[Featured image courtesy of SKIMS]

In our first episode for 2025, Emma speaks to Nina Khoury, VP of Strategic Operations at SKIMS. 

Since its founding in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede, SKIMS has skyrocketed from startup to powerhouse, valued at $4 billion in 2023 and still expanding, with brick-and-mortar stores now opening across the US.

Nina has been with SKIMS from the early days, stepping into a strategic leadership role tailor-made for her expertise, spanning growth, transformation, strategic operations and ESG.

Emma and Nina dive into what it takes to scale a fashion brand, from SKIMS’s tech-driven operations to the broader industry move toward automation and AI. They discuss how robotics is transforming traditional warehousing, SKIMS micro-fulfillment pilot for same-day delivery, and why integrating AI at a foundational level is crucial for efficiency, supply chains, and the future of DTC retail.

Listen to the full 35 minute episode below or find The Interline Podcast on your favourite audio platform.

Key talking points from Emma and Nina’s conversation:

  • Nina’s role, and about the career path that led her there.
  • The transferable skills from Nina’s past experiences that proved invaluable in her new role that still form part of her toolkit today.
  • How SKIMS has been experimenting with technology with autonomous mobile robots across its fulfilment centres.
  • The other use cases for technology for SKIMS and the broader industry when it comes to AI: looking specifically at AI agents, demand forecasting, and personalisation.
  • Advice for fashion businesses when it comes to scaling a business.
  • More details on SKIMS’s current distribution channels and growth ambitions for the  near future.

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