By: Lauren Cuppy
November 27, 2023
Photo Credit: Rolling Stone
On October 30, 2023, Kim Kardashian announced her loungewear and shapewear brand SKIMS as the official underwear partner for the NBA, along with the WNBA, and USA Basketball. This partnership will allow both SKIMS and the NBA to tap into new markets, gaining more exposure and reaching untapped demographics for both brands.
According to SKIMS CEO Jens Grede, “The tunnel to the locker room has become a runway for players,” (Gagne, 2023) and companies are taking advantage of the sport industry’s extreme influence on fashion and consumer behavior. Athletes are their own brand, and they are just as much influencers as content creators on social media. This is evidenced not only by Air Jordan becoming a household brand with Michael Jordan's partnership, but also with LeBron James's collaboration with Beats. Once basketball stars are seen wearing their products, Kardashian and Grede are hoping to expand SKIMS’s men’s line and rebrand as a gender-inclusive line of apparel.
As for the NBA, partnering with SKIMS may also help expand their target demographic. Kim Kardashian is a feminine role model, and her name alone draws attention and traction. The “Taylor Swift Effect” has enabled the NFL to see a 63% increase in viewership among women aged 18 to 49 (Reid and Tennery, 2023) – perhaps the NBA can look forward to a similar “Kardashian Effect” as the partnership develops. Furthermore, the partnership could also draw more media attention to the WNBA, acting as a catalyst to continue expanding women’s sports in the United States.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the intersection of athletics and fashion, embodying the growing relationship between celebrities/influencers and the sport industry.