Can the Swoosh Get Its Swagger Back? Inside NikeSkims and the Battle for Cultural Relevance

Nike, once an undisputed champion of athleticwear innovation and cultural relevance, is facing a pivotal moment. After years of dominating both performance and lifestyle markets, the brand has stumbled, losing ground to more agile competitors, particularly in the women’s segment.

Enter Skims: the shapewear juggernaut co-founded by Kim Kardashian, valued at $4 billion and growing fast. Their newly announced partnership has sparked equal parts curiosity and skepticism. Could this be the bold move Nike needs to reclaim its edge, or is it a sign the brand has lost its way?

The Struggle Behind the Swoosh: Nike's Fight for Relevance in a Changing Market

In early 2025, newly reinstated CEO Elliott Hill laid out a reset plan for Nike’s faltering momentum. His message? A return to performance roots, a rebalancing of wholesale and DTC channels, and a renewed focus on authenticity¹. Hill’s appointment signaled urgency: sales were cooling, profits shrinking, and upstarts like Lululemon and Hoka were capturing consumers’ attention and wallets². The brand’s women’s division lagged, especially among Gen Z shoppers who increasingly favored brands that felt inclusive, fresh, and emotionally in tune³.

The Power Move

Just weeks after Hill's remarks, Nike announced a bold move: a multi-year partnership with Skims. Dubbed NikeSKIMS, the brand is positioned as a performance-ready, body-inclusive line built from scratch. It’s more than a capsule drop, this is a category reset⁴.

Launching Spring 2025 in the U.S., NikeSKIMS promises to combine Nike’s technical edge with Skims’ mastery of fit, comfort, and cultural resonance. It’s an ambitious blend of function and feeling, engineering meets empowerment.

Why This Makes Strategic Sense

At first glance, it’s a surprising union. But strategically? It’s exactly the kind of move Nike needed.

Nike’s women’s line has lacked emotional connection. Skims offers that in spades. The brand has mastered the art of selling confidence, not just clothes. With Nike, Skims now gets the performance credibility it lacked, while Nike gains a turbocharged pipeline to young, diverse, and highly engaged consumers⁴.

Praise, Pushback, and PR Gold

The market responded fast, and favourably. Nike’s stock surged nearly 6% the day of the announcement, adding billions in value⁵. Investors interpreted the partnership as a signal of strategic agility and cultural awareness.

Culturally, however, the reaction was split. Supporters applauded the inclusivity and innovation. Critics questioned the authenticity of a performance brand linking with a celebrity-driven label best known for shapewear.

But in the age of attention economics, polarizing moves often prove powerful. Nike is in the conversation again.

What’s in It for Nike?

For Nike, the partnership delivers on multiple fronts:

• Cultural Relevance: Kardashian brings undeniable brand heat and digital reach.

• Audience Growth: Skims connects with younger, female consumers Nike has struggled to reach.

• Product Innovation: Skims’ fit-first, body-aware designs may inspire broader innovation at Nike.

• Marketing Modernization: Skims thrives on internet-native marketing.

• Speed to Reinvention: Why build from scratch when you can partner with what’s already working?

What’s in It for Skims?

Skims isn’t just riding Nike’s coattails, this partnership accelerates its next phase of growth:

• Performance Legitimacy: Nike’s co-sign positions Skims as more than shapewear.

• Global Reach: Nike’s distribution opens doors to worldwide scale overnight.

• Technical Tools: Access to Nike’s labs, fabrics, and data means Skims can evolve beyond comfortwear.

• IPO Readiness: With performance credibility and global reach, Skims is now IPO-ready⁵.

Final Thought: The New Frontier of Fitness and Fashion

Nike is betting that performance and self-expression aren’t mutually exclusive. Skims is betting that confidence and athleticism go hand in hand. Together, they’re reframing what it means to move, to feel powerful, and to belong.

As CEO Hill said, Nike is returning to its roots. But the true victory lies in embracing a future that’s as inclusive and emotionally resonant as it is performance-driven.

When you rewrite the playbook, you don’t just change the game, you change the entire field.

Footnotes / Sources:

1. Fortune – Nike's 'refounder': Can Elliott Hill turn the sneaker-maker's fortunes around? (2025)

2. Yahoo Finance – Nike’s Troubles Mount Amid Growing Competitive Pressure (2025)

3. Business of Fashion - "The State of Fashion 2024: Outdoor, Sportswear, and Footwear."  (2024)

4. Nike Newsroom – NIKE, Inc. and SKIMS Introduce New Brand for Women: NikeSKIMS (2025)

5. Investopedia – Nike Stock Climbs After It Announces Partnership with Kim Kardashian's Skims (2025)