NikeSkims Isn’t Just a Launch, It’s a Shake-Up for Women’s Activewear. But Can It Deliver?

After a delayed launch, NikeSkims is finally here. Can Kim Kardashian’s star power help Nike fend off challengers like Vuori and Alo? ATN breaks down 3 reasons to believe in the Swoosh’s new activewear line

Everything Kim Kardashian touches seems to turn to gold. Skims, her shapewear and loungewear brand, has ballooned into a multibillion-dollar business, and her cultural influence is undeniable. But activewear, a category defined as much by performance as by marketing magic and consumer loyalty, presents a tougher test.

That’s the backdrop for NikeSkims, set to debut Friday after production delays pushed it past its original spring launch.

The activewear giant’s shares ticked up following the initial NikeSkims announcement earlier this year, a signal of how much investors buy into Kardashian’s star power.

For Nike, though, the line is a shot at revitalizing slumping sales and capturing the wallet share of female consumers who have gravitated toward competitors like Lululemon, Alo and Vuori in recent years.

Vuori, in particular, which started as a men’s-only brand, has rapidly become one of the fastest-scaling names in women’s activewear.

Adding more tension to the launch, NikeSkims is also one of the first major moves under CEO Elliott Hill, who returned to the company last fall to lead its turnaround and sharpen its push into women’s activewear.

All of that makes the launch high stakes, but NikeSkims isn’t stepping onto the court empty-handed. Here are three advantages Nike’s new line has as it enters the women’s activewear race:

1. The Kardashian Effect

Kardashian’s reach gives NikeSkims immediate visibility that few competitors can match. Her social channels have been flooded with posts promoting the activewear launch, leaning into its “Built for performance, designed to flatter” mantra and signature earthy palettes. In true Kardashian fashion, she staged a high-profile event on the steps of the New York Public Library on Wednesday, joined by her sister Khloé Kardashian and momager Kris Jenner.

The buzzy event featured models sporting NikeSkims while performing choreographed moves meant to mimic stretching, all on full display for New York passersby.

2. Athlete-Led Credibility

While Kardashian’s impact is undeniable, NikeSkims is leaning on another powerful force: female athletes. Its “Bodies at Work” launch film features more than 50 athletes, including Serena Williams, Sha’Carri Richardson and Jordan Chiles.

“It feels like butter on your skin,” Williams said of the first NikeSkims collection. “I feel unstoppable when I’m training in it.”

New data suggests Nike is smart to rely heavily on athlete validation. Parity’s April 2025 survey of U.S. sports fans found that women athletes are now among the most trusted endorsers in the game, even outside of their core fan base. In fact, 58% of people who say they never watch women’s sports still trust that female athletes believe in the products they promote, a six-point jump from the prior year.

It’s trust that translates into buying behavior, Parity finds. Nearly two-thirds (67%) of those who watch women’s sports weekly said they’re more likely to purchase from a brand that sponsors a woman athlete, and when it comes to product collaborations, 40% of women who watch sports say they’re more likely to consider a brand that designs alongside women athletes.

3. A Head-to-Toe Strategy (Literally)

NikeSkims isn’t launching as a limited capsule but as a complete “system of dress” meant to cover every part of a woman’s active wardrobe. The line offers, as NikeSkims points out, 10,000 ways to combine different looks.

The first launch introduces three core collections that will be updated season after season:

• Matte: 21 everyday staples with midlevel compression, smoothing and sculpting, built with innovative fabric and Nike’s Dri-Fit technology
• Shine: 11 supportive, quick-drying pieces with a subtle sheen and stretch, designed for strength training and beyond
• Airy: seven ultralight, mesh-inspired knits for layering and low-impact activity

Seasonal collections include:

• Vintage Seamless: eight pieces with a worn-in, vintage-inspired look and feel
• Matte Tricot: three sleek, track-inspired layering pieces
• Weightless Layers: five semi-sheer styles for low-impact activity
• Shiny Nylon: an oversized pant 

“NikeSkims is a bold evolution in how women experience sport and style, and together with Skims, we’re delivering what no other brand can,” Nike president Amy Montagne said. “It’s part of Nike’s broader commitment to her: uncompromising product innovation that moves and celebrates women.”