The North Face, Skims Partner for Limited-edition Collaboration That Goes From Slopes to Après-ski
The North Face and Skims are planning a rendezvous on the slopes.
The two brands have come together to introduce a collection of archival styles from The North Face reimagined with Skims’ innovative fit and signature color palette, available starting Dec. 10.
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The partnership offers full head-to-toe all-day looks that go from the mountains to après-ski and beyond. The lineup features a down jacket, fleece jacket, down one-piece, a shell waterproof pant, Lycra adaptive bodysuit, top and bottom, and DotKnit top and bottom, along with accessories such as a beanie, gloves and insulated mules.
“At The North Face, we always put innovation and functionality first, the collaboration space is no exception,” said David Whetstone, director of collaborations and energy at The North Face. “With Skims, we maintained best-in-class constructions and materials and this collaboration came about from a mutual admiration. The North Face is constantly inspired by innovative brands that are driving culture like Skims, and this limited-edition collection draws on the core strengths of each brand.”
In a telephone interview, Whetstone said they had been thinking about working with Skims for a while, and approached Kim Kardashian, cofounder and chief creative officer of Skims, who happens to be an avid skier. “We recognize the world is changing quickly and we’re always interested in partners that are driving culture. We felt that Skims is doing something different in driving culture and is iconic in their own way,” he said. He added The North Face has plenty of iconic, classic outerwear pieces “but you know a Skims product from that iconic color palette and an iconic fit.”
According to Kardashian, “This marks Skims’ first-ever foray into the world of winterwear and partnering with The North Face allowed us to leverage their expertise in this category. The collection is a combination of functional and flattering apparel solutions for the season. I’ve spent a lot of time on the slopes, so I was definitely inspired when we were developing this collection, and I can’t wait to wear these pieces on my next trip.”
For the collaboration, The North Face’s well-known designs are combined with Skims’ core design principles of flattering, body-hugging silhouettes. Skims’ sculpting and compressive base layers are paired with The North Face’s outwear, enhancing the body’s natural curves, a signature element of Skims found in its product lines from bras to loungewear.
Whetstone said once they connected with Kardashian they discovered that “Kim is a huge North Face fan. “She has many North Face products in her own archive and many of which she had done a bit of tailoring to herself. All of that gave us a great starting point. And we customized fit on every one of our outerwear pieces. That was part one. We really thought about fit that made sense for the woman’s figure, and with Skims’ contemporary point of view. For us, we’ve always felt that we’re best when we create total layering pieces,” he said.
He explained there are two layering propositions. There’s DotKnit, a double-knit performance fabric that pulls moisture away from the body. The second is a fabric called Lycra Adaptiv, which is being launched with Skims. It’s adaptive stretch and is about compression, flexibility and built to retain shape and force. “While it has a lot of stretch for mobility it’s really about that retention and compression and that kind of give that keeps the force,” he said. He said Lycra Adaptiv will be a big launch for The North Face in February, but is being introduced with Skims this month.
For now, North Face and Skims re-partnering for a one-season collaboration that launches Dec. 10.
The collection starts with a jacket that’s been re-fit from Kardashian’s closet. There’s also a Denali jacket and pants, which are classic fleece pieces. The collection includes a one-piece that was originally built to send explorers to the highest mountains in the world. It has been re-fit to make it wearable in the lifestyle/performance category, according to Whetstone.
Everything was designed so the pieces can perform, he said. The collection includes a pant you can ski in. The DotKnit is really for performance and is a base layer when you’re on the mountain. And, Lycra Adaptive can be used as a base layer or for training. All together, they are launching with 12 styles in four colorways. The colors are ochre, sienna, cocoa and onyx.
Whetstone said they take a similar approach to collaborations, no matter what the company is. “We always begin by bringing North Face archival and future products to our collaborative partners. That allows the partners to experience our brand in a comprehensive way and see what they’re responding to. We did the same with Skims,” he said. He said they went to Los Angeles, they unpacked quite a few North Face products “and we allowed Kim to try things on.
