For decades, Nike's strategy remained largely unchanged: sign the best athletes, engineer elite performance and let credibility drive demand. By early 2025, that formula was no longer enough. While Nike dominated sport-specific performance, brands such as On, Solomon and Asics were winning the more visible battle for everyday relevance, on city streets, run clubs and across social platforms.
Nike was still fast and made fast shoes. It just lost their grip on culture.
Their response was NikeSKIMS.
Structured as a joint venture rather than a standard collaboration, NikeSKIMS marked a deliberate departure from Nike's traditional model. Industry reports framed the deal as a multi-billion-pound wager on a future where activewear success is defined less by marginal performance gains and more by integration into daily life. With a reported 60–40 revenue split favouring SKIMS, Nike traded some financial and creative control for aesthetic authority at scale.
Nike contributed manufacturing power, technical infrastructure and global distribution. Kim Kardashian brought a proven system that treats apparel not as individual products but as a cohesive wardrobe designed to shape identity. Together, the venture sought to reposition performance gear as a lifestyle uniform.
How NikeSKIMS Changed Nike's Activewear Strategy
The timing of NikeSKIMS was strategic. Following a revenue slowdown in 2024, Nike found itself squeezed between specialists. Asics consolidated credibility with serious runners while On became shorthand for the wellness-oriented consumer willing to pay a premium for understated design. Nike's broad positioning, once a strength, was starting to blur.
By installing Kardashian as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Nike avoided an escalating performance arms race. NikeSKIMS focused on studio-based categories such as Pilates and yoga, where visual cohesion and emotional connection carry more weight than lab-tested metrics.
Industry estimates suggest the venture generated hundreds of millions of pounds in sales within its first six months, restoring scarcity-driven demand and reasserting Nike's relevance in the wellness economy.
The Spring 2026 Collection and Balletcore Influence
If 2025 validated the NikeSKIMS model, 2026 is defining its cultural ceiling. The brand's latest phase centres on Balletcore, a trend blending dance-inspired silhouettes with sculpting functionality, led by global ambassador Lisa (Lalisa Manobal) of Blackpink.
From a commercial perspective, Balletcore positions NikeSKIMS in fast-growing studio and dance-adjacent categories, where higher margins and brand loyalty are driven by aesthetic identity rather than incremental performance gains. Lisa's appointment enables NikeSKIMS to operate across markets without being confined to Kardashian-led visibility. Her association reframes the brand around movement, discipline and refinement, qualities that translate across cultures and price tiers.
NikeSKIMS Product Innovation and Market Positioning
The Spring 2026 collection introduces a head-to-toe system of dress. Matte Dri-FIT anchors high-compression pieces, Stretch Knit and Ribbed Seamless collections deliver comfort and support, Weightless Layers provide ultra-light coverage and Woven Nylon serves as relaxed third layers designed for softness and movement. The silhouettes prioritise range of motion, drawing from dancewear while maintaining SKIMS' signature sculpted fit.
Footwear is a key element of the Balletcore strategy. The NikeSKIMS Rift Satin, launched on 5 February 2026 in North America, Europe and the Middle East, with Australia following on 6 February and Korea later in the month, reimagines the original Rift with satin finishes, a minimalist midsole and a textured logo outsole. The iconic split-toe design is retained, blending functional training footwear with a fashion statement.
Commercial Impact and Future Outlook
NikeSKIMS signals a recalibration of success in activewear. Performance innovation remains important, but alone it is no longer sufficient. By sharing control with a partner fluent in cultural trends, Nike insulated itself from competitors winning on lifestyle positioning. Balletcore and Lisa's global reach reposition training apparel as self-expression rather than solely a technical tool. Nike's minority stake may ultimately deliver greater long-term value than full ownership of a performance-only category.
