Kim Kardashian West has announced that her shapewear brand, Skims, will provide the official underwear, loungewear and pajamas for female American athletes at Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.
The womenswear collection features sports bras, shirts, vests, cycle shorts and high-waisted briefs printed with American flags, the five Olympic rings and Team USA branding.
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Announcing the collaboration on Instagram on Monday, the billionaire reality star and entrepreneur said the Games are close to her heart, as her former stepparent Caitlyn Jenner was a gold medal-winning decathlete.
She recalled attending Olympic trials and track events as a child, when her mother Kris Jenner was still married to the former athlete.
She wrote;
As I would watch the athletes compete, I would grow to understand the dedication and honor being a part of the Olympics embodied. Every moment I’ve spent admiring the strength and energy of the Olympians from the sidelines came full circle.
A series of campaign photographs show the garments being modeled by various members of Team USA, including Paralympian, Scout Bassett and basketball player, A’ja Wilson.
Soccer star, Alex Morgan is pictured wearing a white Skims x Team USA shirt featuring a large American flag and the Olympic logo.
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The designs will be made available for sale as a limited-edition collection from mid-July, according to a press release.
SKIMS previously stirred controversy in Japan, which is hosting the Olympics for the second time, having launched in 2019 under the name Kimono — a play on both the star’s name and the traditional Japanese outfit of the same name.
The name attracted accusations of cultural appropriation, leading to Twitter protests under the hashtag #KimOhNo.
After Kardashian West attempted to trademark the name, the mayor of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokawa, wrote an open letter to the star, saying;
We think that the names for ‘Kimono’ are the asset shared with all humanity who love Kimono and its culture therefore they should not be monopolized.
In response, Kardashian West said her brands were “built with inclusivity and diversity at their core,” before renaming the label SKIMS.
