Hugh Wilson Candace Parker, Cameron Brink and Dijonai Carrington for Skims
Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand is making waves in the basketball community with its latest campaign, which features some of the WNBA’s brightest stars. Led by basketball legend Candace Parker, the campaign showcases the talents of second-overall draft pick Cameron Brink, Connecticut Sun guard Dijonai Carrington, and All-Star players Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins-Smith. SKIMS and the WNBA announced their partnership in October and also announced that SKIMS would be an Associate Partner of the 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix.
As the official underwear of the @WNBA, SKIMS is as comfortable as it gets. Just in time for the season tip-off Candace Parker, Cameron Brink, Kelsey Plum, Dijonai Carrington, and Skylar Diggins-Smith sport our Fits Everybody collection.
The collaboration between SKIMS and the WNBA underscores women’s basketball’s growing influence and impact on popular culture. SKIMS is one of many billion-dollar corporations jumping in line to partner with the WNBA and their plethora of stars.
Nike recently announced a massive deal with 2024 first-overall pick Caitlin Clark and a signature deal with reigning WNBA MVP A’Ja Wilson. However, the WNBA is clearly focused on partnering with women-led brands.
The WNBA Continues to Partner with Women-Led Brands
Aside from the SKIMS partnership between the WNBA and founder Kim Kardashian, the WNBA has also focused on partnering with other women-led businesses. In July, Mielle, a beauty brand founded by Monique Rodriguez in Merrillville, Indiana, became the WNBA’s Official Textured Haircare Partner. This partnership highlights the brand’s commitment to catering to the diverse needs of WNBA players and fans.
CEO of @MielleOrganics Monique Rodriguez sat down with the co-owner of the @AtlantaDream and former WNBA player @ReneeMontgomery to discuss Mielle’s partnership with the WNBA as the first-ever official textured hair partner and their goal to usher in a new era of confidence on…
Following suit, Glossier, a beauty brand headquartered in New York City and founded by Emily Weiss, launched a new campaign with the WNBA in August of 2023. This move comes after Glossier became the league’s inaugural official beauty partner in 2020.
The WNBA’s sponsorship revenue continues to grow, with estimates suggesting it reached $860.1 million in 2023. This revenue stems from various partnerships, including television contracts, and involves 36 entities. This data, sourced from a June 2023 report by GlobalData, a London-based research and analytics firm, reflects the league’s increasing appeal to sponsors and its ability to forge lucrative partnerships while focusing on women-led businesses.
SKIMS Continues Its Focus on Hoops
Skims’ partnership with the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball, announced in the fall, has garnered significant attention through viral campaigns. Notable among these are endorsements featuring NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the recent Skims March All-Stars campaign, which showcases prominent college basketball players such as Caleb Love from Arizona and Donovan Clingan from UConn.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for SKIMS Mens.
These campaigns underscore Skims’ commitment to leveraging its partnerships to reach a diverse audience across basketball platforms, from the professional leagues to collegiate athletics. SKIMS founder Kim Kardashian stated the importance of the campaign with the WNBA.
“I’m proud to launch this new WNBA campaign starring such an incredible cast of athletes. Championing women and women in sports is incredibly important to Skims,” Kim Kardashian, Skims cofounder, and chief creative officer said in a statement. “Our brand DNA is rooted in inclusivity, representation, and women’s empowerment, which are values shared with the WNBA. We are honored to be the official underwear partner of the league and look forward to continuing our work together throughout the season.”
Candance Parker also released a statement on how thrilling it is to be the face of this new campaign. “I’m thrilled to be included in the first-ever SKIMS WNBA campaign alongside this amazing group of rising stars and all-stars. As I move onto this next chapter in my life, I hope to leave the game in a better place and continue to be an example of what is possible both on and off the court”, said Parker.
As the WNBA and women’s basketball continue to experience this well-deserved boom in popularity, more corporations will undoubtedly look for partnerships with the WNBA and its players.