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Business Wars

Spanx vs Skims | Not Your Grandmother’s Girdle | 1

Mar 19, 2025
Discover how a fashion emergency at the Cannes Film Festival led to a revolutionary idea for shapewear. Dive into the fierce competition between Spanx and Skims, and witness the incredible journey from a pair of modified pantyhose to industry-changing innovations. Learn about the challenges faced by the fearless founder, including a high-stakes pitch and the monumental moment of appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show. It’s a tale of resilience, empowerment, and the quest for body positivity in the evolving fashion landscape.
41:34

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Sara Blakely's innovative approach to shapewear was born out of personal frustration and led to the establishment of Spanx.
  • Kim Kardashian's entry into the shapewear market with Skims demonstrates the shift towards inclusivity and body positivity influencing consumer preferences.

Deep dives

Kim Kardashian's Innovation in Shapewear

In 2016, Kim Kardashian faced a wardrobe crisis just before her debut at the Cannes Film Festival, needing a last-minute solution to darken her skin-tone slip. Her stylist and team resorted to using tea bags to dye the slip in a desperate bid for perfection. This incident not only highlights the lengths Kardashian goes to for her fashion but also sparks a pivotal moment of realization for her. Recognizing that traditional shapewear options were lacking, she decided to take matters into her own hands and enter the shapewear market, aiming to create products that cater better to women's needs.

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