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NEW YORK — Kim Kardashian has officially brought her billion-dollar shapewear brand, Skims, into the physical retail world with the opening of its first-ever flagship store in Midtown Manhattan. Nestled in one of the city’s busiest tourist hubs, the new location blends Kardashian’s iconic aesthetic with elevated retail design, offering fans and shoppers a tactile experience of the brand’s ethos: curves, confidence, and curated simplicity.
A Space Built Around the Body
Designed in collaboration with renowned architect Rafael de Cárdenas, the Skims flagship is a spatial manifestation of the brand’s philosophy. At the heart of the minimalist yet sculptural space stands a striking 15-foot-high statue by Vanessa Beecroft — a nude, voluptuous figure that celebrates the natural form. "Everything is very curvy and voluptuous," Kardashian said of the store, "but like, very stone."
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The environment mirrors the shapewear brand’s signature qualities: neutral tones, undulating architecture, and a sense of intimacy and embrace. De Cárdenas described the flagship as a “journey through neutral tones and intimate spaces,” with the design aiming to make customers feel enveloped by the Skims identity from the moment they walk in.
A Brand Built on Shape — And Substance
Since its 2019 launch, Skims has transformed the shapewear industry, turning what was once a hush-hush fashion essential into a celebrated element of personal style. Unlike traditional undergarments — like Spanx, once mocked on TV and kept behind closet doors — Skims products are often worn as outerwear, with shoppers proudly showcasing their purchases on social media.
“A lot of people used to not mention that they would wear shapewear,” said Kardashian, who serves as Skims’ Chief Creative Officer. “I hope that Skims has changed that and made people feel a little bit more confident.”
The brand's success lies not only in its cultural relevance but also in the quality of its garments. Kardashian emphasized, “You can have the best marketing in the world, but if the product is bad, people won’t come back. The product speaks volumes.”
From Viral Campaigns to Olympic Partnerships
Over the past 14 months, Skims has partnered with major fashion and cultural forces, including Dolce & Gabbana, The North Face, Swarovski, and even Team USA, designing undergarments for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The brand also signed partnerships with the NBA and WNBA, reinforcing its presence across athletic and lifestyle categories.
Skims continues to drive viral moments through strategic celebrity endorsements — Sabrina Carpenter, Usher, Kim Cattrall — all of whom have helped elevate the brand across demographics.
A Personal Project for Kardashian
The flagship store is more than a retail space — it's a personal passion project for Kardashian. “I think I’m way more of a design freak than people assume,” she admitted. “I stayed up all night long on FaceTime making sure every detail was perfect.”
Among the obsessions? The baseboards. Kardashian’s perfectionism extended to even the smallest elements. “I wanted things to look like my home,” she said. “It’s warm, but minimal.”
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Indeed, the store reflects her signature style — subdued, luxurious, monochromatic. Her taste, which has influenced everything from beauty standards to home decor trends, is now reshaping what retail stores look like. “My cars match my house, so it doesn’t look too busy when I pull up,” she said. “Everything is specific — the vents, the lines, the textures.”
From Retail Roots to Retail Dreams
Kardashian’s journey to retail mogul comes full circle with this launch. Her very first job was at a clothing store called Body. “Simple design details, like our frosted clear hangers with a brushed matte silver finish, were really important to me,” she said. “I even asked them to save a few things for me to steam and hang — that was my favorite thing to do.”
Jens Grede, co-founder and CEO of Skims, echoed her sentiment. “We didn’t want to just open another store. We wanted something that looked like nothing else,” he said. That attention to detail paid off: on opening day, over 3,000 customers walked through the doors. The next day, that number nearly doubled.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Grede and Kardashian are already planning an aggressive expansion. “We’ve signed 11 leases for next year, and we’re going to sign many more,” Grede revealed.
The new retail strategy is not only about increasing Skims’ physical presence — it’s about bringing the digital-first brand into real-life community spaces and reinforcing its relevance in the modern consumer landscape.
As Kardashian puts it, the goal is simple but powerful: “Seeing people walking down Fifth Avenue with Skims shopping bags — that would make me tear up.”
Conclusion
The Skims flagship store in New York City is more than a retail destination — it’s a sculptural expression of Kardashian’s journey, from teenage retail worker to one of fashion’s most influential entrepreneurs. With plans to open more stores globally and a rumored IPO on the horizon, Skims isn’t just a brand. It’s a movement — one that’s shaping everything from body confidence to interior design, one minimalist curve at a time.
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