One of the most well-known names in the world, Kim Kardashian has long held fashion’s attention. As the founder of inclusive shapewear line SKIMS, she’s re-writing the global brand-building playbook.
Kardashian started her career as a celebrity stylist and closet organiser. She opened a chain of boutiques, called DASH, with her sisters in 2007. The same year, she began shooting the reality television series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” Aided by her ex-husband Ye (the rapper formerly known as Kanye West), Kardashian has become a style icon. She attended her first Met Gala in 2013. In 2014, Kardashian caused a stir on social media with her Paper magazine nude cover captioned “Break the Internet,” which generated 15.9 million views in just one day for the magazine's site.
She turned her ubiquitousness to a business empire: in 2017 she founded KKW Beauty (now partially owned by beauty conglomerate Coty), and in 2019, alongside Jens Grede, she started SKIMS, which has gone on to become a brand valued at $3.2 billion. Outside its monster valuation, SKIMS brought size and skin tone diversity to shapewear and intimates. The line now includes loungewear and swim, and has collaborated with LVMH-owned Fendi. In 2021, she inked a groundbreaking partnership to provide underwear, loungewear and pyjamas for the US Olympics team. That year, she won The Wall Street Journal’s brand innovator award.
Recently, the star has become a face of Balenciaga, fronting a campaign in February 2022, and wearing a conversation-provoking full-coverage outfit to the Met Gala in 2021.
Outside of her work in entertainment and fashion, Kardashian has become a prominent activist for prison reform, and used her platform to advocate for causes like recognition of the Armenian genocide.
