Kim Kardashian West’s stamina is something to be admired. Today alone, the 39-year-old entrepreneur and media personality appeared on Good Morning America, and then was quickly shuffled to the recently opened Nordstrom flagship store in New York, where she had interviews one right after the other before presenting a fashion show to a large and boisterous crowd, many of whom waited all night for a chance to get a glimpse of her.
The jam-packed itinerary was all for the launch of SKIMS, her shapewear and underwear brand, at the retailer. It has been a little less than a year since Kardashian West first introduced the line, often expressing how there was nothing else like it on the market—a complete line offering pieces for women of all shapes and skin tones. And at her presentation, she drove this point home, showcasing a diversified range of models who walked down a makeshift runway onto a stage, while choral music played in the background.
Indeed, the whole presentation fits into her newfound aesthetic, one that is characterized by minimalism and could be likened to her husband Kanye West’s erstwhile women’s collection. But where his brand focused on creating an overall vibe, she is also targeting functionality.
“I’m very minimal but practical,” she tells BAZAAR.com in a Nordstrom backroom. “When I said I wanted seamless shapewear, everyone looked and thought that I was crazy. The thing that always bothered me [with other brands] was that there would be a seam up the front. You would have this really tight dress and then see this seam, defeating the purpose of wearing something that is supposed to look like there is nothing underneath. I’m all about comfort and glamour at the same time. I always think you can do it all, so why not have everything that you need as far as your products?”
Having it all, to be sure, is something that Kardashian West embodies. She has SKIMS, KKW Beauty, and the behemoth reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, plus a husband and four children under the age of seven. Add to that already-hefty list the fact that she’s getting a law degree. Time is clearly a precious commodity for her, which is why she wastes none of it, focusing on projects that she is really passionate about.
“I don’t have downtime right now,” she says. “Maybe in about three more years I will—once I finish law school. I just finished year one. It’s really, really a challenge, but I love it. And what I’m learning is all happening in my real life, whether it’s contracts or personal injury law.”
Her value system has evidently changed since she first hit the limelight. Once known for bright, shiny dresses and hitting the town with a coterie of celeb pals, Kardashian West has lately stripped away any sense of excess—a sentiment that is reflected in the imaging of her businesses (SKIMS and KKW Beauty are noticeably pared down), the way she decorates her home, her personal style, and who she keeps around her.
“I have put limits on myself,” she says. “When I travel, I literally change my number. I love all my friends, but I really have to keep my circle really small. I don’t go out anymore. I don’t go to events anymore because I have to study.”
Even with these limits, Kardashian West’s endurance is not only laudable but almost unbelievable. She even questions how she is able to manage it all, surmising that it perhaps boils down to her diet. “I swear, since I’ve gone plant based, I have way more energy than I used to,” she explains. Has she bought into the holistic lifestyle fostered by Goop? Her response: “Is that what that is?”
But what she doesn’t question is her ability to set her priorities, positing that it is one of her greatest strengths. “I’m super organized,” she says. “I think a lot of my success comes from organizational skills.”
SKIMS by Kim Kardashian West
SKIMS Sculpting Seamless Bodysuit
SKIMS Fits Everybody Thong
SKIMS Sculpting Seamless Mid Shorts
SKIMS Open Bust Slip Dress
SKIMS Core Control Thong
SCULPTING BODYSUIT MID THIGH
SKIMS Sculpting Bodysuit
Barry Samaha is the former style commerce editor at Esquire, where he covered all things fashion and grooming. Previously, he was an editor at Harper’s Bazaar, Surface, and WWD, along with overseeing editorial content at Tod’s Group. He has also written for The Daily Beast, Coveteur, Departures, Paper, Bustle Group, Forbes, and many more. He is based in New York City and can't seem to find enough closet space for all his shoes.
