Kim Kardashian is launching perfume and skincare as part of a Skims beauty line. The expansion represents a strategic move into the global beauty market, where celebrity brands have seen tremendous growth in recent years.
The reality TV star has already made several attempts to establish a beauty business by starting KKW Beauty in 2017 and Skkn By Kim in 2022, which was licensed through Coty, but she has now reacquired her Skkn brand and will be relaunching it through her clothing and shapewear company Skims. Kardashian’s Skims has become one of the fastest-growing celebrity brands in fashion history.
“Expanding into beauty isn’t just about growing Skims – it’s about building on the strength of the brand and bringing our approach to a whole new category,” Kim said in statement obtained by WWD. The beauty industry has proven resilient even during economic downturns, with skincare particularly showing consistent growth.
“Skims has always been about redefining essentials, and now we’re doing the same with beauty, skin care and fragrance. With the global community we’ve built and my experience in beauty, this felt like the right next step. We’re bringing the same level of innovation, inclusivity and quality that people expect from Skims into products that will truly make a difference. I’m so excited for our customers to experience beauty in a whole new way with Skims.” Industry analysts project this integration could significantly boost Skims’ revenue in coming years.
Jens Grede, chief executive officer and co-founder of Skims, explained the Skkn brand will disappear and become a new line under the Skims umbrella, saying: “We are not going to be continuing the Skkn by Kim brand that Coty was doing. We are relaunching the categories under Skims.” This consolidation strategy has proven effective for other celebrity brands, increasing brand recognition while streamlining operations.
Kim has huge plans for Skims coming up, including a collaboration with Nike called NikeSKIMS, and she even hopes to one day hold her own fashion shows. The Nike partnership marks an important milestone for the shapewear brand, potentially expanding its reach to new customer segments.
“I can absolutely see us doing a show, not like a regularly on the fashion schedule show, but maybe something a little bit more unique,” she told WWD.com. “It would have to be an experience more than a regular show, but I would never rule anything out.” Experiential marketing events have shown to significantly increase brand engagement compared to traditional advertising.
In the interview, Kim went on to insist she’s very hands-on with her brand and even though she doesn’t design every piece, she makes sure each item gets her approval. Her direct involvement contradicts the typical celebrity endorsement model and more closely resembles the founder-led approach that has characterized many successful brands.
“I know every single product that we have, I have fit every single product that we have coming out. And I know if there is something that slid by me, that I didn’t get the final approval on from the detail on the stitching,” she explained. Quality control and attention to detail have been cited as key factors in Skims’ high customer satisfaction.
“And while I don’t design everything for me … if I can, I try to at some point, even if I’m just in my closet, show people how I would wear it versus how it was styled on someone else. I love always showing our hosiery and shapewear. I think it’s really important, because I wear shapewear with everything, and I think before [Skims] – it’s not that it wasn’t accepted – it just wasn’t cool.” Kardashian’s authentic approach to product demonstration has helped normalize shapewear and contributed to significant category growth.
The beauty expansion comes as Skims continues its international growth strategy, having recently expanded into new markets worldwide. Market researchers predict that the combined apparel-beauty approach could create valuable cross-selling opportunities, with many Skims customers likely to try the new beauty products.
Industry experts note that Kardashian’s unified brand approach follows successful models implemented by luxury houses like Chanel and Dior, where fragrance and skincare complement fashion offerings. This holistic brand ecosystem has proven particularly effective with younger consumers who represent a significant portion of Skims’ current customer base.
The move also reflects Kardashian’s business acumen and understanding of her customer base, as she leverages her existing brand equity to enter new product categories. With her massive social media following and proven track record in both fashion and beauty, industry watchers are closely monitoring this expansion as a potential blueprint for celebrity brand diversification.
