Kim Kardashian sparked conversations about beauty standards perpetuated by celebrities after posting a series of photos of herself posing in skimpy lingerie to promote a new SKIMS drop.
The reality star, who founded the lingerie and shapewear company in 2019, took to Instagram on Tuesday (June 30) to share photos of herself modeling her brand’s “micro” tops and bottoms.
Highlights
- Kim Kardashian promoted new SKIMS “micro” lingerie, sparking debate on beauty standards.
- Critics accused Kim of heavily editing her risqué photos and compared her campaign to Hailey Bieber's.
- SKIMS, Kim's shapewear and lingerie brand, has grown into a $5 billion company.
Image credits: kimkardashian
One image showed the mom of four flaunting her figure in a $38 leopard-print top and matching bottom priced at $20.
In another photo, Kim modeled a bright pink $38 scoop-neck top and matching $20 bottoms.
In both images, she styled her long locks in loose waves and opted for a glowy makeup look with pink blush.
The reality star told fans in the caption of her Instagram carousel that the new SKIMS “micro” collection “fits everybody.”
Instead of focusing on the product, many social media users analyzed Kim’s appearance, suggesting she wasn’t being authentic about how she really looked.
“She looks like a deer in headlights. Comical she wants us to believe this is what her body actually looks like,” one critic wrote.
“Kim does not look like that,” echoed another observer, accusing the 45-year-old of editing out the “scars and cellulite” many women have.
Image credits: northwsst
A third user who said Kim had gone too heavy on the filters commented, “Dear Kim. You don’t look like that, at all. You are delusional. Kindly, A Person with Common Sense.”
Others contrasted Kim’s pictures with those of Hailey Bieber modeling SKIMS that had previously been posted on the reality star’s Instagram page.
Hailey, who began modeling in 2014, posed in multiple pieces from the brand’s Everyday Cotton collection.
Image credits: kimkardashian
Many critics pointed out that Hailey had received more likes than Kim on their respective SKIMS photos, with some arguing that the daughter of Stephen Baldwin looked far more natural.
“It's hilarious to watch the downfall of Kim and her thirst traps. Imagine someone else's pic getting more likes than her own on her IG,” one Redditor said.
“The Photoshop on her new pics 😂 The way she’s committed to posting fake pics as if we don’t know what she really looks like. Her daughter is crying out for help but here she is, posting fake thirst traps. You don’t look like that, Kimberly. Stop it,” another user commented.
Image credits: kimkardashian
One observer suggested that Hailey’s pictures were likely “Photoshopped as well.”
Additionally, some netizens questioned whether the Instagram likes actually came from real users, noting that some celebrities buy “bot likes” to boost their public image.
Image credits: kimkardashian
Since its 2019 launch, SKIMS has grown into a $5 billion company.
Kim said the brand was inspired by her efforts to find shapewear that matched her skin tone and body shape.
"It started off of my body and my shapes, and it's very vulnerable,” the Kardashians star told TIME magazine. “I used to take my shapewear and dye it with tea bags and coffee in the bathtub.”
The conversation surrounding the allegedly edited “thirst traps” comes amid criticism directed at Kim and her ex-husband, Kanye West, over their 13-year-old daughter North’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week.
The teenager attended the Vetements Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 show last week, accompanied by her famous mom's stylist, Danielle Levi.
Many people blasted the parents for allowing their child to attend the event without either of them and for exposing her to adult men who asked her for pictures.
Image credits: Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
North, who has followed in her father’s footsteps in music, sported her signature bright blue hair and facial piercings.
She was first spotted with a dermal piercing on her hand in September 2025. Over the following months, she shared closer looks at additional piercings, including a bridge piercing, studs on her cheeks, and several finger piercings, per People magazine.
In addition to the controversy surrounding the piercings, another incident that sparked concern involved the 13-year-old’s interaction with a 23-year-old model at the fashion show.
North was approached by Matteo Sinet at the June 26 event to take a photo together. The teenager seemingly went in for a handshake, but the model embraced her instead.
Image credits: kimkardashian
“I try to stay out of peoples business but da*n the way grown men, complete strangers, try to use North makes me sick,” rapper Skepta wrote in response to the video of the interaction.
“Protect your kids, people. Protect your kids! (...) She is 13 years old and she put her hand out for a handshake, you don’t ignore that.”
After the video went viral, a source told Page Six that North “wasn’t uncomfortable at all and just wasn’t sure if [Sinet] wanted to shake hands or hug.”
