Baring It All

THIS PAST DECEMBER, Skims (Los Angeles) – the shapewear brand co-founded by American socialite, businesswoman and reality show star Kim Kardashian in 2019 (alongside business partners Emma and Jens Grede) – opened its much anticipated Fifth Avenue flagship on New York’s most popular retail thoroughfare.

In 2024, Skims began opening permanent store locations in destinations like Georgetown in Washington, D.C. (its first), Atlanta, Houston and Austin, among others, and has products sold through select global retailers, including Seattle-based Nordstrom.

ABOVE: Next door to the iconic Cartier Mansion on New York’s Fifth Avenue, Skims makes a statement with its eye-catching statue sculpted by artist Vanessa Beecroft.

Situated next door to the famed Cartier Fifth Avenue Mansion, the new Skims store immediately garners attention from passersby with its impressively large, 15-foot-tall Vanessa Beecroft sculpture standing inside the entrance. With a neutral-hued, minimalist and sculpted interior, the product shines here and is elevated further through the store’s attentive sales associates.

At 6570 square feet, the space spans three floors and a mezzanine and features the retailer’s full line of products for both men and women – from loungewear to shapewear and everything in between. This includes collections the brand designed in collaboration with other retailers like Milan-based Dolce & Gabbana and The North Face (Denver).

“The sumptuously soft but exactingly clean interior of the flagship sets off the landmark building’s intricately historical façade,” explains Rafael de Cárdenas, Founder of his eponymous design firm behind the store’s design. “The collaboration has produced an immersive and innovative brand experience for existing Skims customers, and new ones, to discover.”

THIS PAGE: The store’s neutral tones create the backdrop for Skims’ range of apparel and shapewear.

Filled with rounded-edge fixtures; custom tonal mannequins and forms; Corian displays and ultra-suede backdrops, every detail within the space is intended to create a sense of “playful exploration and self-discovery,” by visually reflecting the brand’s ethos of comfort. Other unique elements include fitting rooms with wraparound mirrors and “luminous ceilings” that bathe customers in soft light as they try on apparel.

“This flagship is a dream realized for Skims,” says Kim Kardashian, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Skims. “We’ve created a space that perfectly embodies our brand and elevates the customer experience. New York City has always held a special place in my heart, and opening our first flagship here during the holidays is truly magical.”

PHOTO GALLERY (10 IMAGES)
PHOTOS: WILLIAM ABRANOWICZ, NEW YORK