Is Skims the new Victoria’s Secret?
Inclusive. Diverse. Revolutionary. Body Positive. Empowering. Relevant.
In recent times Victoria’s Secret has been doing everything to transform its negative brand image of the past. From revealing its first bilingual campaign with three-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, Camila Cabello, titled “Hay una Bombshell en cada una de nosotros,” (“There’s a bombshell in all of us”…umm, well ok), to hiring their first male model, Darren Barnet, the star of the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, to front its gender-free athleisure line aimed at younger customers called Pink.
But is this enough to make us forget the past?
Image Credit: Victoria’s Secret
The lingerie giant, previously known for promoting unattainable standards in beauty, sexualising women, and refusing to recognise that not all women are skinny and white, has had to make some big changes - one of them being the cancellation of their uber famous annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show after media sources began reporting on the negative selection process, expectations and treatment of the famous models used by VS. The world-renown show began airing in 2001, broadcasting stick thin women strutting down the runway in barely-there lingerie that most women wouldn’t even dream of wearing, while music royalty perform. The shows were so popular that it was reported that more than 1 billion people worldwide watched the 2017 show - an almost 45% increase on the year prior. But the cancellation of this historic event was just the start of the seams of the VS brand starting to come apart…Cue the hero!
Image Credit: Skims
With only 2 years under its belt the underwear newcomer, Kim Kardashian’s very own Skims, has been carefully and successfully revolutionising the global underwear market.
While taking on the likes of big-name brands such as Spanx, Victoria’s Secret, Honeylove, Savage x Fenty & many more, Skims has been successful in meeting the irreversible, non-negotiable values its customers demand. It’s on trend and in the know with what their customers stand for (and looks like!)…unlike some other brands *cough*.
Image Credit: Skims
You could say Skims has become the Fenty of the underwear world - their diverse range of products come in a multitude of shades, shapes & sizes, recognising that not everyone is the same size, nor the same shape, and certainly don’t have the same skin tone. Their inclusive messaging and imagery make you question what you thought was “normal” in competitors advertising, and instead shows real bodies. And if that wasn’t a big enough kick in the guts for Skims’ competitors, their latest campaign was a sure sign of who’s on top.
Image Credit: Skims
In April this year, Skims announced their “Fits Everybody” campaign – and this move wasn’t just good, it was iconic. After taking a page from her Mum’s genius PR book, Kim has created quite the stir by featuring ex-Victoria’s Secret Angels, Heidi Klum, Candice Swanepoel, Tyra Banks & Alessandra Ambrosio. And yes, it’s easy to point out that these models probably don’t mirror the customer or their values, but maybe this is the subtle wave of farewell to a brand trying too hard and failing?