Kim Kardashian rolls into New York to celebrate Skim’s first flagship store in the Big Apple

While Skims launched aimed at shaving off a pound or two to one’s physique, when it comes to a flagship store, its founder, Kim Kardashian, doesn’t skimp on anything. For her first New York store, the cultural phenomenon and businesswoman created a signature neutral tonal playground to house her brand’s ever-growing category expression.

On hand was partner, co-founder, and CEO Jens Grede, the LA-based Swedish entrepreneur responsible for the uber-cool Frame denim line, and Brady, the athleisure line by the popular footballer once married to Gisele Bündchen.

Typical for anyone with the last name Kardashian, the event caused quite a stir along the popular Fifth Avenue shopping strip in Midtown.

Located in the former Versace store, the store sits in the vicinity of other popular priced brands such as Nike, Zara, Uniqlo, Victoria’s Secret, as well as luxury stalwarts Ferragamo and Cartier, the next-door neighbor who had added extra barricades to deal with the mayhem caused by onlookers, both intentional and accidental hoping to catch a glimpse of Kardashian and her famous friends such as Ciara, FKA Twigs and more, who came to congratulate her on the opening.

As guests entered the three-level shapewear emporium, they were greeted by a bevy of models in all shapes, sizes, and colors sporting the foundation garments, wearing platinum blonde curly wigs. It was a nod to Skims creative collaborator Vanessa Beecroft—who has been working with the brand since its inception—seminal 1996 performance work VB16 Piano Americano-Beige.

Given the chilly New York temps and the placement in front of the doors, hopefully, these models were given a bonus. The models flanked a giant-sized headless Venus de Milo-inspired statue made by Beecroft that had netizens abuzz due to its realistic pubic hair sculpting.

Almost all traces of the former Versace ‘mansion’ that once housed the building were gone (save for a glimpse of the ornate black staircase still visible above the stairwell when guests reached the top level) and had been covered up. Instead, the space was transformed into the specific shade of taupe cream favored by the global influencer, and its marshmallow texture was courtesy of renowned design studio Rafael de Cárdenas.

Rather than an empty, vast 6,570 square foot space, the designer created various cocoons on each floor, lest the neutrality feel sterile. As observed by many, including FashionNetwork.com, the Pantone Color of the Year Mocha Mousse is also a color in Kardashian’s wheelhouse, and she can be credited with its popularity. There is a coziness to that shade that appears throughout her products, adding a warm vibe to the store.

The first level houses the main shapewear and underwear garments, such as its popular Fits Everybody, Cotton, and Ultimate Bras collections. The brand’s inclusivity is demonstrated by the most varied body shapes any molded humanoid for displaying clothes ever witnessed and is thanks to Bernstein Display. (Hans Boodt has also made mannequin forms for Skims in the past.) A custom photo booth also sits on the main floor to capture one’s visit the old-fashioned way.

As guests ascended to the second floor, DJs were spinning in the seasonal merch room, which bore the only non-neutral merchandise available; in this case, red holiday PJs and some frilly pink and white negligée-inspired pieces. Here, FashionNetwork.com spoke with several of the brand’s employees, all decked out in black. A general manager noted that the store will employ 185 folks in total. The females wore a turtleneck-style dress, $94 on the brand’s website for the occasion, but confirmed that the store attire would usually be the brand’s fleece offerings in winter and bike shorts in the summer. Most had straight hair slicked back in a bun and neutral makeup face. Even the catering staff sported the look of what could be dubbed ‘Kimbots.’

The catering by New York power caterer Olivier Cheng also matched the neutral theme with a buffet spread in the second-floor dressing area–replete with dreamy soft light—in multiple shades of beige, save some seaweed-covered cashews.

The third floor housed the men’s collection, and the current Skims collaborations, Dolce & Gabbana, and the just-released The North Face collaboration. It also housed Ms. Kardashian, who was gathering content and greeting special guests along with Grede. She emerged to join the party gen-pop wearing a cream-colored Chrome Hearts leather plunging bustier, matching pants, and Uggs to accommodate her knee scooter, the accessory du jour due to a broken foot. Grede—on hand greeting friends from both coasts such as designer Peter Dundas—posed for more photos with his business partner.

While the duo means business and the brand is currently valued at $4 billion, the evening was focused on having a good time. Like good hosts, parting guests were given an exclusive cream-colored hoodie that read New York. This way, guests could take that cozy feeling home after braving the cold December night.