’s investors were already on the hype train about the partnership, bidding shares up 6.2% on the day it was announced in February.
Nike could use some optimism. The company has been working through a turnaround after sales pressure in its key US and China markets, including swapping its CEO about a year ago. Its stock has been pummeled: down 21% over the past year and 44% over the past five. This launch offers a chance to win back female shoppers and draw fresh attention as the brand looks to regain its footing.
The new NikeSKIMS line, marketed as “designed to sculpt and engineered to perform,” includes seven collections and 58 silhouettes with more than 10,000 possible combinations. It’s available on both the Skims and Nike websites, as well as at select retail locations.
The Nike Skims collection was originally slated for spring 2025 but was delayed due to production issues.
On Thursday, the brands premiered “Bodies at Work,” a marketing film featuring more than 50 athletes from Nike’s roster, including Serena Williams, Sha’Carri Richardson, and collegiate stars from USC and UCLA.
Since launching Skims in 2019 with entrepreneur Jens Grede, Kardashian has built the brand into a cultural force by filling gaps in the athleisure market with broader sizing, diverse shade ranges, and more versatile styles than rivals like Lululemon and Alo, while driving buzz through high-profile collaborations.
Last December, the Skims x North Face ski collection sold out in hours. In June, a swimwear collaboration with Roberto Cavalli sold out almost immediately, with some pieces later fetching higher resale prices on StockX.
Skims’ hype has translated into hard numbers: Skims was valued at $4 billion in 2023 after raising $270 million and reportedly pulled in about $900 million in revenue that year. It opened its first flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue last year and continues to expand its retail footprint. In August, the brand hired a former Michael Kors executive to lead expansion across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with Dubai and London flagship locations already in the works.
For Skims and Kardashian, a successful rollout could further cement her brand as a lucrative partner for both sales and social clout.
Nike is set to report earnings next Tuesday.
