Nike is set to launch a new brand, ‘NikeSkims,’ in collaboration with the Kim Kardashian-owned label, Skims. Focusing on women's training apparel, footwear, and accessories, this brand will boost Nike's ‘gender offense,’ as stated by Elliot Hill, CEO, and position NikeSkims alongside established brands like Jordan, Nike, and Converse.
This new venture follows Nike's historic partnership with Michael Jordan in 1984, which began with a $500,000 annual contract plus royalties. The subsequent launch of Air Jordans, starting with the Air Jordan 1 in 1985, led to the Jordan brand generating approximately $6.9 billion in wholesale equivalent revenue for the FY2023-24, representing about 17 per cent of Nike's total sales.
Nike is now leveraging Kardashian's global influence and over 350 million Instagram followers to replicate this success. Co-founded by Kardashian in 2019 as a shapewear brand, Skims has since expanded into loungewear and is now valued at $4 billion.
NikeSkims is slated for a spring launch, with global expansion planned for 2026. Skims' proven consumer appeal was demonstrated by its collaboration with The North Face, which sold out within hours of its launch on December 10, 2024.
