Skims names new senior director of retail EMEA ahead of UK store opening

Kim Kardashian’s shapewear and apparel brand Skims has appointed former Victoria's Secret and Ralph Lauren executive Judy Genovese as its new senior director of retail EMEA ahead of the opening of its first standalone UK store on London's Regent Street this summer.

Genovese confirmed the news on her LinkedIn profile, stating that she was joining the American brand to help “build the brand's European infrastructure from the ground up”. “Skims is a brand with real momentum, and the EMEA expansion is just getting started,” added Genovese. “There's a lot to build, and I'm eager to be leading the retail team doing it.”

Working closely with EMEA president Robin Gendron, who joined the brand last summer from Michael Kors, as well as the brand's global retail leadership, Genovese will be responsible for driving in-store performance, new market expansion, and team development across the EMEA region.

Before joining Skims, Genovese served as the client success director at the retail workforce management tool StoreForce, and was director of stores at luxury brand Ralph Lauren, and associate vice president – retail director for Victoria’s Secret UK and Ireland, where she implemented and managed the American lingerie retailer’s brand launch and expansion strategies in the UK.

Genovese's appointment follows Skims unveiling innovative hoardings around its debut London store on Regent Street. Rather than traditional flat boards, the hoarding around the store has been designed to mimic the smooth, moulded, and sleek finish synonymous with the brand's shapewear, complete with a raised backlit logo.

Skims signed a 10-year lease with The Crown Estate for the store, and while it doesn’t have an official opening date, the brand is stating a summer opening. The flagship spans 12,000 square feet and will offer an “immersive retail experience” to showcase its underwear, loungewear, and shapewear.