The Launch of Ultimate Hips

By now, we know Kim Kardashian doesn’t just follow trends she manufactures them. The mogul-turned-matter-of-fact shapewear innovator has once again disrupted the bodywear conversation with her latest Skims release: Ultimate Hips.

Launched on June 5, the $108 shapewear piece is a sculpting mid-thigh garment embedded with soft foam pads at the hips. The goal? To craft a curvier silhouette and offer a new route to the coveted hourglass figure no gym, no needles, no surgeon’s consultation required. Designed with a raw cut leg opening and a snug elastic waist, the product promises seamless enhancement under clothing, while making a bold statement about where fashion and body image now intersect.

Shapewear Meets Statement

Sound familiar? It should. This isn’t Kardashian’s first foray into anatomical illusion. In 2023, her “nipple bra” yes, a bra with faux, perky nipples which sparked both ridicule and resonance. While some snickered, others, particularly breast cancer survivors, found meaning in the statement. The bra sold out and was restocked multiple times.

The Ultimate Hips are now following a similar trajectory: part spectacle, part solution and undeniably viral.

The Internet Weighs In

Public reaction has been split, and predictably so.

On one side: admiration, aspiration, and aesthetic curiosity. Social media users praised the product as a playful, non-invasive way to embrace curves or at least experiment with them. For some, it was a form of empowerment. “It’s giving body without commitment,” one commenter noted. For others, it was a confidence boost in a world obsessed with angles and silhouettes.

On the flip side: sharp criticism. Critics argued that the pads mimic the BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift) body trend without acknowledging the pressure such aesthetics place on women. “It’s cosplay for an unattainable standard,” one Reddit user wrote. Others questioned the price point and likened it to “just another plastic quick fix, wrapped in stretchy fabric.”

Still, the discourse speaks to something larger. Fashion has always toyed with shape from corsets and bustles to shoulder pads and peplums. This is just Gen Z’s version, filtered through Instagram and sold by a Kardashian.

Beyond the Foam

What Skims has perfected and what traditional shapewear brands often miss  is the cultural pulse. Kardashian doesn’t just sell garments. She sells a hyperaware, headline-ready narrative about body autonomy, digital performance, and the new language of femininity.

So is Ultimate Hips a revolution or a gimmick? That depends on your perspective.