by By Francesca Meninger
As far as influencers go, Kim Kardashian is one of the most influential people on social media. However, her shapewear company Skims elevates her influence to an entirely new level. The brand’s platform on social media is powerful, with 3.9 million Instagram followers, 78,000 Twitter followers, and 196,000 likes on Facebook. Skims describes itself as “a solutions-oriented brand creating the next generation of underwear, loungewear, and shapewear.” The branding of inclusivity is incredibly palatable and needed in the fashion industry today and having a genuinely inclusive and high-quality brand be so pervasive on social media meets the needs of Skims’ target audiences. Skims showcases models of all sizes through its social media channels, which then drives interest from potential consumers who have heard about the brand from friends and go to social media to learn what the brand is all about.
Another aspect of Skims’ social media marketing highlights a thriving influencer community committed to the brand that is open to whoever wants to apply. After searching through the Skims website, I found that the brand accepts applications on the website for influencer partnerships, which is a unique facet of any influencer program. With most brands I have researched regarding influencer marketing, it is very exclusive, and one can only become an influencer for a brand if someone at the company reaches out to that person. Skims is entirely unique for giving all individuals the opportunity to become an influencer. While influencers have certain requirements to genuinely influence their audience, even having an open opportunity to get involved available to the public allows for the brand to really see who its audience is and cater to it.
Skims knows its audience inside and out. I find myself feeling excited about the brand and I never thought I would be attracted to a shapewear brand like this. Women today value companies that cater to all bodies, and Skims uses this information to create content that shows the company values that aspect of empowerment as well. Kim Kardashian’s use of her own platform, which is pervasive, to say the least, also heavily contributes to the success of Skims overall because it promotes confidence and style in viewers. The average Instagram user sees Kim Kardashian’s idyllic lifestyle and wants some semblance of that glamour. Skims gives its audience just that on Instagram: clothing that makes you feel glamorous even when it is just a pair of sweats or a bodysuit. Being able to know an audience so deeply that all the company’s posts reflect their wants and desires holistically is only possible when there is a strong network of influencers partners with the brand to ensure an authentic voice on social media.
References
https://www.instagram.com/skims/
https://www.instagram.com/kimkardashian/
Skims is definitely a revolution brand right now. I had no idea that they allowed anyone to apply to be an influencer for them. I think that’s a great idea considering that their whole mission is to show all body types.
It’s awesome to see such a big/influential brand that values inclusivity. The Kardashians are known for sometimes appropriating BIPOC culture, but it’s still refreshing to see a shapewear/undergarment brand with a realistic variety of models. It’s so important that consumers, especially young people, see women like that look like them on social media and Skims does a great job including women of all colors and body types. In our current media environment, this inclusivity is key to a well respected business.
As a long time Kim Kardashian fan, I can easily say that Skims is Kims best work. Skims has absolutely changed the fashion and loungewear game and as made a way for many women, myself included, to feel comfortable but still fashionable. Skims models are very inclusive. On their Instagram, you can find every skin color and body shape. Not only that but the color pallets for the Skims undergarments come in an array of shades to fit everyones skin type. I did not know about this influencer community for Skims and just how easy it is to join but I am certainly not surprised. It’s no secret the Kardashians have done some harm, but Skims is perfectly amazing.
I think you harped on one of the biggest appeals to Skims: making comfort look glamorous. Skims does a great job highlighting the natural beauty of its wearers and enhancing their features. I think it is interesting how the brand makes influencer partnerships so attainable, but I think that is probably a large piece of its success. While Skims itself may not be an influencer, the faces promoting the brand are incredibly influential through their nature of relatability.
I’ve never been someone who follows the Kardashians closely, but this post was super interesting! I think it’s so cool that a large brand like this accepts influencer applications because you’d think Skims would want to handpick its influencers. This application process is smart though because Skims probably finds a lot of macro/micro-level influencers this way. As a BIPOC individual who doesn’t fit the traditional extremely skinny body type, it’s nice to see a brand that’s making real efforts to be inclusive.
Hi Francesca,
I agree with you that influencers increase their following and hype by creating their own brands and products. Kim Kardashian is a great example of this because people want to buy her own product to look like her and have the same aesthetic as her. This brand is also especially successful because it is for women of all shapes and sizes which appeals to a large community of women.
I’ve recently learned a lot more about Skims as it has gained a huge social media presence. I really like that you pointed out that Skims has the option to contact the brand. Rather than choosing very specific influencers, the wider variety of people shows that Skims really is inclusive. I am interested to see what the future is for this brand.
I don’t follow the Kardashian’s very often but this post made me realize how hard Kim and her company is working to make the brand accessible to all different groups of people. With the huge audience Skims has on social media, I love that they have open applications for their partnerships. This shows how open they are for new faces and inclusivity within their brand.
This was a very interesting post. I would have thought that there would be self selected influencers that Kim would use rather than accepting influencer applications for the Skims brand. It is very humbling to see a huge celebrity and influencer herself, care about the inclusivity and create such a large and welcoming space for all. I really think that Kim is showing what bigger brands can do and may influence other bigger brands to follow along.
Hi Francesca! I really enjoyed reading this article, it was so fun and a topic of conversation that I am into. I’ve done my fair share of hunting reviews about Skims on all different body types and for me not on the thinner side, I am actually excited for this. I feel like Kim Kardashian has done an outstanding job reaching her target market while also showing the inclusivity and diversity her brand holds on all social media platforms. The unique influencer partnership addition to her website is an amazing idea and I think a lot of brands need to start following into Kims’ footsteps. She had executed her brand in an outstanding way and I myself am excited to try her clothing wear out.
Hi Francesca! Skims is one of the main companies/brands I think of when I hear “influencer”. My interest to buy their products was low when the brand first started. After a while, as the brand started to pick up speed and market through influencers, my interest grew. When talking about influencers, I usually mean micro-influencers I find on TikTok. I do not tend to follow any influencers but when micro-creators pop up on my for you page, I always watch. I have grown to love the Skims brand because of the reviews I see on TikTok from small creators that I trust. Traditional marketing campaigns rarely peak my interest in a product or brand. Great post!
Hi Francesca! Skims is definitely a top company in the market right now. I have noticed many other brands opening influencer applications to the public in the past, so I don’t think Skims is necessarily unique in that way. However, it is surprising that they allow this because of Kim’s large following. I am not a huge Kardashian fan, but I have found myself interested in Skims.
Hi Francesca, I have to say that I haven’t been a big follower of Skims. Although that might change now that I have read your post! I have often underestimated Kim Kardashian, so when Skims came out I wrote it off as another celebrity brand that wasn’t worth my time. After reading your post I looked through the Skims instagram and I found it to be refreshingly diverse when compared to my expectations.