Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand has launched a new advertising campaign featuring prominent female basketball stars. Released shortly before the women’s basketball season begins in 2024, the campaign stars WNBA rookie Cameron Brink, three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker, and Olympians Kelsey Plum, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and DiJonai Carrington. This marks the first Skims campaign to highlight female basketball players.
The advertisement showcases the athletes in various styles of underwear, accessorized with basketballs, high heels, and rhinestone jewelry, aiming to project a powerful image rather than traditional femininity. This initiative by Skims, which was co-founded by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede in 2018 and valued at $4 billion by July 2023, represents a strategic move into sports fashion. Previously, Skims has engaged with male athletes and was the official underwear partner for the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball as of October.
The campaign also reflects the increased visibility and commercial appeal of women’s basketball, demonstrated by recent high-profile draft picks who have engaged significantly with fashion endorsements and social media. Skims’ focus on female athletes follows prior criticisms of the brand’s emphasis on male sports figures, responding to the growing influence and marketability of women's sports stars.