NikeSKIMS, Hermès Drama, White Lotus in Thailand, and My New Athleisure Obsession
On NikeSKIMS, Hermès' insane brand story, a dash of TV drama, and a scandalous departure from my decade-long loyalty to Nike.
Issue #1
Welcome to the new and improved Culture Curve! While I’ll still publish deep dives on topics shaping culture & consumer behavior across retail, sports, tech and fashion, I’m bundling the most interesting things that’ve caught my eye this week—from brand shake-ups to podcast episodes—so you can skim (pun intended) or settle in for a deeper read. Let’s dive in:
🛍️ NikeSKIMS: The Bold Move to Reclaim Women’s Activewear
Nike recently admitted it’s been losing its edge with women, and in a surprising twist, they’ve teamed up with Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS—originally a shapewear brand that’s quickly snapped up sports cred (Team USA, NBA, WNBA). I spent nearly a decade at Nike, and in my deep dive, I dissect how the brand fell behind in the athleisure wars, why Kim K might actually be the secret to bridging Nike’s performance heritage with today’s “quiet luxury” vibe, and what could go terribly wrong if the collaboration veers too hype or too pricey.
Read my full article here to see why I think NikeSKIMS might just spark a major comeback.
🎧 From Horse Saddles to Holy Grails: The Acquired Hermès Episode
I got lost in Acquired’s 4-hour deep dive on Hermès—and let me tell you, the brand’s origin story is even richer than the luxe leather they’re famous for. We’re talking about an almost 200-year-old French saddle-maker that turned its products into modern holy grails, complete with hostile takeover drama starring the notorious Bernard Arnault. They break down how the Birkin bag was invented (even if you already think you know), why that Apple Watch collab felt a bit off-brand, and what fuels the IYKYK scarcity model that keeps fans clamoring for more.
Honestly, after hearing about Hermès’ meticulous craftsmanship and the insane attention to detail that keeps its pieces practically immune to devaluation, I suddenly need an Hermès silk scarf in my life—I’m a sucker for quality craftsmanship with romantic backstories. The Succession-esque takeover drama alone makes the episode worth it.
🪷 The White Lotus Effect: HBO’s Foray Into Asia, Cultural Appropriation, Lisa, & That Chaotic Theme Song
We’re three episodes into White Lotus S3, set in Thailand, and my longing for the lush tropics, mango sticky rice, and unbeatable Southeast Asian hospitality has never been stronger. While the White Lotus Effect (read: boost in tourism) has been widely reported on, I’ve been watching with an admittedly critical eye at how the show treats an incredibly nuanced culture - from pronunciations to traditional outfits. So far, I have to say that the show treats Thailand with the care and respect it deserves—especially important when packaging it for mainstream Western media. I love the Buddha and monkey references, the lighthearted jokes about pronunciations and that actual Thai actors are playing major roles in moving the storyline forward instead of fading into the background.
HBO made a savvy move casting Thai megastar Lisa (of BLACKPINK fame), leveraging her popularity to boost growth in Asia, where Max currently has around 20 million subscribers compared to roughly 50 million in North America, so having Lisa onboard and shooting this season in Thailand are massive acquisition plays in the region.
But I have a complaint: the new theme song is not the vibe, and the internet agrees because let’s be honest, we’ve all been waiting to let loose with some version of this dance after waiting over two years. Creator Mike White defended it, saying, “We wanted a vibe that feels more chaotic—like a fever dream in paradise.” Well, mission accomplished. The lack of chaos is definitely chaotic… but I’m still skipping the intro.
🧘🏼♀️ My Athleisure Affair: How I Cheated on Nike with Vuori
Since this edition is so athleisure-heavy, it feels like a safe space to make a confession I’ve been carrying around for too long: after eight loyal years at Nike…. I finally strayed. Last year, I discovered the incredibly buttery apparel at Vuori’s outlet store and was instantly hooked. I visited their retail store in LA last week and ended up spending half of my birthday budget on the comfiest athleisure I’ve encountered, as well as some basic tanks and tees. While I initially went in to discover my size and preferred silhouettes so I could use my 20% first-time purchase discount online, the sales assistant offered me the discount in-store - a lovely surprise for impatient consumers like myself who don’t want to wait for their orders to arrive in the mail. I’m sure promoting the offer in-store would attract a lot more first-time traffic (or returning, for that matter).
Founded in 2015 by Joe Kudla in Encinitas, California, Vuori began as a fusion of surf culture and functional performance wear for men—and after raising $400 million from SoftBank a while back, it’s slowly but surely capturing market share in premium activewear, which is impressive considering its women’s offering only began in 2018. Between the brand’s tasteful marketing and insanely comfortable yet flattering fits, I’m pretty sure I’ll be building up my Vuori collection—though I promise, the Swoosh and I are still on good terms.
Coming Up Next on Culture Curve…
Don’t throw away your iPod mini because refurbished electronics may become the next zero-billion dollar market
I found a deliciously branded 800-year old perfumery with incredible price points
Why are we sleeping on Antigua, Guatemala for tourism? (if you’re a coffee lover, you won’t want to miss this)
If you enjoyed this edition of Culture Curve, feel free to share it with a friend or drop a comment below. Got a tip, topic, or burning question? Hit reply or leave a note—I love hearing from you!
Until next time—stay curious, stay cultured.
— Kasvi