Skim’s Cofounder Said He Set Out to Be the Starbucks of Underwear

Skims’ cofounder said he wanted the firm to become the Starbucks of underwear.

Jens Grede, who cofounded the loungewear company with his wife Emma Grede and media personality Kim Kardashian, said he looks to the coffee chain a lot for inspiration.

In a podcast episode with Colossus, released Tuesday, Grede said the “first sip feeling” with a Starbucks drink was a “distinct sensory experience.”

“Every office building in America has free coffee. My office has free coffee. Pretty good ones, too,” he said. “But I still think that Starbucks is worth my $5.50 or $6.”

“It’s at a premium, but it’s still available to me. It’s still affordable. And I believe that the quality difference is worth the difference in price,” he added.

He said he tried to emulate this with Skims, which sells a range of basic, minimalist underwear, shapewear, and loungewear.

“I saw the opportunity to create that in this category. In the beginning, primarily for women, and now, of course, for everybody,” Grede said in the podcast.

Most of Skims’ bras cost more than $50, and its underwear costs around $18. Its most popular products, like its long ribbed slip dress and cotton tank top, retail for $80 and $38, respectively.

In comparison, Victoria’s Secret’s bras start at around $40, while Calvin Klein’s start at around $30.

“It might be slightly more expensive, but still affordable,” Grede added.

The New York Times reported in 2023 that Skims, which started in 2018, was worth $4 billion.

Grede’s comments come as Starbucks is trying to turn its business around while remaining a premium coffee option.

Starbucks has faced various challenges, including long wait times, flaws in the customer experience, and issues with its mobile ordering system.

Starbucks’ CEO, Brian Niccol, has since implemented his “Back to Starbucks” plan to improve the café experience.

Representatives for Skims did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.