Kim Kardashian Unveils SKIMS Swim Line With Giant Balloon in Times Square

SKIMS has launched a new swimwear collection with a massive 60-foot balloon in the middle of New York’s Times Square that looks like the line’s founder, Kim Kardashian.

The balloon depicts Kardashian wearing a SKIMS Triangle Top and Tanga bottoms in the color Tide. The installation is elevated on a 4-foot matching Tide blue deck and wrapped in the brand’s signature logo in the heart of New York City. 

Kardashian is promoting the company’s latest swim collection, including its Signature Swim, Terry and Cotton Jersey Cover-Ups, and poolside accessories. Per a press release shared with RetailWire, these pieces are available in five statement colors: Champagne Leopard, Champagne Tiger, Snow, Tide, and the brand’s signature Onyx.

Customers can preview the collection online, and it will be available for purchase beginning March 6 in-store and on the website.

Why Did Kim Kardashian Develop the SKIMS brand?

Kim Kardashian co-founded SKIMS in June 2019 alongside Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede. The inspiration for the brand stemmed from Kardashian’s challenges in finding shapewear that matched her skin tone and body shape.

Reportedly, the reality star and entrepreneur often resorted to dyeing her shapewear with tea bags and coffee to achieve the desired shade. Her experience highlighted a significant gap in the market for inclusive shapewear options, motivating her to create a brand that caters to diverse skin tones and body types.

Kardashian told The Wall Street Journal in 2021, “I really wanted to launch my own shapewear that took all the designs I was cutting up myself, that I was dyeing myself, and just had an extremely inclusive age-wise, size-wise, color range-wise, everything.” She added, “It was a natural business venture to start… I just know that I feel better when I’m wearing shapewear.”

Since its launch, SKIMS has been recognized worldwide for its inclusive sizing and diverse range of products, contributing to its prominence in popular culture. The company recently partnered with Nike to launch NikeSKIMS, a comprehensive set of athleisure pieces.