Skims x Nike

The collaboration between Nike and SKIMS was never meant to be a one off moment. It was announced early 2025, positioned clearly and rolled out with patience. One collection dropped already last year and now the next wave lands. Footwear. Specifically the NikeSKIMS Rift. A familiar silhouette reintroduced through a very current lens.

At first glance the shoe feels like a remix of everything fashion flirted with in 2025. Ballet flats went functional. Sport silhouettes went soft. Performance design started borrowing elegance instead of fighting it. The Rift sits exactly there. Split toe heritage from Nike’s archive meets a sculpted almost ballerina like upper that instantly triggers associations. You think of Puma’s ballet experiments. You think of Maison Margiela and its iconic tabi. You think of MiuMiu because of that slightly exaggerated rubber base which turns something delicate into something grounded. But this is not imitation. It is Nike pulling its own history back into the conversation and letting SKIMS smooth the edges.

The strength of this collaboration lies in restraint. Neutral skin tones that disappear into wardrobes instead of demanding styling gymnastics. Mesh that feels light. A strap that reads practical and decorative. It aligns perfectly with SKIMS’ philosophy of blending into your life rather than standing on top of it while still carrying Nike’s obsession with movement and biomechanics. The Rift has always been about natural motion inspired by long distance runners and anatomical research and here it feels less like a running shoe and more like a lifestyle translation of that idea.

Fashion is currently obsessed with shoes that live between categories. Not quite sneaker, not quite flat, not quite performance. The question is not whether the NikeSKIMS Rift is wearable. It is whether it becomes that shoe. The one you see everywhere six months from now. Or whether it stays a niche piece for people who enjoy the tension between sporty and strange.

by Lareen Roth