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Kim Kardashian's Skims Flagship in London: A Temple to Shapewear with Vanessa Beecroft Sculpture

architecture-design · 2026-08-07

The Skims flagship store, located on Regent Street in London, was designed by Rafael de Cárdenas and spans 12,000 sq ft. It showcases soft curved walls and a striking nude sculpture by Vanessa Beecroft. This marks Skims' inaugural standalone location in the UK, following a $225 million funding round that valued the company at $5 billion in November 2025, with anticipated annual net sales exceeding $1 billion. De Cárdenas, who previously worked with Calvin Klein, created gentle corners and a unique scent for the store, which also includes a 6,500 sq ft site in Chicago. Founded in 2019, Skims caters to various skin tones and has featured campaigns with Sabrina Carpenter (2024), Nicola Coughlan, Rosé (2025), and Will Ferrell. The fitting rooms are designed for selfies, with apparel displayed on the ground floor and shapewear above. Osman Ahmed's article appears in the September 2026 Style Issue of Wallpaper*.

Key facts

  • Skims flagship store on London's Regent Street is 12,000 sq ft and designed by Rafael de Cárdenas.
  • The store features a monumental female nude sculpture by Vanessa Beecroft.
  • Skims raised $225m at a $5bn valuation in November 2025 and projected over $1bn in annual net sales.
  • The London store is Skims' first standalone UK location.
  • Rafael de Cárdenas began his career at Calvin Klein in the 1990s.
  • Skims was founded in 2019, with early fittings in Kardashian's closet.
  • A 6,500 sq ft Skims Chicago store, also designed by de Cárdenas, features a reclining Beecroft sculpture.
  • Skims campaigns have featured Sabrina Carpenter, Nicola Coughlan, Rosé, and Will Ferrell as Lonnie 'The Hawk' Hawkins.

Entities

Artists

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Vanessa Beecroft
  • Rafael de Cárdenas
  • Axel Vervoordt
  • Sabrina Carpenter
  • Nicola Coughlan
  • Rosé
  • Will Ferrell
  • Osman Ahmed

Institutions

  • Skims
  • Wallpaper*
  • Rizzoli
  • Calvin Klein
  • Nike Skims

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Regent Street
  • Los Angeles
  • Chicago
  • Gold Coast
  • New York

Sources