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Image Source: SKIMS
Kim Kardashian refuses to drop the ball. On May 13, the mogul’s shapewear company Skims, announced its official underwear partnership with the WNBA. The company launched the campaign with some of the league’s biggest stars, including basketball legend Candace Parker, second overall draft pick Cameron Brink, and standout players like Kelsey Plum, DiJonai Carrington, and Skylar Diggins-Smith. “I’m proud to launch this new WNBA campaign starring such an incredible cast of athletes,” Kardashian said in a press release. “Championing women and women in sports is incredibly important to Skims.”
This partnership comes after a record-breaking year for women’s sports (and women’s basketball specifically), with NCAA players shattering all-time viewership records by millions. As the popularity of women’s basketball continues to grow, so has its ties to fashion. In April, Chicago Sky player Angel Reese announced her plans to enter the WNBA draft — skipping her final year of college to do so — in Vogue; a month later, Reese attended the Met Gala in a custom 16Arlington dress. Meanwhile, first overall draft pick Caitlin Clark attended the WNBA draft in head-to-toe Prada, the first professional basketball player to be dressed by the fashion house for the draft. Given that Skims has already partnered with the NBA, moving into women’s sports seems like the natural next step (and frankly, long overdue).
Some of the WNBA models also mentioned their love of fashion in the Skims release. “My fans know how much I love fashion. Skims has been an underwear staple in my wardrobe for years,” Brink said, sporting the brand’s Fits Everybody underwear collection. Diggins-Smith added that, “I love fashion, but more importantly it’s essential for me to feel comfortable in every facet of my life. As a mother of two with a very active career, Skims provides solutions for me that are seamless, stretchy and stylish.”
The Skims x WNBA partnership is a huge moment for women’s sports, especially as players continue to advocate for the pay equity and air time they deserve. “I’m young enough to remember when I was told fashion [brands] weren’t gonna support us,” former professional basketball player Swin Cash Canal commented on the Skims Instagram post. “This is so impactful as someone who is female presenting and plays basketball . . . thank you for this,” another commenter added.
With the tip-off of the WNBA season upon us, this campaign indicates that women’s sports isn’t going anywhere — and that’s definitely a winning message.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for POPSUGAR Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.