No matter where you stand on the Kim Kardashian empire, you have to admit that SKIMS is a brand everyone’s talking about. Chances are, you’ve heard about its headline-making nipple bra (both Y2K chic and post-mastectomy inclusive) or a slightly controversial face wrap (because apparently, shapewear for your jawline exists). Now, the multi-billion-dollar brand is bringing its signature silhouette-enhancing styles into the world of performance and women’s sports.
NikeSKIMS, an entirely new brand, consists of leggings, bras, shorts, and more—all designed to be worn from the gym to the court to the grocery store to your home. Kardashian arrives for our interview wearing a head-to-toe NikeSKIMS monochrome look topped off with a matching, chunky puffer—a look that merges Gen Z’s love for “baggy and loose” with the timeless appeal of the OG black leggings.
Kardashian is quick to set the record straight with me about this generational divide: “I’ll never get rid of leggings”—no matter what the fashion police on TikTok declares “cheugy.” Still, she’s open to compromise: “What I did yesterday when I went to the gym is I wore tight leggings, then our basketball shorts over it,” she tells SELF. “I got a really big size…it was cute. I was like, OK Gen Z, I’ll show you that you can do both.”
Her playful blend of versatile silhouettes and styles is at the heart of the new NikeSKIMS collection launching Friday, which marries Nike’s famed performance features (think moisture-wicking fabrics and high-stretch materials for unrestricted movement) with SKIMS’ minimalist aesthetic.
The brand’s pivot into athleticwear isn’t a total surprise. Earlier this year, SKIMS was named the official underwear partner of the WNBA. To underline that commitment, NikeSKIMS launched a campaign featuring athletes Serena Williams, Jordan Chiles, Chloe Kim, and many more, showcasing how they move, train, perform, and embody strength in the new collection.
“I had to make sure [this brand] is functional,” Kardashian says. In her experience, however, not all workout clothes hit the mark: Sure, some are cute for running errands or a leisurely walk—but they’re too thin for yoga or sweaty workouts, she says. Others are tight and thick yet uncomfortable to pull on. “If it’s too compressive, if it’s too hard to physically get on, you lose me,” Kardashian says.
Inclusivity was another must-have for NikeSKIMS, which offers sizes ranging from XXS to 4X. According to Kardashian, it was a deliberate effort to ensure her activewear serves all shapes and sizes. “The SKIMS DNA is all about inclusivity,” she says. “So when we were partnering with Nike, it was non-negotiable. It’s something we always do with our customers. Activewear would be no different.”
Kardashian doesn’t just talk the talk, though—she put the entire line to the test during her own workouts. Her everyday regimen is rooted in weightlifting with her trainer. She dedicates an hour and a half each day to targeted sessions—back and shoulders one day, biceps and triceps the next—rounded out by a weekly Reformer Pilates session.
In another life, however, there’s one fitness activity Kardashian wishes she could get into: “I’d love to be a really good tennis player like Serena.” For the record, she has some experience: “I used to play. I went to tennis camp. I might’ve hit a ball with Serena once, but I’m not good.” For now, her sport of choice is pickleball: “I love waking up and playing with my kids. We have tournaments. We have a pickleball court at the house.”
Though exercise is an integral part of Kardashian’s day-to-day now, she admits it wasn’t always that way. “I wasn’t your typical athlete at school. Everyone was on the basketball or volleyball or soccer team, but me, my sisters, and all of our friends would just go to aerobics classes.” But for her, the easiest way to become your own definition of an “athlete” comes down to one simple thing: confidence. “Sometimes it just starts with a cute outfit that you feel good in,” Kardashian tells me. “You put it on and—I hate to sound so cliché—but then you…Just Do It.”
Related:
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- Glen Powell’s Got the Sauce: We Tasted His New Condiment Line—Here’s What We Think
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