“She tried on a down jacket, she tried on our snow pants and she tried on our base layers. She responded to things she liked and didn’t. We tuned everything to make sure it was to the specifications of both North Face and Skims’ standards and Kim’s preferences as well. Everything was cocreated, and followed a process that has worked for us for many of these collaborations,” said Whetstone.
What was really exciting was that Kardashian brought a few of her North Face pieces, such as her own down jacket and seam-taped pants. “Those gave us some early insights and starting points,” he said.
In choosing these collaborations, Whetstone said, “We’re interested in brands that have a clear point of view and position and are icons and have things they are known for. For them, it was fit, next to skin and color palette. We, of course, have items that when you see, you know it’s The North Face. When you work with a brand with a clear DNA, it emphasizes the idea of two brands coming together.”
He said they were careful that no brand’s DNA overshadows the other. “We really try to make sure there’s a 50-50 split in DNA. Some are purely North Face styles, but tuned for Skims, with a color palette that references what Skims does so well,” he said.
In the past, The North Face has partnered with such brands as MM6 Maison Margiela, Comme des Garçons and Cecilie Bahnsen.
While he couldn’t give a first year’s sales projection for North Face x Skims, he said, “We expect it to move fast. Generally our collaborations move really fast, and we expect it to sell out really quickly.”
He said one thing he’s excited about is the collection can be really elevated but accessible. The collection is produced in The North Face’s factories in Vietnam.
Whetstone said another thing he admired about Skims is their body inclusivity. “We talk about exploration and trying to provide performance solutions for all explorers and to be able to create products for many different types of bodies,” he said. He expects the base layers and their iconic pieces will be the bestsellers, along with the mules. “There are also some very nice accessories,” he added.
The collection will be sold internationally in flagship locations for The North Face including in SoHo, N.Y.; Cortina, Italy; Milan; Regent Street and Battersea in London; Shanghai, and Beijing locations. LuisasViaRoma and Highsnobiety in Milan will carry the collection. It will also be available at skims.com, starting Dec. 10.
Sizes range from XXS to 3X and small to XL. Mules range from 5 to 11. The retail prices are $60 to $1,200.
The North Face x Skims partnership comes to life with two campaigns. One campaign was photographed by Vanessa Beecroft. The cast is captured on the peaks and skiing the slopes in Chile. Another campaign features Kardashian, shot by Donna Trope. That image shows Kardashian wearing The North Face DotKnit top and bottom from the new collection which is a double-knit fabric that pulls moisture away from the body by pairing hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns developed for warmth and protection.
Further bringing the collection to life, the collection will be featured in an exclusive in-store shopping experience that combines the visual identities of both brands. Fixtures will be inspired by Skims’ signature monolithic forms and soft curves, while incorporating The North Face’s precision hardware details and technical connections, all in a tonal, monochromatic frosted palette.
“At Skims, we’re always focused on what’s next and are constantly working to design new solutions for our customers,” said Jens Grede, chief executive officer of Skims, which he cofounded in 2019. “This collaboration with The North Face allowed us to leverage the brand’s heritage expertise and enhance it with our own creative and solutions-based design codes, for one of our most technical collections yet,” said Grede.
Prior Skims collaborations have been with such brands as Fendi, Swarovski, and Team USA for the Olympics and Paralympics Paris 2024, along with partnerships with the NBA and WNBA.
Kardashian, along with Emma and Jens Grede have built Skims with a reported $4 billion valuation that represents an inclusive vision of beauty, from body shape to skin tone. In the summer of 2023, the brand was seen growing to $750 million from $500 million in 2022. The brand has been fundraising for a possible initial public offering.
The North Face was founded in 1966 with the goal of preparing athletes with gear for their outdoor adventures. The brand is a centerpiece of the VF portfolio, which includes Vans, Timberland and Dickies, among others. As reported, The North Face has upped its stake in New York City with a new 5,000-square-foot store in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn and plans to expand of its Fifth Avenue flagship by late 2025.
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