The SKIMS Success
The hashtag #Skims on TikTok has 5 billion views, and the hashtag #Skims on Instagram has 930.0 million views. As a company that is just 4 years old, media mogul Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims has faced an unprecedented level of success with a recent valuation of 4 billion dollars. Born out of the collaboration between Kardashian and powerhouse entrepreneur Emma Grede, SKIMS has revolutionized the shapewear market. We thought it was time to take a look at how Skims came to be and what contributed to the brands success.
The SKIMS brand was built off Kim’s yearning to fill a gap in the shapewear market. As an avid wearer, she struggled to find shapewear matching her skin tone and body shape. The brand launched at the start of the pandemic, which for many businesses was a threat. For SKIMS, it was an opportunity. It just so happened that Kim’s brand had categories for everyone staying at home: loungewear, pajamas, basics. On top of that, Skims offered 10 skin tones and sizes from XXS to 4X, as well as several shapes, establishing its inclusive brand image.
The success of Skims can be attributed to a dynamic partnership between Kardashian and Grede. Grede grew up in East London during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s dreaming of making it big in the fashion industry. She co-founded Culver City, SKIMSi with Mrs. Kardashian, and Los Angeles-based Good American, a size-inclusive brand with Khloe Kardashian in 2016. Last month, she became the first-ever black woman investor to appear on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
Kims’s unparalleled influence and keen sense of style, combined with Emma’s strategic business acumen, have propelled SKIMS to remarkable heights. Emma has played a pivotal role in bringing diversity and authenticity to the brand, helping to ensure that SKIMS speaks to a global audience.
In a recent podcast interview, British-Indian author and motivational speaker Jay Shetty sits down with Grede to discuss her life thus far. In the interview, Grede opens up on her philosophy, the secret to launching a successful business, and lessons learned from her past as a budding businesswoman. Grede’s words of wisdom speak to those both looking to pursue a career in fashion or outside of it, as well as encapsulate the empowering woman that she is.
When asked about the most challenging job she has undertaken, Grede highlighted her pre-entrepreneurial experience in a fashion show production company. The reality of the role was not as glamorous as it seems: building stages and working on production concepts. After this, Grede transitioned into a role of sponsorship. This focused on brand partnerships, marketing, collaboration, and cold-calling which meant facing frequent rejection - “I would just have to hit the phones and the rejection… you can't help but take that personally,” said Grede.
But, Grede acknowledged the value of persevering. For every setback, there was a glimmer of hope. She stresses the importance of sales and storytelling skills in entrepreneurship. “I knew it would all be worth something,” said Grede. “For every little knockback that I got, you’d get one little glimmer of hope and maybe you'd start one deal.” The takeaway? Every Job Will Teach You An Important Lesson.
This unexpected sales experience led Grede to where she is today. She tells Shetty, “Now as I think about entrepreneurship, that skill of sales and storytelling, if you ain't got that, you can’t do this job. You can’t sell to investors, you can’t craft a story to customers and you certainly can’t get into the heart of what makes a brand successful unless you can sell and storytell.” The lesson? Selling and telling a compelling story is crucial in entrepreneurship.
Grede shared her thoughts on fear in the business process. She tells Jay, “If I am not a little bit scared about what I am doing, then I'm not growing. I’m not moving forward or going in the right direction. Now I find myself looking for the fear…Branching out and trying to do something else is the stuff that keeps us humans growing.” The lesson from Emma? Fear Can Help You Grow. It is not the enemy – it’s our gateway to personal growth and altering the trajectory of our careers.
As SKIMS continues to grow in the shapewear industry, its journey offers valuable lessons in resilience, innovation, and the power of collaboration. Whether you're shaping your dreams in fashion or any other field, remember: that perseverance, storytelling, and embracing fear can be the ultimate ingredients for your own success story.