Kim Kardashian has made her way into the basketball realm after landing a huge partnership with the NBA. The league announced on Monday that they have entered a multiyear partnership making Kardashian’s SKIMS brand the official underwear partner of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball.
Co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede, SKIMS is marketed as a solutions-oriented brand creating the next generation of underwear, loungewear and shapewear and setting new standards by providing solutions for everybody.
“SKIMS has quickly become one of our most culturally-influential brands,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to bringing NBA fans and SKIMS users unique experiences, new offerings and premium products through our partnership.”
“I am incredibly proud of SKIMS partnership with the NBA, as it is a reflection of SKIMS growing influence on culture,” said Kim Kardashian, Co-Founder & Creative Director, SKIMS. “Together, SKIMS and the NBA will connect people of all backgrounds through fashion, sport, and talent, and I look forward to seeing the partnership thrive.”
“The NBA’s modern approach and significant impact on pop culture, entertainment, and fashion is unparalleled in sports,” said Jens Grede, Co-Founder & CEO, SKIMS. “Our partnership marks a remarkable opportunity for SKIMS and the NBA to work together on what it means to engage the next-generation of fans through basketball.”
Fans will see the partnership come to life at future marquee events, including NBA All-Star and the NBA In-Season Tournament.
SKIMS Mens launched on October 26, which features three collections of everyday essentials developed with comfort at the forefront as the brand brings its expertise in style, comfort, and fit to a new audience. SKIMS celebrated the launch with a new brand campaign, “Every Body is Wearing SKIMS”, starring NBA All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside the brand’s official athlete endorsers.
On the WNBA front, SKIMS will work with them on unveiling WNBA focused activations as the league approaches its 2024 season, specifically at the 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, the midseason showcase in Phoenix, Arizona, as SKIMS is named an associate partner. The two-day fan festival which celebrates the intersection of sports, fashion, music, and culture will return for the third consecutive year.
The SKIMS partnership comes off the heels of a 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star and WNBA Live presented by U.S. Bank that saw a 111 percent growth in the number of partners activating and a 70 percent increase in merchandise sales.
“The athletes of the WNBA are trend setters and cultural influencers,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “There is no better time to be joining the league as a partner, and we are excited to work with SKIMS, a brand that has quickly cemented its status as a cultural centerpiece, to elevate each other’s brands and celebrate female athletes and their impact in society.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with the WNBA and to excite fans and female athletes through WNBA marquee events, brand activations, media, and campaigns,” said Kim Kardashian, Co-Founder & Creative Director, SKIMS. “We look forward to working together in amplifying our joint values of women empowerment and individual confidence.”
As part of the partnership, SKIMS will also receive media exposure across a variety of league platforms, including through on-court virtual signage during NBA and WNBA national broadcasts as well as the leagues’ official social and digital platforms.
Kardashian wasn’t afraid to “shoot her shot” and it landed her a prime opportunity in sports. This is probably just the beginning.