As SKIMS prepares to launch its first ever UK store, it’s worth looking back at how the brand has evolved since its 2019 launch, and how it has prioritised physical retail even in the digital age.
The flagship London store will take over the former Ted Baker site at 245 Regent Street, just south of Oxford Street, becoming one of The Crown Estate’s key flagship locations.
Spanning 12,000 square feet, SKIMS has signed a 10-year lease, with visible works already underway ahead of a targeted summer 2026 opening.
SKIMS chief commercial officer Robert Norton said: “Opening our first UK store on London’s iconic Regent Street is a landmark moment for SKIMS.
“Its global prestige and vibrant history make it the perfect setting to debut our immersive retail experience, this milestone reflects our strategic focus on expanding into key global markets, bringing SKIMS’ unique brand vision directly to customers worldwide.”
The Regent Street store offers London shoppers their first chance to step inside one of America’s most instantly recognisable brands.
Lucy Butler, who works on Regent Street, said: “I am very excited about the new SKIMS store and have always wanted to shop there, especially as I am a huge Kardashian fan, but thought it was only available online.
“Now I know one is opening so close to my office I will definitely be checking it out once it opens.”
Although the Kim Kardashian-owned brand has had dedicated retail space in Harrods, Selfridges and END. Clothing, this will mark the first permanent SKIMS exclusive store in the UK, and the first outside of the Americas.
The Crown Estate’s retail leasing director Laura Thursfield said: “Welcoming SKIMS in its first foray into the UK bricks-and-mortar market is an exciting moment for The Crown Estate.
“Emphasising Regent Street’s position as London’s premier lifestyle destination, the arrival of SKIMS highlights the area’s sustained attractiveness for global brands.”
SKIMS opened its first permanent physical store in Washington DC in June 2024 and has since expanded across the US, with locations in Florida, Texas and New York.
The brand now owns and operates 21 stores throughout the United States plus a franchise in Mexico.
Its first dedicated store outside the US, SKIMS ARTZ Mexico City, opened in 2025, cementing the brand in a city traditionally overlooked by luxury designers.
The brand has been clear about its ambitions to become a predominantly ‘physical business’, a move which runs counter to the digital-first strategies dominating much of modern retail.
SKIMS is positioning its stores as immersive, luxury destinations in their own right, designed to be places worth travelling to visit.
On a practical level, bricks-and-mortar also make sense for a brand built on underwear and shapewear, categories where fit and sizing are imperative, and where online shopping can be unforgiving.
The UK is SKIMS’ largest market outside the US, making its focus on prime central London real estate a strategic move.
The brand’s distinctive store interiors also act as free publicity, with visitors frequently posting photos and videos on TikTok or Instagram, turning the stores themselves into social-media destinations.
Is SKIMS quietly subverting the narrative of the dying high street and proving that bricks-and-mortar retail is still very much alive?
Business of Fashion reports that SKIMS is nearing $1billion in annual sales and received a $5billion valuation following a funding round at the end of last year led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives.
CEO Jens Grede told Business of Fashion stores are probably the brand’s single biggest growth lever.
He added: “The biggest barrier for customers is us simply not being available in physical retail where people live.”
In July 2023, SKIMS was valued at $4billion after raising $270million in a funding round led by Wellington Management.
Before that, the company was valued at $3.2billion in January 2022 and $1.6 billion in 2021, a striking trajectory for a brand still only six years old.
Feature image: Katherine Cochrane
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